Introducing Live Fine Arts

[velochic]

I didn't want to put this into a specific age category as I'm sure it varies greatly. When did you/plan to start taking your children to fine arts live performances such as ballets, opera, theater, etc.? Just curious when your kiddo could sit through a 3 hour opera, for example.

[ImaSophie]

I think it depends on the child, my oldest was going to see age appropriate ballet, orchestra, and plays/musicals starting around three years old. My four year old is not at the point where he could sit still for a ballet, or stage play/musical but he can sit through the free childrens orchestra events that were offered in our area (when we lived in Tucson).

I think opera is doable this site has some good ideas for gearing a child up for seeing an opera and activities, along with age appropriate operas for kids to see. http://www.squidoo.com/opera-for-children

I would try The Magic Flute as a first opera experience, but one thing we do is only attend matinees when we take the children with us. Cheaper seats if it doesn't work out, and chances are there may be other young children in attendance vs an evening production. Tickets are expensive and I would not want my kids to ruin anyone's experience.

[mtiger]

Originally Posted by velochic

I didn't want to put this into a specific age category as I'm sure it varies greatly. When did you/plan to start taking your children to fine arts live performances such as ballets, opera, theater, etc.? Just curious when your kiddo could sit through a 3 hour opera, for example.

I went to my first opera at 8. Aida at the Met. My comment? "It was nice, but they sang too much." Went to the ballet before that - I'm thinking Nutcracker and Swan Lake. I spent the rest of my growing-up years going to the Met, City Ballet, the Phil, etc... And I didn't really enjoy it that much.

My parents offered to take my kids 1-3 times a season, and both of them quite enjoyed it. #1 is musically inclined, and was in heaven. #2 just liked spending the time with Grandpa. #1 went (on his own) to see Otello last night.

Expose them early. But I wouldn't expect them to sit through 3 hours until at least 8.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

My housemate is a dancer and ds has been going to his dance performances since he was 1yo. He makes it about 45 minutes and then usually get restless, but most of the performance are about an hour long. Ds is 3yo.

[carmel23]

3-4 years is when we take our kids, if it requires tickets to be purchased. But we prepare them: we listen to the musical piece if it is an orchestra, learn the story if it is a ballet, opera.

However, we've taken them to free concerts at universities, Shakespeare in the park, etc. since birth!

Also going to Mass on Sunday is good training, so they know what is expected (and if you go to the right place, you can expose your child to some wonderful, wonderful music).

[karne]

Very young, for both kids. We started, with great success, w/outdoor performances-Shakespere in the Park, live theater, musical performances, as well as ballet. We have been to many theaters as well, and the experience of walking inside a majestic theater is just astonishing for my kids. We have not attended opera, although that is on the list for the winter. I think that you have to know your child, their attention span and interests. We started with daytime performances because many evening performances run into 10PM or later, and that's too late for even my middle schooler to really enjoy the experience. I strongly urge exposure to a broad range of performance.

Both of my children now participate in the arts, and have a wonderful interest and enthusiasm for all levels of performance and production. It is a gift to expose your children to live performing arts.

[Spring Lily]

Around Christmastime there are often children's (shortened) versions of the nutcracker. We took our 3 year old to one and she was entralled the entire time (1.5 hrs). We did make sure she was very familiar with the story and music ahead of time.

We also took her at age 3 and 4 to various productions at local theaters. I keep my eye out for child-appropriate performances at the local community theaters, University, community college, and a certain high school which has a nice theater. I think preschool age is perfect, because they can really get absorbed in it. I didn't go to my first opera (Faust) until I was 11 and I was pretty lost. Perhaps if we'd gone over a libretto ahead of time, but I only knew a few general things about it.

I think a the key in helping them enjoy and sit through any performance is to make sure they are familiar with the story ahead of time. If young kids know what is going on, it's going to hold their attention much better, and allow them to attend even if they are little.

