Top 10 Tips for Fun at Family Friendly Shows

Our family loves to attend live shows! From free concerts at the library (the Plaza Library does a great job with new shows every Friday night), to puppet shows at Crown Center or the park, to big shows like the Ringling Bros. Circus at the Sprint Center or Nickelodeon Live at the Midland… it’s great fun to sing, dance, clap and cheer at shows the whole family can enjoy. Unfortunately, what is meant to be great fun can be stressful and chaotic if you’re not prepared. These are our favorite tips and tricks for fun at live shows with kids.

• Make a practice run: Before shelling out the big bucks for concert and show tickets, take advantage of the free children’s concerts, puppet shows and performances at local libraries, parks and festivals. If your children do well in the auditorium at the library, chances are good they’ll enjoy a live show at the Sprint Center even more! If they are too fidgety and not quite ready to sit through an hour-long show, you might want to wait a year or more.
• Consider the fear factor: Many young children are frightened by clowns, costumed characters, exotic animals, loud noises and excitement. Before you take your child to a first circus or live show, test the waters. Introduce tots to costumed characters at a free appearance at a local mall or story time (see www.KCParent.com’s calendar for opportunities). Visit the zoo and check out the lion keeper chat. Rent a circus or concert DVD from the library and see whether the kids enjoy it. Read books about the show and characters. Familiarity will increase the fun as they anticipate their favorite songs, scenes or acts and it will create an enjoyable evening for everyone.
• Kick off the festivities with your own pre-show party: For extra special shows, we like to make special meals in advance! For example, when Disney came to town for a live show last winter, we prepared a Disney themed dinner. Mickey Mouse chicken nuggets, rainbow fruit salad and a castle rice crispy treat cake (made using a cake pan we had from a princess party) created a festive atmosphere and increased the fun. For the circus, we ate sandwiches cut out with our favorite animal cookie cutters and made special circus cupcakes. As an added touch, save money on concessions with the purchase of a few character balloons at the local dollar shop or party store and decorate the house. Whether you make the special meal at home or eat at a favorite restaurant before the show, making the entire evening festive adds to the fun! 
• Light up the night: I purchase glow-in-the-dark necklaces and light-up toys in dollar bins or discount stores and bring them to the show. If you’re going to see a character or theme show, t-shirts, stuffed animals and toys are easy to find at local shops and cost a fraction of the price.
• Pack snacks: Always check the rules for the venue first, but if allowed, it’s always cheaper and healthier to bring your own snacks. If you allow sweets for a treat, candy, lollipops, cracker jacks and even cotton candy can be inexpensively purchased at the grocery store and brought to the show.
• Remember the camera: Be sure to follow the rules of the venue, but you can almost always take pictures before and after the show. For added fun, let the kids bring their own cameras.
• Dress the part: Let the children wear costumes or t-shirts for their favorite characters or the theme of the night. Have a fun clown nose or big bowtie in your dress up clothes? Do your girls love to pretend they are princesses? The kids will love the treat of wearing a costume too and it makes great photo memories of the occasion. 
• Bring binoculars: Whether rooting for the Royals from the nosebleed section, watching favorite musicals at Theatre in the Park or enjoying family shows at the Sprint Center, children love packing their own binoculars so they can see the show more clearly. 
• Bring well rested, well fed kids to the show: Many live shows begin in the evening. Make sure the kids are rested and well fed before the show begins. If possible, we try to have an active morning, nap in the afternoon, then attend shows in the evening. The kids end up having a great time.
• Don’t forget to have fun: That old saying--“If Mom’s not happy, no one is happy”—is true! I love watching the excitement of my children at live shows, whether we’re rocking to a free children’s concert at the library, puppet show at the park or enjoying the special treat of a big show at the Sprint Center. If I enjoy the kids having fun, even though the show isn’t geared for me, the kids have a blast. If I am impatient, bored and anxious to leave, they won’t enjoy it either.

Kansas City mom Kristina Light is thankful for all of the opportunities provided in KC for she and her family to enjoy live performances.