10 Ways Theatres Can Make Family Theatre Experiences Family-Friendly

It demands thoughtful consideration of every aspect of the visit, from scheduling through to post-show engagement. As theatres strive to engage and nurture a new generation of theatre-lovers, we must seek to address the unique needs and preferences of young attendees.

Recently, we celebrated the Top UK arts initiatives are making theatre accessible for young people, and this reinforced how important it is to make theatres accessible and welcoming places for children. Staging performances aimed at or inclusive of families is essential, but we need a 360 degree approach that aims to make the whole experience family-friendly.

In this guide, we explore 10 ways theatres can enhance family-friendly theatre experiences. By implementing these approaches, theatres can create inclusive environments where families can fully immerse themselves in the magic of live performance.

Timings For Family-Friendly Theatre

For shows aimed at families, you’ll want to stage curtain-up to suit the schedule of your youngest audience member. If you strive to be inclusive of preschoolers, consider the midday nap and schedule performances so that parents aren’t put off by concern their children will be craving a midday nap or just emerging from one. For school children, you’ll obviously want to avoid school hours but you should also stray from curtain-up timings that might keep children up too far past bedtime.

Providing Age Suitability Guidance

Age certificates for films allow parents to make informed decisions about the content they show their children. Not only that which is appropriate but also that which is not aimed at their age group. Yet age suitability guidance for theatre shows is often vague or missing entirely.

Assist families in making informed decisions by providing a recommended minimum age for family-friendly performances. This not only helps identify content that may not be suitable for young audiences but also discourages families from bringing children who may not fully appreciate the production.

Theatre has the power to inspire, educate, unite and entertain. It can promote empathy and understanding. So we must make theatre accessible for children. What we don’t want to do though, is make their first theatre experiences negative and exposing them to shows beyond their comprehension could risk dampening their enthusiasm.

Given the diverse nature of children, a simple age rating might not suffice. Children's attention spans vary widely, even among those of the same age. Providing additional details, such as the story's complexity, subject matter, level of emotional scenes, etc, can offer valuable guidance to parents and guardians.

Making Trailers For Family-Friendly Shows

While many adults enjoy the element of surprise, children often prefer knowing what to expect. Unlike adults, children tend to feel more at ease when they have some idea of what awaits them. Although theatre trailers are not always produced, they can be particularly beneficial for family-friendly shows.

Trailers serve as valuable tools for parents to prepare their children for the theatre experience, especially if it's their first visit. While it's not necessary to reveal the entire storyline, trailers can familiarise children with aspects of the experience like actors in costume, audience interaction, music, and other features of the show. This can help children feel more prepared and excited leading up to the performance.

SEN-Friendly Seating

Parents of neurodivergent children, including those who have yet to receive a confirmed diagnosis, may benefit from sensitive and constructive advice on which theatre seating sections may be more SEN-friendly.

During the booking process, you have the opportunity to flag up seating areas that may be more suitable for audience members (of any age) who are more sensitive to louder sounds or lighting (typically areas further away from speakers). You may even create an area for families with special needs requirements that is nearer exits and/or away from other audience members so that these children’s needs can be better met. Such areas may be designed to be less stimulating to create the right conditions for SEN children to be able to get the most out of their theatre experience.

Getting this right is likely to be an ongoing learning experience, so asking for feedback is crucial. Follow up with families on the effectiveness of the provisions you’ve made so that you may continue to adapt and learn.

Providing The Right Information

As a rule, children like to be informed. ‘Where are we going?’ ‘When will we be there?’ ‘What will it be like?’ These are all-too-common questions parents are deemed to answer all too often. Theatre with the kids is far easier when families have all the information they might need, including travel times, length of the show, whether to expect an intermission, etc.

This should all be able to be accessed in one place. With VisitOne, theatres can provide information, from parking tips to show start and end times, that helps families prepare for a trip to the theatre and manage everything in one easily accessible digital location. Sharing details with families can help them make informed decisions and therefore get more out of their family theatre experience.

Theatre Snacks For Kids

If you’re attempting to attract families then you’ll need to make provisions for snacks. Children not only require regular sustenance but also benefit from having something to munch on to stay engaged.

Deciding whether to permit families to bring their own snacks into the theatre is the first step. If you don't, then you’ll need to offer options at your concessions.

Restricting outside food can help to protect against allergies and encourage spending within the venue. However, if you make this choice then you need to offer affordable child-friendly refreshments inside the theatre.

Providing more nutritious snacks can prevent sugar-induced highs and help children maintain focus during the show. Nonetheless, it's crucial to cater to diverse preferences to avoid hungry children struggling to concentrate.

Preordering can be particularly useful to parents seeking to manage expectations and budgets. By offering a convenient way to preorder snacks and refreshments, you can reduce wait times and help parents maintain control of food and drink choices.

Child-Friendly Programmes

If your show is aimed at children, or inclusive of children, then your programme should be also. Often though, there is little for children in a show guide aside from the pictures.

Consider simplifying the language in your guide so that when you talk production, show history, plot summaries, characters, etc, children will also be able to enjoy the insights. Depending on what average percentage of the audience you expect to be children, you might even include kids activities in the programme.

Show guides are important because they can serve as valuable keepsakes, allowing families to reminisce about their theatre experience long after the curtain falls.

Don’t Keep Kids Waiting

Children are not known for being the most patient. That being, you’ll want to keep them moving through the theatre upon arrival, keep them entertained from entry to exit and don’t make the mistake of getting them seated too early - they’ll get bored.

Avoid admission queues by choosing a ticket delivery service that makes it quick and simple for guests to retrieve their digital QR codes and for staff to swiftly scan the whole family’s tickets. Providing ticket-holders with all they need in one digital wallet, VisitOne has been successfully helping our clients streamline access and reduce queuing for theatre-goers.

Intervals And Show Timings

With shorter attention spans than most (not all) adults, children may tire during long performances. Although you may not want to shorten shows to suit children, there are other ways you can help them maintain concentration.

Intervals provide a much-needed break and are particularly important for children. However, sometimes there is only just enough time to use the facilities before the show resumes. Theatres may consider additional intervals in child-friendly shows, or simply lengthening intermission and giving the children more opportunity to burn energy. For example, staging a ‘stretch and shake’ session to encourage children to wake their bodies and minds up. This technique is often used in schools when children have been taking part in seated learning and have grown fatigued and fed-up. Using intervals as an opportunity for kids to enjoy some movement can increase their attention and enjoyment of the second act. Even if you just let the audience know that children are free to use the space in front of the stage to move about during intermission.

Encouraging Post-Show Discussion

You know audiences have enjoyed the theatre when animated discussions are taking place long after the curtain falls. Engaging children in conversations about the show they've just seen can deepen their understanding and enrich their experience.

Help adults open up discussions by providing them with post-show prompts and talking points. This might include asking children about favourite characters, what they thought about the set design, whether they empathised with the villains or antagonists, if they thought the show carried a message, etc.

Asking questions can help deepen comprehension of performances and allow children to express themselves more fully. You may send ticket-holders a list of questions, like the kind you sometimes get at the back of books, to help them engage children in post-show discussions. Alternatively, offering a handout as families exit the theatre can keep the experience alive on the journey home, allowing young theatregoers to extract even more value from their theatrical experience. Encouraging these discussions not only enhances comprehension but also fosters a deeper connection with the performance, enriching the overall theatre experience for children and adults alike.