Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6

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:

Sceptre86 · 08/05/2021 19:13

Depends on the child but my ds went at 2.5years old and was fine. We went to see Goldilocks and the three bears in Edinburgh and he was mesmerised. He came to sit in my lap for a cuddle at one point but asked to go again. I sat at the end of the row and him next to me incase I did need to take him out.

gluteustothemaximus · 08/05/2021 19:14

My eldest at 3, totally.

My youngest at 5, no way in hell.

So, depends on the child.

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 08/05/2021 19:16

Mine could, and the younger one has been assessed as having concentration problems at school. But easily could have sat through a panto at 3. He was also taken to one as a baby and slept through it!

NewPapaGuinea · 08/05/2021 19:40

I’ve never been to a matinee panto that wasn’t full of children, so not sure how other people’s experience will be ruined. If people are that bothered by loud children then the panto is definitely not for them and certainly not a matinee showing.

OP see if you can go when they do performances for schools. They aren’t school exclusive, but will be packed with children (obvs)

Fabuleuse · 08/05/2021 19:44

DS2 sat through a one hour show aged 2 but I think we were lucky and tbh it was mostly because he was distracted by being given so many crisps to eat. He's 3.5 and definitely wouldn't sit through a full panto.

PerspicaciousGreen · 08/05/2021 19:46

I absolutely cannot wait to take my 3yo to his first panto. I honestly think he'd have no trouble sitting still and being quiet for that long right now, but that he'd be absolutely terrified of some of the conventional panto stuff like the baddie coming on in a big hiss of smoke and all the lights going green. Think of the bit in Aladdin pantos where Abanazer seals the Cave of Wonders and there's a massive thunderclap and flashing lights and we know Aladdin is in Big Trouble. So we'll be leaving it for a few years until I think he can cope with some of the effects a bit better.

If you think yours might enjoy it, I'd definitely take them, though. With the proviso that I'd book seats very near the door and be prepared that you might end up leaving five minutes in and wasting your money.

zingally · 08/05/2021 19:50

No one goes to a panto expecting perfectly behaved, silent children!

If you think they'd enjoy it. Go for it!

Mytiredeyeshaveseenenough · 08/05/2021 19:55

Depends on the child and also on the panto. If it's an old fashioned dose of stupidity wrapped in bad jokes and slapstick, it's more likely.

However, our local one had a pretty scary dragon the other year which really didn't help.

It did help with the older kid when someone, namely me, got a load of grief and a soaking from the absolute oh yes he is on stage.

Man well help if you load the children up on sugar. Oh yes it does.

ComDummings · 08/05/2021 19:57

One of my children would have been fine at that age. The other...no chance!

Whitewolf2 · 08/05/2021 20:01

Yes, we took our 2 and 4 year olds at the time and they both were very good and enjoyed it. However it was a local village hall one, so wouldn’t have been too upsetting if they hadn’t liked it, I might not have wanted to risk a big expensive theatre production!

Heckythump1 · 08/05/2021 20:02

Took my oldest to her first panto at 3 years 2 months and she loved every minute of it :)

Lovewinemorethanhusband · 08/05/2021 20:05

I took my middle one at 2.5 and she loved it, it did scare her at one point when the dragon came out but I covered her eyes and she was ok probably would have been better if we weren't in the front row !

ShinyGreenElephant · 08/05/2021 20:07

Totally depends on the child. Dd1 we went to the ballet when she was 3.5 and she was absolutely entranced, loved it and didn't move a muscle all the way through. Pantos / kiddy type shows she adored from maybe 2. Dd2 isn't quite 3 yet but she can't even sit through an episode of Peppa pig so we definitely won't be attempting a panto any time soon with her

booksandnooks · 08/05/2021 20:07

interactive with lots of 'he's behind you!'
we went as children and lots of the older kids had toddlers on their laps.
I'd say its okay

IHaveBrilloHair · 08/05/2021 20:08

I'm sure no one expects silence, that's not what panto is all about, but there's a difference between a bit of exuberance, and possibly crying a wee bit at the baddie, and screaming blue murder and/or kicking the seats of the people in front or running up and down the aisles.

Changechangychange · 08/05/2021 20:11

How are they with films? DS can’t sit through a full Disney, gets bored after about 45 mins. We went to see The Tiger Who Came to Tea about 18 months ago (just before his 3rd birthday), and he struggled, even though it was his favourite book. He still remembers going though, so we are glad we took him.

Will there be an interval? You can always take them out for a walk about in the foyer - most pantomimes are not the type of show where that would be disruptive.

2020nymph · 08/05/2021 20:13

Mine could with enough snacks!

PastelLampshade · 08/05/2021 20:13

I think it depends on your child. I was able to take dd at 18months and she loved every second!

Original poster

Liverbird77 · 08/05/2021 20:15

I assume there would be an interval. We were thinking of taking him to a playground first to burn off some energy!

I've never shown him a Disney film, or any film actually, so not sure how he'd be. It's a great idea to try him with one though!

I've checked and we would be the first to book on this particular date, so we could be front row centre! Nobody in front to be bothered by us. I absolutely wouldn't stand for any seat kicking though...we'd be straight outside!

OP posts:

ellenpartridge · 08/05/2021 20:16

I think 2 hours is likely to be too long. Most theatre shows for preschoolers are more like 45 min or max 1 hour.

FruityPolos · 08/05/2021 20:22

We took DD to a panto at almost 3, she loved it. We had already taken her to kids theatre since about 18 months though and cinema since age 2 (well baby cinema as well before that) so we knew she should be ok to sit through it, I agree with pp that trying something like that first would be good. Would give your little one an idea of what to expect (ie we go to the toilet before we go in, oh look the seats flip up that's fun, look at the big stage etc). We went to the afternoon show, took some quiet snacks as bribes and got aisle seats so that we could leave if necessary just in case.

IHaveBrilloHair · 08/05/2021 20:22

The playground might make him so tired he falls asleep, which is fine if you want to see the Panto anyway, or so overtired and can't sleep because of the noise so makes a fuss.
I'd try it at your cheap local town panto, rather than one if the expensive city ones.
Not much money wasted if you have to leave then.

riddles26 · 08/05/2021 20:42

Another who says it depends on the child. Took my eldest in 2019 and she was just over 3. It was a panto for all ages, recommended age 5+ so not aimed that her age but she loves Cinderella so we took a risk and she loved it. Started to get a bit tired towards the end (it was evening performance) but sat in my lap for that part and still watched the show without disturbing those around us.

Children's ones are definitely perfect for that age

riddles26 · 08/05/2021 20:45

Theatre where we went had seats too far apart for her to kick so that wouldn't have been an issue.
Definitely recommend watching movies etc beforehand, we used to go cinema regularly with her (pre covid ofc) and she had been to multiple children's theatre shows first so the general concept was not new

KnottyKnitting · 08/05/2021 20:54

Usual theatre- no Panto- yes! No one expects little ones to be quiet at a panto. Just choose seats that are on the aisle so you can take them out to the loo if necessary.
We took DD1 to a panto aged 2.6 and Dd2 2.3 (they loved it! )

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6