If you love live theatre and you have children, you probably want to instill that same love into them. One way to do that is to expose them to live theatre productions at an early age. If you wait until they're too old, you could miss the opportunity to ignite that spark that open your kids up to the joy of the theatre. It can be a bit frightening to take your child to their first live theatre performance, especially when it comes to choosing the right age. A good rule of thumb would be to wait until they can sit still for at least thirty minutes. That way, you know you can get through at least one act of a child's production before you need to take a break.

Choose the Right Show

When it comes to exposing your kids to the theatre, you need to make sure you choose the right show. Try to choose one that's geared towards your kids' tastes. For instance, if your kids enjoy musicals, choose a musical for their first theatre production. It's also important that you choose a show that won't last longer than your kids' attention spans. If you have young kids who lose interest around the one-hour mark, try to avoid going to a two-hour performance for their first trip to the theatre.

Get Your Child Excited About the Show

Once you've decided on the show that you're going to see, spend some time getting your kids excited about it. Do some online research about the production, including the main roles, the costumes, and the story line. If you choose a musical, try listening to some of the songs before you head out to the theatre. The more your kids know about the production, the more interested they'll be in the event.

Dress Your Child Comfortably

If you have young kids, make sure you dress them comfortably. Go ahead and get dressed up for the occasion. After all, that's part of the entire theatre experience. However, be sure to choose clothing for your younger children that they'll feel comfortable in and not constricted. If you know that your child will start pulling at their buttoned collar about 30 minutes into the event, avoid buttoning that top button.

Be Prepared for Meltdowns

You want the entire night to go off without a hitch, and chances are that it will. However, it's important to be prepared for the possible meltdown, especially if you're taking younger children. If you sense a meltdown coming on, go ahead and excuse yourself to the lobby. Give your child the opportunity to stretch their legs, grab a drink of water, and work the wiggles out. Chances are that they'll be ready to go back in once they've stretched a bit. Ask the usher to help you back to your seats.

It can be a good idea to expose your kids to live theater at a young age. For more information on shows to take your kids to, contact local theaters in your area, such as Capitol Theatre.