Has family entertainment like the circus become a thing of the past?

[BrianL]

Your zoo has an ice rink? Ours doesn't do anything like that, they have a penguin parade in the winter as long as temps are below 40 but that's about it.

They only set it up in the winter under a tent, mainly for the Holiday Zoo Lights that they do, but it is open in the mornings too. I love to go first thing and be like the only person there. It's on the small side, but it's not bad when I have it to myself. It ws the first ice rink we had around here in over a decade when they first opened it, but they've been doing it for ten years and a permanent facility is also now open. I think it helped generate interest though, so that was great!

EDIT: I should also add that our zoo just added a small water park - I haven't actually seen it. It's called a "Splash Park" and is for kids, but it has slides and stuff.

 

[RangerPooh]

At least the Zoo here is pretty great! I have a membership too, mostly for ice skating in the winter, but I enjoy the zoo in general. I wish our museum system was better. I have nostalgic feelings for the Pink Palace (now called MoSH) but it's not that great. Most of it hasn't changed in decades either. The redone planetarium is pretty nice though.

We purchase the family+ packages because with our large family it makes sense, plus the grandparents cane take the kids on school breaks. We visit the zoo more than the Pink Palace, but use our Pink Palace membership at Litcherman as well. Comes in handy when needing to get the kids out of the house for a few hours.

You live in Gilroy?

I think she was referring to the one running in the Sac/Stockton area. It's not the same as the Gilroy one, but supposedly had some of the same vendors.

They only set it up in the winter under a tent, mainly for the Holiday Zoo Lights that they do, but it is open in the mornings too. I love to go first thing and be like the only person there. It's on the small side, but it's not bad when I have it to myself. It ws the first ice rink we had around here in over a decade when they first opened it, but they've been doing it for ten years and a permanent facility is also now open. I think it helped generate interest though, so that was great!

EDIT: I should also add that our zoo just added a small water park - I haven't actually seen it. It's called a "Splash Park" and is for kids, but it has slides and stuff.

I believe that the ice rink is only seasonal. It wasn't there when we went in May. I do wish that we had an ice rink closer than Mississippi, but will take what we can get I haven't visitied since the splash pad opened. My kids are a bit too old for it, but from what I've seen I think it sounds like it's an add-on like the carousel or seasonal exhibits (dinos/kangaroos).

 

[BrianL]

We purchase the family+ packages because with our large family it makes sense, plus the grandparents cane take the kids on school breaks. We visit the zoo more than the Pink Palace, but use our Pink Palace membership at Litcherman as well. Comes in handy when needing to get the kids out of the house for a few hours.


I think she was referring to the one running in the Sac/Stockton area. It's not the same as the Gilroy one, but supposedly had some of the same vendors.


I believe that the ice rink is only seasonal. It wasn't there when we went in May. I do wish that we had an ice rink closer than Mississippi, but will take what we can get I haven't visitied since the splash pad opened. My kids are a bit too old for it, but from what I've seen I think it sounds like it's an add-on like the carousel or seasonal exhibits (dinos/kangaroos).

Yes, the ice rink at the zoo is seasonal, only from about mid Novemebr through the new year. The rest of the time that is a picnic area.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Why I think we are seeing the new image of family entertainment is because this generation is older and the live shows are geared to appeal to the trends older kids are into now. Take for instance I have seen Marvel Universe shows on Youtube and boy oh boy was I surprised at how well Marvel is able to create a fantastic show and the Marvel characters are so amazing in these shows. And even my mom was amazed at Marvel Universe as well and she once told me she would go to a Marvel Universe show if it appeared in our town someday because it would be so fun watching our Marvel crushes put on a show. But every time we would go to Great America my mother was a huge fan of the ice shows they used to have and I thought they were marvelous and I wonder why they don't create ice shows like this today. Another popular type of family entertainment that has made a comeback are live game shows for kids and Nickelodeon has begun to do this with Double Dare Live and Nickelodeon has also done other live shows such as Spongebob Squarepants Live and Nick World Tour and it seems to be a moneymaker for Nickelodeon to do. But as I mentioned family entertainment is slowly making a comeback for a new generation of kids

 

[kerry1379]

While I only live about 30 minutes from a major city and there are plenty of options for family entertainment-for us, most of it is just too cost prohibitive.

One kind of "new-ish" thing that has emerged that is fun for our family and doesn't cost a lot are scavenger hunts on our phones. A few months ago, one of the parks in the city hosted an Alice in Wonderland themed scavenger hunt. (You do need to have at least one cell phone per group, sometimes more.) Many people converged on this park one Saturday morning-many dressed in Alice in Wonderland attire. It was a blast! Games lead to clues and riddles which take you all over the park and have you working with your group and sometimes other groups as well. It was a fun Saturday morning activity.

 

[DodgerGirl]

While I only live about 30 minutes from a major city and there are plenty of options for family entertainment-for us, most of it is just too cost prohibitive.

