Anyone taken a 3yo to the Nutcracker Ballet?

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I would love to take my DD (3, 4 in Feb) to see the Nutcracker. We live in London so travelling is not a big deal. She is very well behaved and has sat through other smaller children's theatre shows in the past. But I didn't know whether logistically etc it would all be too much for her. She does get a bit overwhelmed by crowds but I'll be taking only her so I can just carry her if I need to as she's a tiny wee thing.

I suppose I just want to know if it would be a waste of time and more trouble than it's worth and maybe I should save it for next year.

If you think she will appreciate it and behave during it take her.my 6 year old would freak out having to watch a ballet(unfortunatly) and I would spend much of the night bring her out to the loo so she could get away from it😢

I took my 8yo ballet loving daughter to the Royal Opera House Nutcracker last year. I assumed she would love it, and I am a big ballet fan myself, but to be honest she was bored half way through. The ballet is quite long and although the costumes and sets are gorgeous they only hold their imagination for so long. I couldn't imagine taking a 3 year old, I think a panto or show at the Polka theatre would be much better.

If you do decide to go just double check the rules as some places won't let your dd in if she is under 5.

Personally I'd save it. It's on most, if not every, year in London. My 4 year old ballet/fairy obsessed DD would love it for about half an hour but wouldn't manage much more than that. Save it for when she's 5 or 6 I would.

I took my DD to The Nutcracker when she was older than your DD (I cannot remember exactly how old, maybe 7-8yo)
The man at the Theatre said it was a "perfect" ballet for a younger child, not too long, there was an interval and the music is recogniseable (SugarPlum Fairy )

What threw my DD was the age of the dancers (adults) when in the Play the lead characters are children.

Does she know the story? Its a fun balllet, very Christmassey.

There might be a minimum age though, best to check. I took DS to see "The Snowman" when he was just 5 , again, the loo breaks is a pain, they don't want to miss the Play but you can't make them go when you want them to.

I have reluctantly decided to wait a bit longer for DD who is a little bit older than yours. Just think she'd get bored and wriggly and ruin it for me!

Thanks. Hmm, one to ponder. I think she would be okay but I might save it for another time. You're right that it's on every year and we're not going anywhere. We've booked some other Christmassy shows; I just wanted to do something one on one with her (other 2 DC are boys and her twin would NOT be interested).

Maybe I'll see if I can find a showing on TV and watch some of it together for this year. And if she's taken then think of it for next year.

I took my DD to the ROH last year when she was 5, almost 6 and she loved it. She had watched the DVD countless times and had sat through it so I was confident it would be the same at the theatre. However I wouldn't have taken her any younger and in fact the ROH stipulates no under 5s anyway. Have you thought of taking her to a cinema version? I think there are several streamed performances on around Christmas.

I would recommend starting with my first ballet run by the English National Ballet - they did sleeping beauty this year at the Peacock theatre and my DD loved it. It is squarely aimed at the under-7s and there is a narrator telling them the story, the villains aren't too scary, it isn't too long and chattering is definitely tolerated! Plus handy for afternoon tea afterwards at the Delaunay, which DD loved (of course). www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/myfirstballet-sleepingbeauty/
And maybe nutcracker the year after if this is a hit?

How about the annual production of The Snowman at the Peacock? www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2016/the-snowman/

Still ballet but more appropriate for a three year old.

I took my dd aged 4 to the ballet....she asked when the singing was going to start!?
However took her and ds aged 6 to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and she loved it!

Just checked and it is Cinderella that will be on in spring 2017, tickets go on sale later this month

Too young IMHO, 5/6 would be a better age to take her
I took DD at 5 & she enjoyed it, though wasn't enthralled, but she never had an interest in ballet, so yours might be different

If you do take her when she is Young, the main story is in the first act so it works really well to leave in the interval. IIRC the second act is mainly a party with different groups of dancers performing.

I took my dd to the Nutcracker at 3 years 8 months. She enjoyed the first half and sat entranced . But during the second half she tried to join in (!) - raising arms to copy etc so we had to leave . 3 is too young to hold a child's attention for so long. And interestingly , my dd does not remember being taken.
Give it a few more years so that she will really appreciate it !

I took DD at 5. Her eyes never left the stage (except to stare down some chatty 8 year olds behind us). But she was ballet mad, knew the entire score, had seen the costumes being made and had watched the DVD 4923 times. I don't think she is typical. Her father is considerably older and I doubt he could sit through it!

We took DD at 4. She absolutely loved it. It was the Mathew Bourne production though, so may have been as much about the costumes and set design as anything. She does remember it, clearly at 12.

I took DD at 3 and a half (DS was 6 and a half). We got really cheap seats high up at the sides so that if necessary we could leave at the interval and not waste money (the tickets were about the same as children's shows).
She loved it. She enjoyed seeing the orchestra play and the dancing and costumes plus the experience of being in the ROH.
Being so young she was used to the idea of watching things with no words.
We had had a long talk about theatre behaviour and she behaved v well (as did DS who has ADHD).