Live Theatre for Children - why it is a great idea. Plus a Giveaway!

If your kids are anything like mine, they could happily spend their life in front of a screen. TV, iPad, iPod, Wii, computer monitor, whatever - they will always be keen to sit in front of it rather than do anything else, without fail. Although these are all excellent babysitting devices (or stop that hideous noise devices, or break up the argument right now devices)....like the ad says "that ain't living!". I'm not saying screen time is evil, hello - I'm a blogger! A lot of subjects at school are taught via some sort of computer device, and in all honesty, I think depriving your child of anything computer related is really doing them a disservice. It's the world we live in.

But it's not the only world. There is a wide, wide world outside of the online, one that is creative and rich and colourful and fulfilling. One we do our best to use to tempt the boys away from the screen. Fishing, camping, bush walking? They like this, but only sometimes. A visit to the dog park, the museum, the beach, a farm, a festival, a market? Meh. Only sometimes, and they will drag their feet and complain the whole way until they realise they are having fun.

Last school holidays, I was determined to get them out and about, busy doing stuff that really opened their minds to creative pursuits. We went to the movies (another screen), Disney on Ice (which they enjoyed a lot) we hung out with friends (always a winner, screens crept in but so did decorating cupcakes and playing handball). We went to the park, a baby shower, got haircuts, had their nanny to stay, (I mean my mother in law, there is no hired help in this house, sadly!) All interesting and exciting stuff but the thing that really surprised them was a visit to the theatre.

We went to see 'The Lost Property Rules' a 3 person play about 2 girls who run away from home because they don't like their new home or school, but they miss the last train to Grandma's house and have to spend the night at the station. To entertain each other, they make up fantastical stories about the items they find in the lost property box. The play had no special effects or amazing sets, but it had some very talented actors who used a variety of props to entertain and enthrall the audience. The boys sat there transfixed throughout the entire performance, they laughed and cheered, they listened and payed attention, and then they clapped enthusiastically and where the first to put their hands up at question time. I think I found the key (or one of them) to balancing out special effects and over the top movies - exposing them to the theatre. They loved it. 

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It really made my heart sing to see the boys enjoy something that wasn't screen related. They complained the whole way there but ended up being engaged the whole time despite themselves! After the performance, there was a table set up for a craft activity - something they would both normally run a mile from - this time, they both jumped in enthusiastically. Maybe the creative floodgates had opened? Well, only for a few hours. Once we got back home it was iPods at the ready once again. But now I know that they are happy to have live theater broaden their horizons, I will definitely be taking them back.


Each Family pass is for 4 tickets, and the passes I have are for 11am on Friday, 19th July. I've been told Zen Zen Zo are amazing, but this particular play is really suitable for 12 yrs and over and might be overwhelming for younger ages.