Over February break, the kids and I headed out to the Puppet Showplace Theater in Brookline. We attended Everybody Loves Pirates which was performed by the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers. The kids were delighted by the puppets and laughed for 45 minutes straight. Here are some tips to make the most out of puppet shows with kids.
First off, plan to arrive early. City traffic can be unpredictable and the theater has street parking (bring quarters, although the parking meters do accept cards). If you can ditch the car, take the D Train on the Green Line to the Brookline Village T stop.
Once you arrive, you will check in at reception and get your tickets. There is a play area set up for kids where they can color or try their hand at being a puppeteer.
There are no assigned seats. The children sit in the middle and one adult can sit on each end of the row. This ensures that all of the children have a clear view of the stage. No photos are allowed throughout the performance.
We watched hand-crafted puppets Lucy and Chucky go on an adventure looking for buried treasure, fighting off pirates and befriending some super hero crustaceans along the way.
There is a great list of age recommendations on the theater website. My 3.5 year old daughter giggled through the whole thing like Minnie Mouse with one hand cupped over her mouth. My 8 year old was dying with laughter the whole time and my 6 year old was just fascinated by the puppets.
Be sure to stick around after the show. The puppeteers showed us their props and I was blown away to see that they were all made with common household items such as felt, duct tape, and even golf balls for eyes! The creativity that goes into these performances is really impressive.
We got some great pictures after the show and the boys even got to peek behind the scenes.
There are some great family friendly things to do within walking distance to the theater. We had lunch at Brothers and Sisters Co Coffeehouse and Cafe just a few doors down (try the Fantastic Falafel!). We also found our new favorite playground, toy store and a great bookstore! Click here to see a list of our favorite things to do in Brookline.
The Puppet Showplace Theater is available for birthday parties, field trips and various workshops. Check their website for the latest information.
Puppet shows for kids are a great way to get their imaginations running and The Puppet Showplace Theater has the best shows in the Boston area!
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