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Original poster

What age to take a child to a pantomime?

35 replies

Tobebythesea · 06/03/2018 22:22

My DD will be nearly 3 this Christmas and I’m wondering about booking a pantomime but just not sure if she will just be too young. Don’t want to scare or overwhelm, plus it’s £££. Thoughts please!

OP posts:
Casmama · 06/03/2018 22:27

It depends a bit on the child- took my ds who was 8 last Christmas and we left at the interval cos he found it a bit loud and boring!
My younger ds is 3 and I would probably wait another year or two as I think he’d enjoy it then.
Have you ever taken your dd yo the cinema? It might help your decision.

essietopcoat · 06/03/2018 22:29

I reckon 4 and over tbh. A place where i used to work ran a panto trip for colleagues families and the kids had to be 4+

MinnieMousse · 06/03/2018 22:30

I took my eldest at nearly 4 and she was a bit scared so I would say 4/5.

Treaclespongeandcustard · 06/03/2018 22:35

I took mine at nearly three and she loved it. We took her again this year at nearly four and she still loved it. Depends on the child I guess.

Excelsa · 06/03/2018 22:56

My DH and I took our three this past Christmas- ages: 19 months, 3, and 5. I was very apprehensive and booked aisle seats, but it all worked out brilliantly and we had a great time! The 3 year old hid under my coat for a couple of minutes then was fine. The littlest needed quite a lot of encouragement (and snacks) but really enjoyed the music and dancing. We're definitely doing it again next year.

blacksmiths09 · 07/03/2018 07:57

Yes it can be quite boring for younger kids.

However - we discovered the world of Panto when DD was about 4 and have gone every single year since to Billingham Forum Theatre.

We have found now that our kids (now aged 14 and 10) have gotten somewhat indifferent towards going to the Panto every year. I think they have taken it for granted much to our annoyance. And if you think that only younger kids struggle to sit through a Panto the situation is exactly the same for older kids.

They are too used to Xbox's and smartphones and the constant connection to social media which has given them the attention span of a goldfish.

Sad really.

guiltynetter · 07/03/2018 08:00

it must depend on the child! i took my DD 3.5 last year for the first time and she was enthralled, absolutely loved it. i’m not convinced she understood what was going on 100% of the time but she laughed and joined in. however my friend with a DD the exact same age, went and they had to leave after 20 mins as she was too upset!

angelopal · 07/03/2018 08:06

Panto is generally quite noisy so depends on the child. I took DD when almost 4 but it was a small village Hall one as she doesn't like loud noise sometimes. She really enjoyed it. Will take her again this year.

Phillipa12 · 07/03/2018 08:08

My youngest was 2 when we went last year, i did however book a box incase of wriggling and im glad i did as he didnt stay in his seat for all of it and at least we didnt disturb anyone else, he did enjoy it though!

WeeM · 07/03/2018 08:11

We took mine when she was 4 for the first time and she loved it. I think at 3 she might’ve got a bit bored in parts. We went to a local production rather than a big one thought and it was much cheaper so maybe that would be an option-not so much of a loss if they don’t like it!

PeonyTruffle · 07/03/2018 08:12

I took my 3yr old last Christmas. He loved it, sat through it and was laughing along.

But he’s been to the cinema since he was 18 months (kids £1 Saturday showings) and is used to sitting and watching nicely though

Original poster
Tobebythesea · 07/03/2018 08:45

I haven’t taken her to the cinema yet but that’s a good idea to test the waters.

OP posts:
Qvar · 07/03/2018 08:46

I think 4 is the minimum to take them and expect any pleasure from it.

DenPerry · 07/03/2018 09:10

Depends on the child... no way would my 3 year old sit through Grin

Supermagicsmile · 19/06/2018 21:43

Dd has been going since she was 2 and loves it! :)

Equimum · 20/06/2018 19:55

As others have said, it will depend on the child. It’s not exactly the same thing, but we took DSs to see the Snowman ballet last christmas when they were 2.4 & 5. The younger one sat much better, and focused more on the stage, than the older one.

ILoveGroot · 21/06/2018 18:48

We went last year and DS was 4, we did a big one at Bristol hippodrome and he found it a bit loud and some bits a bit scary, but he did enjoy it. We went to another at a smaller theatre and he really liked it.

There are some places that have a childrens theatre, e.g. the egg in Bath, that do small shorter shows for younger children.

Definitely do cinema as a test, and if they can sit through that they can sit through panto as there is an interval and audience participation!

1stTimeMama · 23/06/2018 23:13

I took my daughter when she was 6. Thankfully it was the one and only time, and I've not bothered with taking the other children. It was terrible! I don't understand the whole panto thing at all.

Idontmeanto · 02/07/2018 06:24

I have a sensitive boy, (unless he’s the one making a racket!) who I’ll be taking for the first time this year at 5 1/2. I think I’d have needed to take him out before then.

NoWordForFluffy · 02/07/2018 07:02

@1stTimeMama, I took DD when she was 2 1/2 to a local small theatre and it was dire! The acting was appalling, the theatre too hot and the first half alone was 1.5 hours!

DD was unsurprisingly bored and wouldn't sit still for the second half, so we left. And haven't been back!

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of panto and neither is DH. His parents aren't either, and mine live a few hours' drive away. So unless the DC beg to go, nobody will be taking them! 😂

WhoKnowsWhereTheW1neGoes · 02/07/2018 07:25

We took mine first at 6 and he hated it (actually it was pretty dire) and he's never taken to it, we stopped taking him with a sigh of relief after a couple of years. I never really liked panto either TBH, it was just one of those things we felt we ought to try with our child. My other DC likes it but luckily goes with Brownies/Guides now.

ImogenTubbs · 02/07/2018 07:35

MiL took DD when she was three. It was far too noisy and overwhelming for her (but she was also coming down with something). She slept through the whole second half.

She did enjoy bits of it, although couldn't understand why Cinderella wouldn't talk to her from the stage. She so wanted to compare dresses! She is now nearly 5 and would probably enjoy it more.

WutheringTights · 06/07/2018 19:51

I took my older two to a local one last year, aged 3 years 1 month and just turned 5. They both loved it and were acting out bits of it for months afterwards. I've been taking them to age appropriate theatre shows and ballet pretty much since birth though so they're used to the theatre. I'll be taking all three, including my two year old, this year. I wouldn't pay for a big one though, just in case they're ill or something. Our local one is very good and very popular.

WutheringTights · 06/07/2018 19:52

Just remembered that we took them to an amateur one the year before (aged 2 and 4) and they were both fine and enjoyed it.

BakewellGin1 · 06/08/2018 18:09

We have been every year since DS9 was 3/4... we try and switch between venues and try to make sure different panto from year before... He's always enjoyed it (apart from the year we went to Robinson Crusoe)...