[GuildJenn]

Great tips. We've taken the approach that mostly we do the outdoor stuff/shorter/kid friendly stuff, plus our symphony has a kids' concert programme (45 min performance, weekend afternoon) that we started at 3.

I don't personally feel like we need to rush into the longer full operas and plays. (I feel the same way about movies in the theatre). I'd almost rather make a bigger production of it when my son is older, as long as we're introducing the music and some live theatre in other ways. I'll aim for 8-10 somewhere.

[meemee]

dd loves, loves, loves the stage.

she sat wide eyed and totally riveted to teh Seussical when she was 18 months old. we have been doing children's plays on a regular basis since then because i can afford the tics.

dd loves japanese opera. not so much the other opera. but for things like opera we started only at 5 when dd could truly appreciate it. unfortunately the only one we could afford was the movie showings in the theater.

we go to any free events esp. winter library orchestras, plays, puppet theater since dd was one. performance art is her thing though. even at 6 months she was totally fascinated by pantomime.

my biggest parenting tool during the mommy frustration years was pantomime.

[One_Girl]

We go to kid oriented things mostly and have for several years because they are entertaining and kid friendly. We also do music in the park or paid outdoor concerts in our local city garden because we can walk around when she gets bored and still hear the music. I don't bring her to adult oriented shows, though I think she would do well with the ballet, opera, or musical concert if we could afford the tickets because she has the maturity for it. There are so many free kids fine arts activities where we live that I don't think it is necessary to pay for adult oriented activities that I would probably rather see alone anyways.

[velochic]

Dd is 8 and we've been attending these types of events (for adults, not the kids-type performances) for almost 2 years now. She easily sits through a long opera and follows them well (likes them more than I do, actually). However, we have, in the past, been told that she's too young and that they don't allow kids under 8. We convince them she's fine (and she is), but of course, her ticket is an adult ticket at full price. We've been doing things like outdoor concerts since she was a baby, but just in the last couple of years really taken her to quality performances. I'm always amazed to see that she's one of only a very few children who attend these events and wondered why. Obviously there are lots of others her age attending. I wonder if people feel pressured to wait because these places say they have an "age limit"?

[4evermom]

Originally Posted by velochic

I wonder if people feel pressured to wait because these places say they have an "age limit"?

Nope, I'm waiting because ds has a patience limit and an interest limit.

I think ds was almost 8 before we even took him to a movie in a theater. He wasn't terribly interested in the little kid friendly skits at the children's museum when he was 5/6, either. Musical performances were even less favored. He'd be fine sitting through a play now, if he was interested. And he's mature enough to behave appropriately if his interest is borderline. I imagine his first experience will be if a local school puts on a play with a story line of interest. Early exposure may be great for some kids but there's nothing wrong with waiting until you think a child will really appreciate something, either.

[ChetMC]

Depend on the Kid

Oldest DD started going to stuff when she was two. She went to a 3 tattoo just beyond her second birthday, and we took her to the ballet when she was two and a half. She was the kind of kid to be transfixed by stuff like that. As a baby and a toddler your could take her anywhere.

Our second DD and first DS are better suited to outdoor performances, performances intended for children and families, etc. We try to go to outdoor concerts and free community events whenever we can.

[velochic]

Originally Posted by 4evermom

Early exposure may be great for some kids but there's nothing wrong with waiting until you think a child will really appreciate something, either.

Yes, I think this is very important. But those who *are* ready shouldn't feel pressured to wait just because of an arbitrary "age limit".

[crowcaw]

We took our twin dds to their first real play (musical) when they were just past 3; sat in the back near the aisle just in case but they didn't move a muscle through the entire thing and reenacted bits of the play for months to come. They're 5 now and have been to full length ballets, dance concerts, plays, and Broadway musicals several times and sat mesmorized. For each though we have prepped them with what the story is, made them familiar with the music, and made sure whatever it is doesn't have anything scary (they're kind of wimpy that way and don't like bad characters at all). The other thing I've noticed is the quality of what they're seeing does matter. The only ballets they've started squirming at were the local more amateur productions where the dancing isn't as big and it loses their interest. We haven't been to an opera with them yet and I'm not sure how that would go over.