One kind of "new-ish" thing that has emerged that is fun for our family and doesn't cost a lot are scavenger hunts on our phones. A few months ago, one of the parks in the city hosted an Alice in Wonderland themed scavenger hunt. (You do need to have at least one cell phone per group, sometimes more.) Many people converged on this park one Saturday morning-many dressed in Alice in Wonderland attire. It was a blast! Games lead to clues and riddles which take you all over the park and have you working with your group and sometimes other groups as well. It was a fun Saturday morning activity.

I think these started to become popular when the Pokemon Go App debuted and once that became popular cities started advertising these scavenger hunts on phones as the new type of family entertainment and it seems to do well. But if they lowered the price of tickets for family oriented concerts nowadays I bet a lot of families would take their kids and have a great time

 

[cabanafrau]

Why I think we are seeing the new image of family entertainment is because this generation is older and the live shows are geared to appeal to the trends older kids are into now. Take for instance I have seen Marvel Universe shows on Youtube and boy oh boy was I surprised at how well Marvel is able to create a fantastic show and the Marvel characters are so amazing in these shows. And even my mom was amazed at Marvel Universe as well and she once told me she would go to a Marvel Universe show if it appeared in our town someday because it would be so fun watching our Marvel crushes put on a show. But every time we would go to Great America my mother was a huge fan of the ice shows they used to have and I thought they were marvelous and I wonder why they don't create ice shows like this today. Another popular type of family entertainment that has made a comeback are live game shows for kids and Nickelodeon has begun to do this with Double Dare Live and Nickelodeon has also done other live shows such as Spongebob Squarepants Live and Nick World Tour and it seems to be a moneymaker for Nickelodeon to do. But as I mentioned family entertainment is slowly making a comeback for a new generation of kids

Not sure what you mean by the bolded? Which generation are you referring to?

Stars on Ice is still a touring ice show as well. I personally haven't seen one live in more than 20 years now, but my guess is it's still family entertainment despite not being character themed or directed primarily to young children -- which IMO is a good option to have.

Libraries here still have robust story hours and kids craft times, along with the traditional summer reading clubs. Regional parks in the area also offer a wide slate of children's/family offerings such as nature hikes; animal programs at the nature centers; arts and crafts; farm center offerings centered around farm animals, maple sugaring, bees, etc.; star gazing and astronomy; science olympiad offerings; hayrides; Halloween events; Easter Egg rolls/hunts; apple cider times; spring and fall festivals with games, clowns, performances, etc. Community colleges and local community and rec departments in the metro area offer lots of opportunities for kids to take classes and learn cooking, sewing, coding, music, dance, physical sciences, etc. Local theatre productions have been putting on a handful of musicals in our area that are geared towards children/family audiences -- Matilda, Willy Wonka and several others that I know didn't interest my husband or myself have been playing at various local theatres since January, with most companies generally offering a more adult play or musical for two weeks, followed by a family or child's production.

Many of these are beefed up far beyond programming that was available when my twenty-something daughters were young. Just because the Wiggles or Blue's Clue's were popular when they were young and might not be offered these days doesn't mean children's or family entertainment has disappeared or dwindled IMO.

 

[DodgerGirl]

Something I don't understand and cannot figure out is why petting zoos have become popular family entertainment at fairs? Because from what i've seen and read is that petting zoos aren't really worthy for families with children to visit. Because not only do you have to worry about children getting sicknesses you have to worry about your children's safety. Because can you imagine kids trying to pet a goat thinking that it's friendly but then the goat will try to bite and you end up with crying children because they have a fear of goats? I think that petting zoos are in the same category as wild animal safari tours that have animals go up to your car windows that are also not worthy for families that have also become popular family entertainment as well. If there was simple shows for kids and families I can bet a lot of families will go. Because live family entertainment is making a comeback and right now Paw Patrol Live is on tour and from the commercials it looks like a fun show. But my cousin used to take her infant son to live concerts and the very first live concert he saw as an infant was The Wiggles and he just loved it a lot

 

[sam_gordon]

Something I don't understand and cannot figure out is why petting zoos have become popular family entertainment at fairs? Because from what i've seen and read is that petting zoos aren't really worthy for families with children to visit. Because not only do you have to worry about children getting sicknesses you have to worry about your children's safety. Because can you imagine kids trying to pet a goat thinking that it's friendly but then the goat will try to bite and you end up with crying children because they have a fear of goats? I think that petting zoos are in the same category as wild animal safari tours that have animals go up to your car windows that are also not worthy for families that have also become popular family entertainment as well. If there was simple shows for kids and families I can bet a lot of families will go. Because live family entertainment is making a comeback and right now Paw Patrol Live is on tour and from the commercials it looks like a fun show. But my cousin used to take her infant son to live concerts and the very first live concert he saw as an infant was The Wiggles and he just loved it a lot

We've gone to a handful of petting zoos while our kids were growing up. Not once did we get bit or hurt or have crying children. I'm not sure where you get your "facts"?

Parents will take their kids to petting zoos because, for most families, it's unusual for kids to be able to get up close and personal with animals other than cats, dogs, birds, and other domestic "pets".

We've been to Wiggles concerts and enjoyed them. I'm not sure what that has to do with petting zoos. Wiggles concerts/Paw Patrol Live/Disney on Ice and the like are going to only go to the "larger" cities. County fairs (with the associated petting zoos) will be in EVERY county.