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Babies Proms at the Sydney Opera House

December 21, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Cheese and I love the Babies Proms held several times a year at the the Sydney Opera House. Babies Proms are aimed at children aged two to five, perfect for their first live music experience. The Sydney Opera House has been running the interactive and engaging Babies Proms for over 30 years, so they’ve had plenty of time to fine tune what is now a tradition for many Sydney families.

We have just seen our final Babies Prom of the year, Babies Proms: Jingle Bell Jazz. The show was a fabulous mix of classic Christmas songs, with a jazz and calypso twist. Let by Australian stage and screen star, Valerie Bader, kids sang and danced their way through Christmas classics such as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and Jingle Bells.

If you’re considering booking a Babies Prom for 2016, their new schedule is up now (I’m booking Music for Tutus for us!).

I’ve put together a few points to help families making their way to their very first Babies Prom.

Get there early
The show is general admission. Kids sit on the floor in the middle of the room on a carpet and adults sit in the chairs around the sides. To get seats closest to the carpet (to keep an eye on rouge kids!) people start lining up often 30 mins before the show begins.

Know where you’re going
The Babies Proms are held in the Studio, which is on the side of the Opera House, not in the big theatres in the sails. You can catch the elevator to this level or walk around the concourse straight into the side doors of the Opera House to get there.

Parking at the Opera House
The cheapest parking is on weekends, where you can book a bay online beforehand and pay $10 for the entire day. If you’re seeing a show on a week day, parking costs a lot more, so consider the train!

Public transport
I often catch the train and walk to the Opera House. Circular Quay has elevators, as does the Sydney Opera House, so it’s all very stroller-friendly.

Stroller-check
You can bring a stroller of any size and leave it in the foyer outside the theatre with all the other strollers.

Bring a camera
While there is no photography allowed during the Babies Prom shows, after the performance has ended kids can go up to the musicians or actors, try their instruments and have a photo taken. Lighting is dim however, so bring a camera with a flash.

Meal time
The snack bar outside the Studio used to sell wonderful kids packs for $7, but this month they haven’t had them anymore, sadly. The only food choices are currently big adult sandwiches or chips, so either bring your own food or arrive early for breakfast/lunch at Opera Kitchen (kids meals around $15 each).

Keep a close eye on kids
Some shows sell out and get very busy. When the show ends it can be a bit chaotic as kids return to their parents and line up for photos with the cast. It’s very easy for kids to get lost.

Dress festive
Kids can wear whatever they like, but it’s fun to get into the mood of whatever the theme of the show is. At the Jingle Bell Jazz show, for example, there were lots of kids in Christmas gear, and a few even dressed up as Chrissie elves.

Babies Proms: Tubby the Tuba – Sydney’s Best Shows For Kids

August 8, 2015 / Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

As I’ve written about previously, our family loves the Babies Proms at the Sydney Opera House. This week we very happily trotted down to see the latest one, Tubby The Tuba.

Tubby The Tuba is a lively performance to introduce children to different orchestral instruments. The special nine-piece proms orchestra (comprising a bassoon, flute, piccolo, tuba, two violins, viola, cello, trombone and xylophone) entertainly educated their tiny audience on what the role of a conductor is, what each instrument is and what it does, and the basic concepts of how instruments work together.

Musical terms like melody, tempo and rhythm were covered in a manner that was simple enough for little kids to grasp and absorb, and in a fashion that was fun and engaging.

This is really where Babies Proms shine in children’s entertainment. They carefully blend education and entertainment together to create the perfect show for young children with short attention spans. The shows drip advanced terms and concepts like bread crumbs to their eager audience to nibble on while they’re enjoying dancing and singing, resulting in the kids leaving, thoroughly entertained, and not even realising that they’ve just learned something pretty significant.

After the introduction to the orchestra, it was time for the musicians to tell the story of Tubby the Tuba. Based on the classic 1941 children’s song (also called Tubby The Tuba), the story tells of a tuba who wants a melody of his own. As with all stories, the enjoyment often relies on the skills of the re-teller, and the conductor leading the narrative was masterful in his acting, singing and stage presence.

