JamilaZ

I'm looking for an age appropriate fun show for my 5 year old girl playing in NYC Jan. 21st. Would Mary Poppins be the show??

mclaurie

Yes. Lion King might be another but that will likely be more expensive since it's never discounted. You can find discounts to Mary Poppins on the left column of broadwaybox.com or on playbill.com if you register for free but you'll have to wait a bit for late Jan. discounts.

Centralparkgirl

There's also 'Elf' and 'Freckleface Strawberry.' You can read all the descriptions on playbill.com and see which is a good fit for your daughter (description, length, price, etc.)

TC

If Wintuk is still playing then, it would hold her attention quite nicely -- big shaggy dogs and singing lamp posts.

Ryan

My daughter saw Beauty & the Beast at 4, Lion King at 5, Mary Poppins at 6, and Wicked at 7.

If she's interested, no reason to think she won't enjoy either Lion King or Mary Poppins.

Given the cost of a Broadway show, you know better than anyone if your 5 year old can sit and watch a show for 2+ hours and make it money well spent.

SueNYC

One way to assure your child's attention is to make sure she knows the music and the story long before you get seated in the theatre.

nytraveler

Five is the minimum age for many shows - so it's important that she understand going in that this is not like watching TV - that there must be complete quiet all the while the show is on. disney shows may give a little more latitude - but at other shows a fussy child will have to leave.

Some kids can do this easily - but others just aren't ready to sit still that long. Acolleague of mine took her niece to a matinee of Wicked and said a mother and 2 kids - too young - she doens;t know how they got in - had to be removed during the first act when one got bored and started whining in that penetrating 3 or 4 year old voice.

JamilaZ

thanks for the messages. I think she will do fine with the Mary Poppins show, however, now the timing is an issue. I was interested in the 8 PM show, however, my flight is not getting in until 6:40 PM. By the time we get to the hotel, check-in and drop off our stuff, we won't make it in time. I am sure there will be heavy traffic given it is a friday night. I don't want to miss the official curtain call. Our hotel is at 50th and Park.

SueNYC

5 year olds go to matinees. Especially after a long flight where they have been sitting all day and chaos from plane to hotel. She wouldn't enjoy an 8PM show at all. Don't even think about it. (even if she is on west coast time)

NeoPatrick

So I guess, there's no other opportunity for a show -- like a matinee? I agree it would be a bad decision to try to see an 8PM show after a full day of travel!

In any case Elf closes right after Christmas.

JamilaZ

yeah, a matinee would probably be best. What do we do at night though? Just hang out in the hotel??

KathyK

SueNYC gives excellent advice regarding exposing your child to the music/story before the show.

TC

"What do we do at night though? Just hang out in the hotel??"

What time does your 5 year old go to sleep? By the time you get settled in the hotel (too late for an 8pm show) and have dinner, won't it be bedtime for her?

SueNYC

You take a stroll - Watch the skating in rock center. Visit Bryant Park near by. Walk over to the UN. Explore and have a bite at Grand Central. Then come back to the hotel. Chill out. Review the day and make some plans for the next day. Oh you could also wander up to Bloomingdales and over to FAO Schwarz. Visit the Plaza and say hi to Eloise. Different strolls each day. During the day take buses and subways to wherever. Check out children's stuff at MOMA and get the headphones there. The picture descriptions for kids are better than the ones for adults.

thestarryeye.typepad.com/explorenyc

JamilaZ

SueNYC - thanks for the suggestions. They are great. My daughter will be psyched after we settle into the hotel. My plan will be to get dinner and then stroll around. Hopefully it won't be too cold. thanks!!!

nytraveler

It is likely to be quite cold and snow is certainly possible. Make sure your daughter has warm hat, gloves and scarf as well as waterproof non-skid boots for walking. (In midtown many of the sidewalks clear quickly, since the heat pipes run underneath them - but on other blocks the snow can freeze and turn to perma-ice until you get a thaw.)

SueNYC

Don't forget to visit the original Winnie ther Pooh at the public library.

http://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitio...-original-toys

MOMA - the gift shop is great!
http://moma.org/learn/kids_families/index