Where to sit at a concert with kids: orchestra, mezzanine, or balcony

For most families, the best seats are on an aisle, a little way back, with a clear view over the heads in front. The front row is too close, and the middle of a long row is hard to leave. A front-row seat in the first balcony can be a child’s best view in the whole hall. This page explains each part of a concert hall and how to choose.

The parts of a hall

Halls use different names for the same places. These are the most common.

Section	Also called	What it is like
Orchestra	Stalls, main floor	The seats on the floor, level with the stage or a little below it
Mezzanine	Dress circle, first balcony, loge	The first raised level, looking down on the stage
Balcony	Upper circle, gallery	The highest level, farthest from the stage
Boxes		Small groups of seats along the side walls
Choir seats	Chorus seats	In some halls, seats behind the stage, facing the conductor

What a child needs from a seat

To see. A child is short. On a flat floor, one tall adult in front can block the whole stage. Seats on a slope, or in the front row of a raised level, give a clear view.

To get out. A child may need the toilet, a drink, or a break. An aisle seat near a door lets you leave without climbing over a row of knees.

To be at ease. A child who is afraid of making a sound cannot enjoy the music. A seat with a little space around it helps.

Section by section

The main floor

• Good: close to the players. A child can see faces, bows, and fingers.
• Not so good: the floor is often flat near the front, so the view depends on who sits ahead. From the first few rows, the stage is above eye level, and the players at the back are hidden.
• Best pick: an aisle seat about a third to halfway back, where the floor starts to slope.

The first raised level

• Good: the whole orchestra is laid out below, like a map. A child can see who is playing at every moment. The front row has no heads in the way.
• Not so good: the front rail can be at a small child’s eye level. Check before the lights go down, and ask an usher for a cushion.
• Best pick: the front row, on the aisle.

The top balcony

• Good: the price is often the lowest in the hall, and the sound can be fine.
• Not so good: the stage is far away, and the stairs are steep. Faces and fingers are hard to make out.
• Best pick: the front row, with a pair of small binoculars.

The boxes

• Good: a family can have a small space of its own, and the chairs often move. A restless child bothers fewer people.
• Not so good: the view is from the side, and part of the stage may be cut off.

The seats behind the stage

• Good: the child faces the conductor and can watch every signal. The percussion section is right below.
• Not so good: the sound is out of balance, with the brass and the drums in front.

Seats for different kinds of shows

An orchestra concert. A raised seat shows the whole orchestra. Read the orchestra seating chart first, so your child knows what to look for.

A piano concert. Sit on the left side of the hall, as you face the stage. From there, a child can see the pianist’s hands on the keys.

A ballet. Sit higher up and near the center. The patterns the dancers make on the floor are part of the show, and they cannot be seen from the front rows. Read ballet for kids.

An opera. Check where the translated words are shown. In many houses, they appear above the stage, and they are hard to read from the front rows. Read opera for kids.

A family concert. Many are general seating. Arrive early and take an aisle.

Seats and sound

A concert hall is built so that the sound reaches every seat. A few things still change with the seat.

• Near the stage: the instruments closest to you sound loudest.
• Farther back and higher up: the sound blends.
• Next to the brass and the drums: it is loud. A child who is sensitive to sound will be happier farther away.

Read ear protection for kids at concerts.

Before you buy

1. Look at the seating map. Most halls post one. Find the aisles and the doors.
2. Ask about cushions. Some halls lend booster cushions for children.
3. Ask about age rules. Some evening concerts have a lowest age. Family concerts are open to all ages.
4. Ask about the view. Box offices know which seats have a rail or a pillar in the way.
5. Ask about family prices. This page gives no prices. Halls often have lower ones for children and for certain sections.

On the day

• Arrive early. Find the toilets, the exits, and your seats before the music starts.
• Put the child on the aisle, or one seat in, with an adult on each side if you can.
• Plan the break. A regular concert has one break of 15 to 20 minutes.
• Have a way out. Agree on a quiet signal for “I need to leave.”

Read first orchestra concert with kids and how long an orchestra concert lasts.

Things to do together

Map the hall. Print the hall’s seating map. Mark your seats, the doors, and the toilets.

Pick what to watch. Choose one player or one section to watch from your seat.

Draw the view. After the concert, draw the stage as it looked from where you sat.

Print and play

Bring the concert scavenger hunt and the orchestra seating chart. Read concert etiquette for kids and taking a toddler to a concert.