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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Can a three year old sit through a panto?

141 replies

Liverbird77 · 08/05/2021 08:22

Aibu to ask if an about-to-turn-three year old would be able to sit and enjoy a two hour panto?

Me and my mum would love to take him, but we aren't sure if it is feasible.
There's no SEN or other special considerations to think about.

I am interested to hear from parents of older children. What age did you start to take them?

OP posts:
Iseeyoulookingatme · 08/05/2021 08:23

I would say no, we took ds to his first one at 5 and he struggled with it.

kowari · 08/05/2021 08:24

Would depend entirely on the three year old

CandyLeBonBon · 08/05/2021 08:26

One of mine could the other 2 not so much. Depends on the child

starpatch · 08/05/2021 08:26

No a shorter childrens theatre show would be better. Zog is due to tour I think.

TeddyBeans · 08/05/2021 08:27

I've seen babies and toddlers of all ages at pantos. We'd planned to take DS last year when he would have been 2 years 8 months but covid put a stop to that. The tickets have been revalidated for this year so he'll be going for the first time at 3 years 8 months instead!

If your child doesn't like it you can always leave

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 08/05/2021 08:27

Oh yes they can. oh no they can't

Being serious - it depends on the child.

RevolvingPivot · 08/05/2021 08:27

Depends. My now 9 year old couldn't sit through the cinema until she was 5.

Blueskythinking123 · 08/05/2021 08:27

My DS did from 3, but he loved music and dancing. When on holiday he would love to sit and watch puppet shows etc. I'd also taken him to children theatre productions.

My DD at sae age (second child) would not have been able too. Very different child and temperament. No SEN, just different interests, even at that young age.

So it really is dependent on the child.

tiredanddangerous · 08/05/2021 08:29

Totally depends on the child. DD2 sat through her first one at 2 with no issues but DD1 would have been a nightmare at that age.

Whatafustercluck · 08/05/2021 08:30

Definitely depends on the child. Ds wouldn't have sat for 2 hours at that age. He's never really been that bothered about singing and dancing.

But we took dd when she had just turned 3 and she was absolutely captivated. She loved the songs, the noise and the participation.

inappropriateraspberry · 08/05/2021 08:35

They might sit through it, but I doubt they'd understand or appreciate it properly. I'd wait until they were 5+ so they could follow the story and enjoy it more.

Original poster
Liverbird77 · 08/05/2021 08:35

Thanks, everyone. I guess there is just no way to know. We are going to Butlins in October so we'll see how he goes with the shows there.

OP posts:
Nicolastuffedone · 08/05/2021 08:36

The little ones in our family managed fine! There was so much going on, shouting out, being asked to stand up/sit down, joining in a song etc! They were mesmerized by it all!

SexyGiraffe · 08/05/2021 08:41

Might be too much - I took DD to a panto when she was that age - she couldn't understand why Cinderella wouldn't talk to her and she cried and then fell asleep for the whole second half (we would have left, but MiL really wanted to watch it!)

motherloaded · 08/05/2021 08:42

Depends on the child!,

My youngest did, no reason to punish their older siblings. It was 2 of us so one could take the youngest out if needed, but it was fine, they love the show. Probably missed out on a few bits, but there's singing and dancing, they had snacks, flashing toys..
They probably enjoyed being spread by water guns a lot more than parents did Grin

Probably depends on the panto too, and how far from the stage you are.

MyNameForToday1980 · 08/05/2021 08:42

All children are different, but I'd have expected DD to be able to sit through 1 hour, but 2 hours might be a stretch at age 3.

BikeRunSki · 08/05/2021 08:44

Both mine did, at 3, but we went to local am dram rather than big professional productions, and sit on the end of the row. Bit less awkward to take a child out for a wee, or if they are scared.

BowserJr · 08/05/2021 08:46

Not quite a panto, but we started taking the DC to the cinema when they were two.DS1 was great, quite happily sat through a film. Which is amazing considering he usually runs around everywhere. DS2 on the other hand wouldn't sit still and had to be bribed with sweets and pop corn (terrible parents, I know!).

The advantage with a panto is it will be full of kids and generally 'audience participation' is encouraged, so it's unlikely you'll have lots of tutting and shooshing if your DC does get restless.

SaltAndVinegarSandwiches · 08/05/2021 08:47

Might sit through it but it would be too long for most to enjoy at 2-3 I would take mine to a shorter Christmas play designed for young kids. They used to love it.

mdh2020 · 08/05/2021 08:49

It totally depends on the child. I took my children to the theatre at a very young age but I knew they would behave. Last time I went to the ballet (oh those heady days) a woman sat next to me with a three year old on her lap and the child didn’t move or say a word through the whole performance. The mother told me she had trained her to behave.

Bayleaf25 · 08/05/2021 08:50

I can’t remember how old DD was (maybe 3) but she was terrified of the pantomime villain and spent much of the show hiding in my arms for fear of him appearing. 😬😱

CaptainMyCaptain · 08/05/2021 08:51

I took mine as a 2 year old (Lulu in Jack and the beanstalk).

mdh2020 · 08/05/2021 08:51

Sorry - I wish we could edit posts! I worked with a young woman who took her two year old along with several other mothers and their children to a show for young children . Her son hated it and she had to take him home and miss the lunch afterwards. She told me she didn’t speak to him for the rest of the weekend! So if you do take your child to the pantomime, remember that he is only 3.

TeenMinusTests · 08/05/2021 08:53

I think just 3 is on the whole a bit young to enjoy most pantos.
They might not like loud bangs and flashes, and might be overly scared of the baddie.
Personally I'd wait a year.
Try a children's performance of The Gruffalo or CBeebies show or similar.

A judge as to whether they might concentrate, is can they sit through a full Disney DVD?

LostThings · 08/05/2021 08:54

Mine didn't!