Why Taking Kids to Live Shows Is Always Worth It

Jun 23

Taking kids to live shows — whether music, theater, or dance — hits differently than watching from a screen. I recently took my kids to the Air Force Armament Museum in Okaloosa County, Florida. Inside, among the towering aircraft and detailed historical displays, was a framed newspaper: a copy of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin dated Sunday, December 7, 1941. The headline read:
“War! Oahu Bombed by Japanese Planes.”
I got chills.

That physical encounter with history felt worlds apart from reading about it in a book or seeing it on a screen. There’s a power in presence. Feelings move us to act, not facts. And real-life experiences evoke feelings.

The Arts Work the Same Way

Sure, you can stream a classic album or watch So You Think You Can Dance. And yes, those things can stir emotion and even inspire. But watching an artist perform live? That’s a force multiplier.

The Common Excuses (And Why I Push Through Them)

Every time I take one of my kids to a live performance — musical, theatrical, or otherwise — I’m grateful I did.

But there’s always resistance. And most of it comes from me.

Cost is the first hurdle. Tickets, parking, food — it adds up fast. And if it’s a concert, we’re getting a t-shirt (my rule). That’s how bands make money these days, thanks to streaming. But that’s a story for another time.

Time is another obstacle. Our calendar is a storm of activities, parties, and last-minute home repairs. Just before one such event, our AC broke. Of course it did.

Then there’s the excuse of energy. If I have an evening free, shouldn't I rest? Or catch up on my to-do list?

A Better Perspective

If I live inside a to-do list, I risk missing life altogether.

Ferris Bueller said it best:

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

As a father, instead of skipping school, I hit pause on the endless tasks. It can feel wrong at first — like I’m neglecting responsibilities. But that guilt is fleeting. The idea that every task is urgent is a lie. What is urgent is time with my kids. Childhood doesn’t last. And they don’t stay small forever.

So now I treat these experiences as education, which always seems to justify the cost, right?

Making It More Accessible

We joined a homeschool group that scores discounted tickets to theater productions — same stage, same performance, but during the day. It’s a win-win. The performers get a live audience; we get lower prices and skip the crowds.

Metallica and the Myth of “No Time”

Metallica is my all-time favorite band. The first album I owned that wasn’t handed down by my parents was a bootleg tape of Kill ’Em All. I listened on my Sony Walkman so many times the tape stretched.

Fast forward: the band releases 72 Seasons. My teenage daughter tells me first. And she wants to go to the show.

It took years for the tour to reach Atlanta. It landed smack in the middle of a chaotic week. Fighting traffic and sky-high parking fees was not appealing.

But the moment we stepped out of the truck and walked toward Mercedes-Benz Stadium, all the fatigue vanished.

We were about to see my band.

The show? Unforgettable. Adrenaline. Nostalgia. Awe. It recharged me in a way nothing else could.

That weekend, we visited my parents. My dad told my daughter about ripping out the seats in his VW bug and replacing them with a shag-carpeted platform so he could sleep at a multi-day Atlanta music festival — one that featured Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix.

It made me think: maybe this concert is a story my daughter will tell her grandkids one day.

Maybe watching live art with her — music made by real people — did more than entertain. Maybe it inspired her.

In this era of screens and AI, real, live, human art matters.

Experiencing the arts live with your kids is always worth the price of admission.

Henry Coen