What age did your DC not want to go to panto?

[parentsonthenet]

Do you still go to panto?

How old were your children if they stopped wanting to go?

Mine seem reluctant at 10/11 but I feel like if we go they will enjoy it, even if they think they won't. Can anyone relate?

It's just a lot of money to waste if they don't enjoy it, so would appreciate any insight from others?

One DS was about 11 (he was never as keen) and the other DS a couple of years later but he was into drama. For about the last six years my DH and I go on our own. Thinking about it we did talk them into it the last year or so and for the younger DS it involved a bigger and bigger pick a mix bribe so as soon as we old enough to be left at home alone he stopped coming.
We switched from panto to whatever the blockbuster film out was such as the latest star wars movie and also some days out in London instead.

DD7 has always detested them as they are 'super cringe' (thank God!).

Last one was just turned 11, ds was totally over it by that point

@HomeSliceKnowsBest

DD7 has always detested them as they are 'super cringe' (thank God!).

Me too!

My parents took me a couple of times when I was 8-9 or so and I hated it.

Thanks for responses looks like they are off the hook from this year.

Shame I was hoping that you'd be saying that they still enjoyed it even though not as enthusiastic. It's a good festive thing for us especially as visiting Father Christmas is also off the cards around now.

What other things are there for children around this age to have some family festive fun?

Going to follow this for ideas for the future as its probably the last year my oldest will want to see Santa and Panto.

20! Her sister still enjoys it at 17.

How about ice skating?

We still go to Panto every year. Eldest is 16 - doesn't say she doesn't want to go

Yeah 12 year old doesn’t want to go. Obv missed last year so last time we went they were 10. Now 10 year old is keen but expect this May be the last year. We were thinking of a show in London next year instead (although expensive) or ice skating.

Dd2 is 16 and still hassling me to buy tickets.

I'm 25 OP and still pester my Mum to book the panto tickets for Christmas Eve as soon as they go on sale in January

Dc3 aged 12 still wants to go this year.
Dc2 12 hasn't been for a couple of years and is not fussed - would probably go at a push.
Dc1 hasn't been since aged 10.

My dd didn't want to go to the last one we booked in 2019 at age 11 so just took my younger dc who was 7. instead we took her to see wicked at the theatre which she absolutely loved. I do see lots of adults without children at the pantos though so it's not just for kids.
How about a show at the theatre instead of panto if they're not keen on panto anymore.

Panto isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. Your children are of the age now where they might be interested in a wider range of entertainment.

Are there any ballets like the nutcracker near you, or like the poster above said, a theatre show?

Some pantos are better than others. We still go every year and i love it.

There are often some good Christmassy plays or musicals a theatre near us does a fairytale non-panto play, and for example the Lowry has a production of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe at Christmas. Yes too to ballets, and there are often kids’ Christmas concerts or ice shows.

My grandmother was a big panto fan and I pretty much always hated it - she was still coercing us all to come with her around the age of 15-isn’t and I remember a fair few evenings writhing internally in my seat with sheer cringe as a teenager whilst having to pretend I was enjoying it 🤣

Still can’t bear to sit through a panto now as a result, have to get Granny to take DD!

*15-ish! Sorry for typos 🤦‍♀️

We just go without the children now....

DD was 6 when she went to her first panto, she hated every minute of it and we left early, she never wanted to go to another. She's late 20's now, still won't go to a panto but loves the theatre as a whole.

Mine loved theatre, but hated panto from fairly early ages. I always hated it too.

Oh dear, DS25 still goes!

I am 50 and I’d still go with my mum. I love the panto.

When mine were tween/early teen it was far too uncool. Now they’re a bit older and feeling more secure in their grown-up-ness it’s a bit of fun again.

Mine always loved them. We all ho together now, sons in their 30s.