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Family Saturdays include plenty of explanation and audience interaction, in addition to seeing beautifully costumed dancers perform on stage. 

What are Family Saturdays at the New York City Ballet?

Family Saturdays are special ticketed events that take place several times a year at the David H. Koch Theater. The program is designed to serve as an introduction to live ballet for kids who may not have the attention span to sit through a full-length performance.

The events take place every few months—roughly once per quarter—and highlight a selection from a different show each time. My husband and I took our 3-year-old, who’s been taking ballet classes for more than a year, to the December show, A Nutcracker Adventure. We’d previously attended another Family Saturdays event last year, and we knew we couldn’t miss this one—our toddler has been Nutcracker-obsessed since Christmas 2024, and has actually watched the entirety of Balanchine’s famous production on YouTube. We weren’t quite up to testing out her patience at a real-life show of that length, so this felt like a good start.

What happens during Family Saturdays at NYC Ballet?

New York City Ballet Creative Director and Principal Dancer Megan Fairchild heads the one-hour program, coming onstage to introduce the featured ballet and its history. She provides context and insight that’s informative and interesting to parents, and entertaining and engaging for kids, before making way for actual dancers from the company (and its associated School of American Ballet) to take the stage to perform snippets from the show.

She returns between dances to offer additional context. She even demonstrates to the children in the audience how to perform some of the moves, inviting them to stand in their seats and follow along as she and other dancers break them down on stage both with and without accompanying music. My relatively shy toddler took a while to warm up, but once she recognized some of the moves from her ballet class, she happily began pliéing and twirling in the aisle.

Since it’s limited to one hour, the dancers don’t perform the entire show. For the abridged version, we didn’t get to see the famous Christmas tree grow to 40 feet tall before our eyes or the Mother Ginger number (much to my toddler’s chagrin), but we were delighted to experience The Grand Pas de Deux danced by the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier. Even more special: Fairchild informed the crowd it was the first time the ballerina in the Sugarplum Fairy role had performed it on the famed stage. My toddler was captivated each and every time the dancers appeared and didn’t look away.

Are Family Saturdays at the NYC Ballet good for kids of all ages?

Technically, the show is designed for kids ages 5 and up, but there was a mix of infants, toddlers, and older children at the performance we attended. As it’s specifically family-friendly, no one was bothered by the occasional crying or a parent needing to get up to calm their baby in a quiet area near the back of the theater. Since it’s an interactive event, however, infants likely won’t get much out of it.

The best age for Family Saturdays at the New York City Ballet is likely 3-5 at the very youngest, and that’s if you have a toddler or preschooler with a decent attention span. Kids in the 5-8-year-old range will likely enjoy it the most. Older tweens and teens can appreciate it, but may find it too childish and abbreviated for their tastes, perhaps preferring the full-length version.

There's more to Family Saturdays than the dancers on the stage, so be sure to arrive early!

Insider Tips for Attending Family Saturdays at the NYC Ballet with Kids

Get tickets early. Family Saturdays happen only a few times a year (though Lincoln Center offers a variety of other free and low-cost kid- and family-friendly programs year-round), and they do sell out. This was the case for A Nutcracker Adventure, likely due in part to the fact that it was held during the peak holiday season just a few days before Christmas.

In retrospect, my only regret is that I wish we’d arrived earlier to explore the theater. Many families were taking pictures with the giant nutcracker they’d set up in the lobby—by the time we got there, the queue was already too long, and we didn’t want to chance missing the beginning of the show. There were also cool displays showcasing some of the costumes from the ballet throughout the venue.

How Much Do Family Saturdays Cost?

Orchestra and First Ring tickets are $42 per person, while Second, Third, and Fourth Ring tickets are $29 per person. One important thing to note is that all attendees need a ticket—and yes, that includes lap infants and children under 2.

Strollers, Potties, and Snacks at the NYC Ballet Family Saturdays

As the event is designed for families, everything was extremely stroller-friendly and accessible, with elevators to each level. We were seated way up in the Third Ring and briefly worried we’d need to park our stroller at the bottom level, but the usher told us we could simply leave our stroller right outside the entrance to our section. It was a breeze to get to our seats and to grab our stroller when we left.

Similarly, there were plenty of family-friendly restrooms and changing areas.

There are snacks and beverages available for purchase at the theater, but we had no problem bringing in our own small, non-messy food and drinks to tide our girl over during the show.

Where Should Families Eat Before or After Family Saturdays

Lincoln Center and the surrounding Upper West Side of Manhattan have no shortage of family-friendly restaurants. Family Saturdays take place from 11am-noon, making it easy to grab lunch nearby right after. I’m partial to the burgers at The Smith for a sit-down meal, or pizza at Emmy Squared if you’re looking for something quicker. For even more options, check out our full guide to family-friendly restaurants near Lincoln Center.

FAQs for Family Saturdays at the NYC Ballet

What age is Family Saturdays at the New York City Ballet best for?
The Family Saturdays program is designed for kids 5 and up, but 3- and 4-year-olds can enjoy it as well, provided they have the interest and attention span for the hour-long event.

Do kids actually get to see dancers perform?
Yes! Family Saturdays feature real professional ballerinas from the New York City Ballet company and its School of American Ballet.

How long does Family Saturdays last?
Family Saturdays are one hour long.

Are Family Saturdays overwhelming for younger kids?
Family Saturdays feature a smaller orchestra that doesn’t play at full volume, so it’s unlikely that the sound will be overwhelming. You might want to pick a seat in one of the upper rings, where the stage is not too close, and when in doubt, I always recommend packing good noise-muffling headphones.

Can you leave early if your child loses interest?
Yes! Several parents were able to exit and re-enter for bathroom breaks or to curb meltdowns during Family Saturdays.

Is Family Saturdays worth it if your child isn’t into ballet?
Given its relatively low price point (especially for seats in the upper rings), it’s worth checking out even if your child doesn’t necessarily like ballet but is intrigued by live performance—or even just moving their body. The interactive portions of the show allow kids to experiment with creative body expression.

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All photos by author