The performance drew to a close and the musicians came down to meet their young fans and tell them a bit more about their instruments. Getting up close to the instruments and performers is always a highlight for the kids in attendance.

We were all pretty hungry after our musical morning, so we grabbed a $7 kids lunch box from the cafeteria inside the Play House and picnicked with friends in the sun. With the Sydney Harbour Bridge on one side, and the Opera House on the other, we were in for quite a view.

BABIES PROMS: TUBBY THE TUBA
Showing: 5 – 16 August 2015
Suitable for children ages 2 – 5

Tickets on sale from the Sydney Opera House.

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Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for providing us with tickets for reviewing purposes. As always, we are their biggest fans and opinions are my own.

More things to do in Sydney

Find a list of the best things to do in Sydney with kids here.

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Get a list of the best kid-friendly beaches in Sydney.

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Head to one of the best museums in Sydney here.

Check out things to do in Sydney on a rainy day here.

Enjoy one of the best ocean pools in Sydney here.

First time visiting Sydney? Get tips for first time visitors to Sydney here.

Babies Proms, Country Kids: Best Shows For Kids, Sydney

May 9, 2015 / Cheese, Sydney, Sydney Life, Theatre / 0 comment

Today Cheese was introduced to country music for he first time at the wonderful Sydney Opera House’s Babies Proms Country Kids. We’ve gone to every single Babies Prom at the Opera House since arriving back in Sydney, and both Cheese and I enjoy them so much, we always look forward to he next one with great anticipation.

In case you haven’t been to a Babies Prom yet, they are a series of events aimed at kids aged 2 – 5 put on by the Sydney Opera House. Other ages are welcome, and there are usually lots of smaller babies and toddlers in attendance.

Each Babies Prom focuses on a theme (in this case, Australian country music), and amazingly talented performers teach the kids about that particular style of music through songs and engaging conversation. A big component of each show is teaching kids about the instruments used in that particular style.

With the Country Kids show, Gold Guitar winning country music artist Darren Coggan was leading the performance, with his band of talented musicians showcasing instruments such as the banjo, fiddle and double bass.

The songs chosen were familiar Aussie favourites, like “Thank God I’m a country boy” and “Waltzing Matilda” – making it the first time for many of kids to hear these classic songs.

Talented musician Coggan held the kids in rapt attention, and even managed to get the parents and grandparents on their feet to try their hand (or foot) at boot scooting to finish off the show.

As the show wraps up, the musicians (including Coggan) come down to the floor to meet their pint sized fans and let the kids have a go of the instruments. It’s a great opportunity for kids to touch the strings on the double base, or get up and close to the fiddle.

The Babies Proms run for 30 minutes, which is perfect for a kid of this age’s attention span. They manage to cram in a jam-packed agenda of songs and education, and kids leave not realise they’ve actually just been taught a lot about a whole new genre of music.

Shows like the Babies Proms are so important for the tiniest kids to learn about music from a young age. Catering to little ones like this program does is pretty unusual in my experience. Many shows cater to slightly older kids and expect kids to sit down and just watch a show. The Babies Proms are so successful because they really speak to the age of the kids and engage with them, and have created an environment where it’s ok for kids to stand up and dance, or run to and from their parents. It’s relaxing for all involved, as there is no expectation on the kids to sit down and stay quiet. In fact, the expectation is the opposite, as children are encouraged to sing, move and often play percussion instruments along with the cast.

Cheese and I love the Babies Proms and obviously can’t say enough good things about the shows. If you’re interested in taking your child to see a Babies Prom, the current Country Kids show runs from Wednesday, 6 May through to Sunday, 17 May with 9.30 am, 10.30 am and 11.30 am sessions available most days from $16.00 a ticket. Tickets are available from the Sydney Opera House.

Thank you to the Sydney Opera House for having us at this Babies Prom. We are huge fans and all opinions are, as always, very much our own.