Where Kids See the Most
With children, reserve height and a center angle before you reserve closeness. A seat a dozen rows up near the middle of the building shows a small child the whole floor, while a front-row seat off to one side leaves them peering past adults and safety rails. That rule holds for nearly every touring family production, from monster trucks to the Rockettes.
Four shows anchor the category. Monster Jam brings monster trucks to arenas and stadiums. Disney on Ice stages Disney stories on an arena rink. Trans-Siberian Orchestra tours arenas each winter with a holiday rock show. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, starring the Rockettes, fills Radio City Music Hall in New York every holiday season. Many families also make a long-running Broadway musical such as The Lion King or Wicked their first big night out.
Spectacle-driven shows like these sit in the one corner of live entertainment that grew in the latest federal survey. In the National Endowment for the Arts' 2022 data, attendance at performances outside the traditional arts categories (a group spanning circus, magic, pop, rock and comedy) reached 21 percent of adults, compared with 15 percent in 2017.
Monster Jam Seats and the Pit Party
Feld Entertainment has run Monster Jam since 1992, in two formats. Stadium shows, mostly in winter and early spring, bring a dirt track and ramps into football and baseball venues. Arena shows run a smaller indoor series scored on points. Events mix racing, freestyle (two-minute runs over ramps and obstacles) and two-wheel skills, a discipline added in late 2017. Each season leads to the Monster Jam World Finals, which left Las Vegas after 2018 for a rotating host and is set for Salt Lake City in 2025 and 2026. Grave Digger, built by Dennis Anderson, remains the most famous truck.
Picking the seat
- Stadium, midfield, 12 or more rows up: the best view of the full track and the freestyle ramps at once.
- Stadium, front rows: skip them. They sit behind the safety barriers and look up at the trucks.
- Arena, lower bowl along the sides: the indoor sweet spot.
Before you go
- Run time: about two hours with a 15-to-20-minute intermission, per the official FAQ.
- Volume: the engines are very loud. Venues sell novelty earplugs, and the show recommends bringing real ear protection.
- Pit Party: a pre-show session for seeing trucks up close and collecting driver autographs. Anyone 2 or older needs a pit pass plus a main event ticket for the same performance, and lines close, so arrive 30 minutes before the pit opens.
- Kids: ages 2 and up need a ticket; under-2 lap seating is free at many venues, but rules vary.
The Monster Jam FAQ lists the current rules.
Disney on Ice: Sides Over Rinkside
Feld Entertainment produces Disney on Ice under an agreement with The Walt Disney Company. The franchise launched in 1981 as Walt Disney's World on Ice and adopted its current name in late 1997. Multiple productions tour at once, each built on a different group of stories; recent titles include Magic in the Stars, Road Trip Adventures, Frozen and Encanto, and a Lion King edition debuted in 2026. Confirm which production your city is getting, because the characters change.
The rink covers the arena floor, and the big ensemble numbers are choreographed to read from the sides. Rank your options this way:
- Long sides, a few rows up: children see over the dasher boards (the low walls around the ice) and catch every formation.
- End sections: a view down the length of the ice, usually at a lower price. The value choice.
- Rinkside: close to the characters, but at ice level a small child misses the patterns.
Weekend matinees draw the most young families and go first; weekday evenings usually leave more seats to choose from.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra With Kids
Producer Paul O'Neill formed Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) in 1996 with Savatage's Jon Oliva and Al Pitrelli and keyboardist Robert Kinkel. "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24" became the group's calling card. TSO has toured since 1999, splitting into East and West companies each November and December to reach as many cities as possible. A rock band and a string section share the stage with pyrotechnics, synchronized lasers, moving trusses and video walls. After O'Neill's death in 2017, the winter tours carried on, and TSO says it gives one dollar or more from every ticket to a charity in each tour city.
It is a beloved family tradition, and also a loud arena rock concert with fire effects. It suits school-age kids and up; younger children need ear protection. Because the lasers and lights fill the whole room, a center seat in the upper level facing the stage often shows more of the production than the floor does. For closeness plus overview, take a lower-level side section near the stage.
Mezzanine or Orchestra at Radio City
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular has played Radio City Music Hall since 1933 and has welcomed more than 73 million guests. The 2026 run is scheduled for November 4, 2026, to January 4, 2027, with 230 performances, a record for the show.
- First and second mezzanine fronts, center: the Rockettes' kick lines and formations are staged to be seen whole, and these rows show both the patterns and the full stage.
- Orchestra: the show's own seating guide recommends it for an up-close look at the performers.
- Upper mezzanines: recommended by the same guide for the choreography and overhead projections.
- Rear orchestra under the overhang: the mezzanine above can cut off the top of the stage. Avoid the last rows.
The Rockettes seat map shows each level. Demand builds steadily through the run: early November weekdays offer the widest choice, while December weekends and the days just before Christmas sell first.
Smaller Shows for Younger Kids
Two touring productions aimed at the youngest audiences have their own guides. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live is an arena show tied to the toy line, with a shorter running time than a stadium motorsport event, so it works well for children who cannot sit through two hours. Sesame Street Live is built for toddlers and preschoolers, and its guide explains which ages it fits and where families with strollers should sit.
Logistics That Save the Day
- Lap seating. Under-2 rules vary by show and building. Monster Jam allows it at many venues, and Radio City permits it for most events but requires a ticket for children over 1 at some family productions. Confirm before buying.
- Seats together. Filter listings by the number of seats in one row so the family is not split.
- Aisle seats. One aisle seat in the group makes restroom runs and early exits painless for everyone.
- Matinees. Afternoon times fit nap schedules, which is why they sell out before evening shows.
- Bags. Arenas and stadiums cap bag sizes, and some require clear bags, which matters for diaper bags. Check the venue's current policy before you go.
- Arrival. Security lines slow down with strollers and small children. Aim for 45 minutes early, more if you have a Pit Party.
The calendar is seasonal. Monster Jam stadium dates bunch up in winter and early spring, with arena dates spread through the year. Several Disney on Ice productions travel at the same time. Trans-Siberian Orchestra and the Christmas Spectacular own November and December, and their December weekends are the hardest seats to find. School breaks and holiday weekends drive the most demand everywhere, while weekday evenings offer the most choice. Reserved Seat backs every order with a 100% guarantee.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best seat for a child at Monster Jam?
In a stadium, choose a seat near midfield at least a dozen rows up, so the child can see the entire track and the ramps. Front rows sit behind the barriers and look up at the trucks.
How long does Monster Jam last, and is it loud?
About two hours, including a 15-to-20-minute intermission. It is very loud, so bring ear protection; venues also sell novelty earplugs.
Are rinkside seats good at Disney on Ice?
They are close to the characters but sit at ice level, so small children miss the formations. Seats a few rows up on the long sides usually work better.
What age is Trans-Siberian Orchestra suitable for?
School-age children and older are the best fit. The show is a loud arena rock concert with pyrotechnics and lasers, so bring ear protection for younger kids.
Which level is best for the Christmas Spectacular?
The center front of the first and second mezzanines shows the Rockettes' full formations. The orchestra is better for seeing performers up close, but rear orchestra rows sit under the overhang.