Planning a Backyard Play, Dance Recital, or Music Concert

Planning a Backyard Play, Dance Recital, or Music Concert

Dance recital costumes, props, the perfect stage—those are just some of the things you need to plan a dance recital, a fun play, or a concert right in the backyard. Any of these activities are just what you need to keep your kids engaged while encouraging them to be creative and let their imaginations soar. The family can work together to plan a fantastic function, replete with kids’ play costumes, lighting, and seating for the audience.

Pick a Story

Before anything else, you need to choose a story or an event. That involves talking to your children about what they’d like to do. If your kids have a musical bent, then they may want to put on a small concert. Children who take dance classes or simply enjoy dancing may want to show off their moves to a specially curated soundtrack of bangin’ tunes. Little ones with a flair for drama will love putting on a play for family, friends, and neighbors. It’s important to decide what to do first thing, however, because that will inform your decisions about where you want to stage the show, whether you need dance recital costumes or something else, and what kind of props you need.

Select the Perfect Stage Area

Where do you want to stage the show in the backyard? If the kiddos want to put on a recital, then they will need plenty of room to move and groove. For a concert, however, you can get away with a small, intimate area. That will make sure that the sound carries to the audience. A play production may need a bigger stage since there will be so many things going on at once.

Depending on how big you want this production to be, you may want to think about hanging fairy lights and outdoor Edison bulbs. It might be a good idea to look into inexpensive microphones and speakers, as well. No matter what, you want to make sure the audience can hear everything that happens. The kids are putting so much work into this fun activity that you want it to go off without a hitch.

Enlist a Little Help

Think about enlisting some help, or at least some extras, especially if the kids want to stage a play. You may need to grab a few kids from the neighborhood or some of your children’s friends to play extra parts. If the kids want to put on a concert or a dance recital, then consider enlisting the help of other musicians or dancers in their class. Let them know that they can wear their favorite kids’ play costumes to the show. Invite them over for every practice. The bigger the cast of characters, the more impressive the production. If nothing else, the kids will love being able to spend fun quality time with their pals.

Choose the Costumes

Every aspect of an outdoor show is exciting, but selecting the costumes is a ton of fun. Again, the nature of the show will affect the outfits that the kids choose. To dance, a dance recital costume is a must. However, if they’re staging a play, then they’ll need the appropriate ensembles. For that, you may want to peruse our extensive—and awesome—selection of kids’ costumes. Dressing up for a musical extravaganza is somewhat easier. The kids can wear their favorite dress-up clothes for that—or, depending on the music, they might decide to go with something more laid-back.

Rehearse, Rehearse, Rehearse

Every star has to rehearse to make sure that the final production is a showstopper. Leading up to the performance, encourage the children to spend some time each day rehearsing their parts, whether it’s a speaking role, a musical number played on an instrument, or a dance routine. As it gets closer to opening day, they can have a few dress rehearsals to make sure that their kids’ play costumes will work for the production. They may want to make changes regarding their props, the lighting, and the stage, as well. This is their opportunity to work out all the kinks. Mom and dad, you can help wherever you’re needed.

Invite an Audience

A show is nothing without an audience. Your kids want to show off their dance recital costumes and their rock star outfits, plus they need to play to someone. Send out invitations at least a week in advance. Work on the guest list together. Your kids can invite anyone they like, from their best buddies and close family members to the next-door neighbors and their favorite teachers. That means you need to set up seats in front of the stage. Folding chairs ought to be fine, but you can always get a bit fancy with the patio furniture.

Lights, Camera, Action

It’s showtime! With the children dressed in their kids’ play costumes, the stage set, and all the instruments or props ready, it’s time to knock off everyone’s socks! This is the moment that you’ve been working toward together. Make sure that someone’s all set up to record the big production. It’s something that you and the kids will remember for years to come—and the audience, too!

Sydney So Sweet can’t wait to hear about the show. Visit us for the dance recital costumes and play outfits that the kids need to play their role.