What's the youngest age you'd take a child to the ballet?

[aderyn]

Our local newspaper is offering a free child ticket to a matinee performance of Swan Lake.

DD1 will be 4y 3m. She's getting better at sitting still, especially if she is enthralled with something. But, do you think she is too young?

We took DD to see The Nutcraker just before Christmas. She was 4y8m. It is a very long show - 2 intervals - but enthralling for them. DD is veyry good and sitting still and used to going to the theatre and cinema, but she did get a little fidgetty just before the second interval. We did take her baller dancer doll with her which kept her entertained at quieter parts of the show - he dancer copied those on stage DD did love the ballet and talked about it since quite a lot. However, I think DD would have been less fidgetty with a story she new such as Sleeping Beauty.

I don't think 4 is too young, but depends on your own child.

I would say 4 but only if you're sitting in the slips at ROH or somewhere similar were there's room for her to wriggle without anyone minding.
Swan Lake also isn't the most interetsing ballet for a tiny as the costumes / scenes are a bit 'samey' - Coppelia or the Nutcracker, or La Fille Mal Gardée are more colourful.

Only you know how enthralled she's likely to be and for how long...

I think 6 or 7

ds is 3.4 and has sat through a lot of kids shows with his grandma (who loves such things). stuff like the gruffalo, stuff at the little angel in london, etc.

Now he does love ballet. I probably would take him BUT sit near the back and just leave if it all got too much.

Um...now, noticing your name there...you're not in wales, are you? this isn't a south wales newsapaper? If so, WHICH? please?

No, you have confirmed my suspitions. A iwas lured in by the free ticket but I had said that I would take her to see the Nutcracker next November/December when she is 5.

No, I'm not in Wales.

i see

are you welsh then?

aderyn is welsh for bird

NO, it's just a name I like. Not my name. I'm sorry I'm causing so much confusion to the Welsh people

I took my twin girls to see The Snowman Ballet a couple of weeks ago and they absolutely loved it.

They were 3 in December. They were totally enthralled and keep asking when they can go to the theatre again.

The website says it is suitable for ages 2.5 upwards. There was a little girl of 2.5 sat next to my girls and she was entranced. She had a huge smile on her face and clapped and giggled.

All the children there were wonderfully behaved.

The ballet is beautiful and fun and a perfect introduction for children to a theatre etc as if they do talk a little etc it isn't frowned upon.

Highly recommended.

I think the people at Swan Lake may be less tolerant of chattering tinies than the audience at The Snowman though...

Which is why I said it was a perfect introduction to the ballet for little ones to get used to it.

And anyway there wasn't any chatter that I could really hear anyway as they all loved it.

Just trying to be helpful.

Message withdrawn

ah, sorry, missed your point there cupoftea - I thought you meant The Ballet (general) was the best way to take children to the theatre, rather than the particular ballet you saw.

Glad you had a good time - it sounds like it was fabulous!

Hello Mrs Badger

Just re-read my message and see what you mean. I did mean The Snowman ballet was a good introduction as opposed to ballet in general.

Sorry - all sorted now!!!