Many parents begin to teach their children to attend the theater from an early age. However, not every kid is able to adequately respond to noisy environments, colorful scenery and strangers. Sometimes going to a performance can be a huge stress for a child. After reading the article, you will find out what age is the most successful for the first visit to the theater, on which productions it is worth taking the baby, and which ones are suitable only for school-age children. In addition, you will get acquainted with the most popular theaters for children in Moscow and get comprehensive information about the performances, which should be preferred depending on the age of your child.
The positive influence of the theater
The children’s theater has a unique atmosphere, a fairy tale comes to life. Each child, having got there, as if dissolved in what is happening. He himself becomes a participant in the events, sincerely worried about the heroes of the performance. The theater has not only entertaining, but also educational function. He teaches the child to distinguish good from bad, makes empathy with the heroes, plays a large role in the development of speech. Watching the characters of the play, the kid remembers new words. Theatrical art has a positive effect on the children's psyche, uplifting, giving the child unforgettable emotions. The most important thing - do not worry in advance about how the first visit to the performance will take place, do not set yourself up negatively. You will see, the child’s acquaintance with the theater will be successful!
How to understand if a child is ready to attend the theater?
Each mother knows her baby well, so she can predict his behavior in a given situation in advance. Pay attention to how your child behaves in public. If he feels constrained and afraid of strangers, then it is too early for him to attend the theater. It is also important to understand whether the baby can concentrate on a particular subject for a long time, because the production will take at least 30 minutes. If the child is very mobile, restless, then, most likely, it will be very difficult for him to watch the performance. However, in many theaters there are performances in which active children can take part. This is a great option for those whose kids easily make contact with new people.
Preparing a child
Child psychologists agree that the optimal age for exploring the theater is 2.5-3 years. During this period, the child already begins to understand how everything works. Talk heart to heart with him, tell us what theater is. You can even play a little performance at home. It is good if the plot of the production will be familiar to the baby in advance. Most importantly, carefully read the description of the performance before you purchase tickets. Many of the representations have a rather complicated format for children's understanding, so their visit is better postponed for the future. Present a trip to the theater as a festive event. Invite the baby to choose elegant clothes together, rehearse how you will clap your hands during the performance. If a visit to the theater is planned in the cold season, it is better to bring second shoes with you. Firstly, in warm boots, the child's legs can sweat. Secondly, an elegant dress or suit will look much more harmonious with beautiful light boots.
However, even a three-year-old child can be naughty in the theater. You need to psychologically prepare in advance for such a situation and develop an action plan. If the baby began to cry, then calmly take him out of the hall. Try to talk with him, calm down. Perhaps in a few minutes he will want to come back.
Many mothers are interested in whether it is possible to take something to eat in the theater. Of course, you can, but do not take much edible. It will be enough to take cookies, an apple or a banana, juice or water. If your baby is very small, you can offer him fruit puree in the theater. Do not immediately lead him to the buffet, because there, as a rule, there are a very large number of people. A child may be frightened and cry, or, even worse, become infected with some kind of infection.
Performances for children under 3 years old
Many of the performances that are shown in theaters of Moscow will be interesting and understandable even to the smallest viewers. The performances based on Russian folk tales are best understood. Judging by the reviews, the kids like to attend the play “Kolobok”, which is offered by the Musical Theater under the direction of Gennady Chikhachev, as well as the production of “Mashenka and the Bear” at the Moscow Regional State Puppet Theater. Remember that a baby up to three years old is unlikely to be able to sit quietly in place for more than 30 minutes, so choose short performances.
In Moscow there are many theaters for children from one year old, but it is not a fact that your child at this age will be ready to attend them.
Performances for children 3-6 years old
Children aged 3 to 6 years can perceive performances with a more complex plot. They already understand everything, are able to analyze and draw conclusions. According to parents, this age is the most successful for exploring the magical world of the theater. What performances in Moscow can be visited with children 3-6 years old? An excellent production called “The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids” can be seen at the Moscow Theater of the Young Spectator. The performance “Famous Moydodyr” at the Moscow Puppet Theater is very popular. Children are also delighted with the performance entitled “The Wizard of the Emerald City” at the Drama Theater on Vernadsky.