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by velochic

I wonder if people feel pressured to wait because these places say they have an "age limit"?

In our case no - it's more just that I don't really want to go through a lot of experimentation when I know my kid will be ready in a few years. We are lucky to live in a city where there are so many great actual quality options.

In terms of a full-length opera or ballet, I'd just rather spend the money on a night out with my husband where we can enjoy it. I have full faith and confidence that the appreciation will come later (within my son's personality and personal taste) - I know it did for me.

I agree that arbitrary limits are annoying and it's good if places are flexible. But I have to admit I have been to a couple of performances where kids were being disruptive and I felt that the parents should have given up earlier. So I get why organizations start to impose limits.

[ollyoxenfree]

Like others have related, when they were toddlers we introduced our dc to CDs and video versions of music and performances geared toward children. There are some great CDs about composers and classical music. We attended outdoor performances, where they could listen but also move around a little if they lost attention. We also took advantage of Children's Festivals which often include wonderful opera and dance performances. When we took them to more "adult" venues, they were fairly well prepared, and even then, we selected child-friendly performances.

I can't recall how old they were when they attended a full length symphony, possibly 6 or 7 y.o. It was an afternoon performance and the music was for children. They had attended many children's plays, storytimes, concerts etc. by then. Their first ballet was The Nutcracker when ds was 8 y.o. and dd was 5, I think, although it could have been a year earlier or later. Their first opera was a children's opera based on aboriginal legends, and they were around the same age. Since then, they've seen a couple of operas, but neither is too fond of opera, so it isn't something we do often.

They've been lucky to attend schools with excellent music programs and participate in community orchestras and bands. They've both enjoyed playing instruments for years. I've watched them perform in marvelous concert halls. It definitely adds to the attraction if they are listening to a performance of a piece that they play themselves or if they are watching a performance at venue they will play/have played.

[~Boudicca~]

It probably depends on the kid. DD1 (age 7.5) hated that kind of stuff until this past year. I took her to see Fiddler on the Roof this summer and she loved it, was positively rapt with attention for the whole thing.

[karne]

Originally Posted by velochic

I'm always amazed to see that she's one of only a very few children who attend these events and wondered why. Obviously there are lots of others her age attending. I wonder if people feel pressured to wait because these places say they have an "age limit"?

My guess is that there are many reasons why there are only a few children attending the events you take your dd to. First, depending upon where you live, good seats to a quality performance can be extremely expensive, even matinees, and the economy is not great, so perhaps there isn't a lot of $$ to be spent on pricey tickets. Performances that go into the evening, even on a weekend, can be tough for kids.

Also, if you have more than one child, buying multiple tickets can be prohibative, as can an evening out that also involves paying a babysitter.

And I agree, w/the above poster--it is terrible to sit through a performance and have a child there (yours or someone else's) who is clearly too young, too tired, or not interested.

[leighi123]

My ds has been going sense he was tiny. We go see a ballet at christmas time every year, have been to several concerts (Buddy Guy mostly), and several plays (some geared to kids like the children's theater productions, but some not, like some of the holiday shows, the Blue Man Group and Nuba are a couple I can think of), and also smaller shows like at the library and community events like music concerts outdoors, dance demonstrations and things like that.

He enjoys it and sits through the whole thing quietly with no problem unless he has to pee, which he usually waits for intermission so its not a big deal. At concerts he likes to dance!

He has an easy going personality though and will listen when I ask him to sit still and watch the show. I dont think that necessarily will work for all kids though.

The children's theater here is really nice, they do plays geared to kids like 'Charlottes Web', and its not too long and has music and stuff so the kids really like it.

My dad took my sister and I to plays in London and other countries sense we were tiny. He gets free tickets to shows through his work, so thats why we get to go pretty often! Also ds was free until he turned 3.

ETA: I dont think I could sit through a 3 hour opera!