Most theaters have no dress code for The Nutcracker. Families wear anything from holiday best to neat everyday clothes, and both are fine. The best outfit for a child is one that feels good for two hours in a seat.
Check your theater’s website if you are unsure. A few venues post their own guidance, and a gala evening may ask for more formal clothes.
What most families wear
The Nutcracker is a holiday outing, so many families dress up a little. A child in a party dress or a shirt with a collar will sit near a child in a sweater and clean jeans. Nobody checks at the door.
A good rule for adults is to wear what you would wear to a nice restaurant. Evening shows tend to be dressier than matinees.
What works for kids
Soft fabric. Stiff collars, scratchy lace, and tags that itch feel worse in the second hour. Have your child wear the outfit at home for a while first.
Layers. A theater can be warm in the balcony and cool near the doors. A cardigan or a light sweater over a shirt or dress covers both.
Quiet shoes. Shoes with hard soles tap on the floor when small feet swing. Soft soles are quieter. Skip shoes that light up or squeak.
Tights or leggings. Theater seats can be rough on bare legs.
Hair that stays low. A tall bow or a high bun blocks the view of the child behind. A low bow or a braid does not.
A trial run. Sit your child on a chair in the full outfit and count to 100. If they wriggle out of something, change it.
What to leave at home
- Bracelets, bells, and beads that jingle
- Shoes that light up
- Hats and tall headbands
- Toys with sound
- A stiff tutu, unless your child has sat in it before
Many children want to come in a tutu or a fairy dress. That is part of the fun. Check that it is soft enough to sit on, and bring a change of clothes in case it is not.
Ask the theater before a child comes in a full costume with wings or a wand. Some theaters do not allow props in the seats.
Coats and boots
December means winter coats, and a coat takes up half a seat. Most theaters have a coat check. Use it, or fold the coat under the seat.
In snowy places, wear boots to the theater and bring indoor shoes in a bag. Wet boots are heavy, loud, and hot.
What the adults wear
Dress pants, a skirt, or a dress with a sweater or a jacket is common. A tie is welcome and not needed. Wear shoes you can stand in at the washroom line.
Go easy on perfume and cologne. The seats are close, and some people react to scent.
Booster cushions and seat height
Clothes do not fix a blocked view. Ask an usher for a booster cushion when you arrive. Many theaters lend them. A folded coat on the seat works when the cushions run out.
Take the photo first
Take the family photo in the lobby before the show, while clothes are neat and everyone is happy. Most theaters do not allow photos once the performance begins.
A list for the bag
- Tickets
- Indoor shoes, if you wore boots
- A sweater for each child
- A snack for the intermission, if the theater allows food in the lobby
- Tissues
- A small, silent comfort toy for a young child
Print and play
Get ready for the show itself with taking kids to The Nutcracker ballet and how long The Nutcracker runs. Read The Nutcracker story for kids aloud in the week before.
The Nutcracker listening map gives a child eight dances to listen for. For the rules of the hall, see concert etiquette for kids.
More from this guide
This article is part of First orchestra concert with kids: what to expect and how to prepare.
Ballet for kids: where to start and what to expect
Ballet for kids explained for parents: what ballet is, the words to know, how dancers tell a story with no words, six first ballets, and what happens at the theater.
Ballet stories for kids: six famous ballets retold
Six famous ballet stories retold for kids: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, Coppélia, Cinderella, and The Firebird, with music to hear.
Best seats for kids at a concert: orchestra, mezzanine, or balcony
Orchestra vs mezzanine vs balcony: what each seating level means, which seats let a child see the players, and which ones to avoid with kids.
Cinderella ballet story for kids: Prokofiev's version
The Cinderella ballet story for kids, act by act, in Prokofiev's version: the fairies of the four seasons, the clock at midnight, and what to listen for.
Concert etiquette for kids: the rules and how to practice them
Concert etiquette for kids: six simple rules, the reason behind each one, when to clap, and a living-room game to practice before the real concert.
Coppélia story for kids: the ballet about a doll
The story of the ballet Coppélia retold for kids, act by act, with the characters, the music to hear first, and tips for seeing it with a child.
Use it with your kids
Print a listening page, a practice chart, or a composer fact sheet. Or try a tool, such as the composer timeline or the piece picker.