You’ll never forget the first concert that you attended, and your child won’t forget theirs, either. If you’re planning to take your child or teen to their first ever live music show in order to see their favorite band or artist perform live, you’re probably concerned with making sure that they have an experience that’s not only safe and enjoyable, but also unforgettable. Treating your child to tickets to their first ever musical concert or gig often takes a lot of planning and consideration to ensure that the event will be suitable and memorable for all the right reasons. We’ve listed some of our top tips for parents who’re planning to let their child attend their first concert.
Research
Before going out and purchasing tickets, conducting some research on the band or artist in question and getting an insight into what the concerts are usually like is a good idea to make sure that the event will be both appropriate and fun to attend for your child. Many concerts will have information regarding the minimum age and will let you know whether or not they will be suitable for those under the age of 18, for example, before you purchase a ticket. Along with looking into previous gigs and concerts to get a better idea of what to expect, it’s also a good idea to listen to the band or artist’s music to make sure that the songs and lyrics aren’t offensive or something that you don’t really want your child to be getting involved with.
Choosing Seats
When purchasing tickets for the concert, making sure to choose your seats wisely will ensure that both you and your child have a comfortable, enjoyable and safe experience for their first ever live music gig. If you’re purchasing tickets directly from the box office you will most likely be able to choose the best seats for yourself, although it’s a good idea to get there early if you want to make sure that you have a good range of choice. For those who are considering purchasing tickets through sites such as www.ticketoffices.com in order to get a discount by buying second hand, make sure that you look into where the seats are located on any tickets that you consider. Opting for assigned seats is much safer than joining the crowd where fans could be getting a little bit rowdy, but if there are none available, keeping to the back of the crowd is the safest option for you and your child.
Noise Protection
For sensitive young ears, a concert can cause a lot of damage and even some pain. Attending just one concert that gets very loud can result in some damage to hearing, so making sure to look after your child’s ears by taking along earplugs for them to wear is the best way to prevent this from happening. At particularly loud concerts, wearing earplugs won’t mean that your child misses out, as they’ll still be able to hear the music at a slightly quieter volume, causing less damage. Although you won’t need to use earplugs for protection at every concert, taking them along anyway and then determining whether or not they will be needed is a good preventative measure to take. If you’re at a concert and have to yell in order to communicate, this is a good indicator that it’s too loud and that earplugs need to be used.
Staying Safe
Concerts can get extremely busy, and with crowds pushing to the front in order to get the best views of the band or artist on stage, there’s a high risk of becoming separated from your child at their first concert. Although this hopefully won’t happen and you and your child will stay by each other’s side throughout the whole experience, having a plan in place for losing the other is important for making sure that you’re reunited as quickly as possible. Before you go in, arranging an easy-to-remember meeting place for your child to make their way to if they become separated from you is essential for dealing with this potential situation. Along with this, make sure that your child knows where they can find security guards and concert stewards who will be able to assist them should they become lost. Giving your child a mobile phone to contact you with is also an ideal way of quickly reuniting with them if you are separated during the concert.
Your child’s first ever live music concert should be a fun and exciting experience that they’ll never forget, so follow these top tips to make sure that you keep it safe and enjoyable for the both of you.