Theater and preschool child
It is better to take a small child to a specialized children's theater, because everything is thought out there to the smallest detail. Most often, children at the entrance are greeted by fairy-tale characters, thanks to which the mood of the kids rises. It is better to come to the theater in advance so that the child can adapt a little there and get used to a completely new environment for him.
Experienced mothers are advised to first give preference to the puppet theater for children, because for preschool kids the performances that are played there are of the greatest interest.
After the theater
After watching the play, be sure to ask the baby if he liked it, discuss the plot with him and explain obscure points. For most children, a visit to the theater is a very important and significant event, so they cannot immediately fully express their feelings and emotions. However, the memories of the performance will remain in their memory for a long time. Many kids even begin to play small performances, using their favorite toys as heroes.
Moscow Puppet Theater
Puppet theater for children on Baumanskaya has an impressive repertoire of performances. Here you can choose a performance for any age. Even three-year-olds in the theater will be interested, since the playbill always has performances designed specifically for young children. These include such traditional productions as “Teremok”, “Chipollino”, “Moidodyr”, “The Gosling” and many others.
Performances for older children are more complex plot, and they go much longer. For young viewers from the age of 6, the theater offers the following interesting productions: Cinderella, Pinocchio, Flint, Snow Queen and others. The Moscow Puppet Theater is located at 26/30 Spartakovskaya Street.
Moscow Children's Shadow Theater
The shadow theater will surprise with its original productions not only children but also adults. It was founded back in 1944. Initially, for the productions, a projection doll was used, which gave an exclusively black silhouette on the screen. But in the late 50s, directors began to introduce the traditions of the Chinese shadow theater into their work, thanks to which the artistic possibilities expanded significantly.
For the kids, the repertoire includes such performances as “Aibolit”, “Kitten named Woof”, “Thumbelina”, “My phone rang” and many others. What productions will please older children? Here are some of those that are intended for theatergoers aged 5-6 years: "Black Chicken", "Vanya Danish", "Butter Lisa". The address of the shadow theater for children: Izmailovsky Boulevard, house 60/10.
Moscow State Musical Theater under the direction of Gennady Chikhachev
Want to get a charge of positive and a sea of positive emotions? Then you just need to visit this theater. The performances for children that are staged there have been pleasing to small spectators for many years. The productions of "Little Red Riding Hood", "Three Bears", "Well, Wolf, wait a minute!" Is very popular. and other wonderful performances. The repertoire of the theater has many musicals and musical performances for adults. Visitors are delighted with live music and professional cast. The address of the theater under the leadership of G. Chikhachev: 1-Novokuzminskaya street, 1.
Tips for Moms
Experienced parents advise you to first carefully read the playbill, and then purchase tickets. All this must be done not on the day of staging, but in advance. Try to avoid visiting theaters during the school holidays, because there will be a lot of people, and in crowded places you can quickly catch some dangerous infection.
If you have such an opportunity, then visit the theater on weekdays, because for your child these days there will be the most suitable atmosphere. Another important tip: try to buy tickets to those places from where the child will see everything that is happening on stage without any problems.
If on the day of visiting the theater the baby feels bad, is naughty or looks depressed, then it is better to postpone this event. The choice of performances for children in Moscow theaters is huge, so you can easily buy tickets for another date. The main thing is to give preference to a production that he will understand. According to the reviews of mothers, usually the first acquaintance of the baby with the performances goes well. Do not be afraid of the first meeting of your child with the world of art, because for sure after this the child and the theater will become true friends.
Conclusion
Why take a child to the theater? Modern children spend a lot of time at TVs, at computers and tablets, and going to the theater will allow them to escape from all this, relax their souls and get incredible pleasure from stunning production, acting and live music. There are a lot of theaters in Moscow for children and youth. This is very cool, because it is simply necessary to introduce the younger generation to art. Children need to talk about the theater from a very young age so that they have an idea about it. In this case, they will not be afraid to attend performances and will be able to quickly adapt to this magical theatrical setting.