When it comes to making a family holiday as memorable as possible, planning a few visits to some cultural and world-famous attractions is always a good idea. Not only can it help to plan for these things on your trip, but it also introduces your children to new walks of life, different customs and cultures, as well as showing them the importance of traditions. 

And while many of us are quick to judge children as impatient and difficult to keep quiet long enough to enjoy theatre, art, and music, it’s all about how you present these ideas to your little ones. For opera, children have the chance to develop a life-long love of this timeless art form and going to an opera event as a family may not be as difficult as you think. 

But before you get your opera tickets, let’s explore some simple but effective ways of planning a family-friendly night at the opera.

Research Family-Friendly Operas 

It’s natural to want to research the right opera for a family night out. After all, some operas may deal with adult things or have scenes young ones may find a little too frightening at times. When planning a trip to the opera as a family, be sure to avoid long-winded plots that are hard to follow, and shift your attention to some of the more child-friendly ones. 

Consider keeping an eye out for a Grimm’s Fairytale-based performance like Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel, or Mozart’s The Magic Flute. There are even opera performance puppet shows, or operas that retell classic stories like Pinnochio to help you along the way. 

These shows are much shorter than standard operas, and will keep adults entertained as well as young ones!

Make it Part of a Fun Holiday Experience

It’s all about presentation here. Let’s say you’re planning a trip to Italy, and want to find some unique things to do and see in Venice. If you keep the children included and make them feel like an opera visit is a hugely fun and interesting thing to do in Italy, they’ll match your enthusiasm and be more excited about attending. 

Try to Educate them a Little Before you Leave 

Kids need to have some form of an introduction to opera in order to fully understand and appreciate the live experience. Fortunately, through YouTube clips and TV, you can help to set the stage nicely. 

Be sure to watch together with them and react in a positive way. Explain how interesting it is and ask if they have any questions about opera. If you can do this briefly, perhaps, once or twice a week in the lead-up to the holiday, they’ll soon be eager to experience it themselves. 

Final Thoughts

Some family holidays need to have those “core memory” moments that kids will look back on fondly over the years. And with unique experiences like going to the opera, they can return to school with stories to tell and a deeper appreciation for the art they’ve witnessed. 

Who knows, it may even inspire them to continue watching operas online, and asking if you can all return to another live show on your next big family adventure!

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.