Over the past year, we have had the pleasure of taking our little munchkin to three special events: Disney On Ice, Disney Junior Dance Party and the annual circus. We have had SO MUCH FUN, however, there is definitely an art to taking a small child to any event. While all children are different, I definitely think that there are some basic concepts that will keep you sane and let you have the best time possible. Here are my top tips for taking children to special events:
Keep your expectations realistic – I have said this before, and I will say it again. 🙂 You need to keep your expectations LOW and REALISTIC before you ever attend an event with a small child! You might not get to stay the whole time, especially if your event is anywhere near nap time. You need to be okay with this or do not go. You are more than likely setting yourself up for failure if you believe that everything is going to be absolutely wonderful and your children are going to be super happy the whole time – LOL. I am sorry if I am bursting anyone’s bubble, but it is the honest truth. 🙂
I think it is a good idea to find out how long the event is before you go and see if there is an intermission. If there is one, then this is the perfect time to take your little ones out in the lobby to stretch their legs and get out some of that energy! The length of a show is typically long, so make sure and get up when you can.
Also, your child might not smile for every picture, and that is okay – haha!
Make sure your camera has room for lots of fun pictures and videos – This is particularly true if you are going to take a lot of videos. Make sure you have plenty of memory so your camera isn’t suddenly full. This happened to us at the Disney Junior Dance Party. I had taken so many videos of Madeline dancing that my camera became full, and we missed one of the pictures with Mickey. Luckily, we were still able to get plenty of pictures with the other characters, including Goofy!
Food can be VERY expensive at these events, so try to eat before – Even if you do this, however, you and your child will probably get hungry during some point of the event – lol! Most of the snacks look and smell amazing, so you and your family will be tempted. I had not eaten cotton candy since I was a child, so the nostalgia of being at the circus convinced me to buy some and share it with Madeline for the first time.
Since there is a chance that you might buy food, make sure to carry some cash, just in case. Many venues take debit cards, but it is always a good idea to have a little cash at events.
Also, don’t wait for your child to be starving before you grab anything, because the lines can be very long! I find it a good idea to always have sippy and snack cups on hand for when they do get hungry. You just need to make sure the venue allows you to bring in food. I like to keep a snack cup with me at all times to keep little miss happy, because she can get grouchy QUICKLY when she is hungry – HAHA!
Pick the show time around your child’s nap and when they are the happiest – Do NOT pick a time just because it is popular, ESPECIALLY if it is when your child is typically sleeping. You will be sorry, because your child will be used to having a nap and will be grouchy. 🙂
Try to determine if your child might get scared during parts of the show – Call the ticket office and see if you can find out any potentially scary parts beforehand, based on the age of your child. I am so happy that we did this for the circus, because Madeline does not love super loud noises. We found out that there was going to be a huge motorcycle act towards the end of the show. Since she was already tired, we decided to leave right before it started. She got to see all of the acts that interested her, and we avoided a scary/meltdown situation.
Along these same lines, make sure your child is okay with large crowds and loud noises before you go – If it is their first big event, make sure it is when the ticket prices are low or free, just in case you have to leave. You don’t want to have to miss an event that was expensive to attend.
Also, it is a good idea to bring a small change of clothes in case of a blowout diaper, spilled food, etc – You may be able to leave it in your car, but make sure beforehand that the event will let you leave and come back. If not, then you can always throw it in your diaper bag. Just pack something that doesn’t take up a lot of space and is super easy to pack.
Lastly, remember to have fun, and take a family photo to commemorate the event! 🙂
What tips do you have for special events and shows with children? Please let me know, because I would love to hear more! Thanks for reading, and have a fabulous day!
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