How do you turn a simple, classic children’s song into an hour-long engaging theatre experience for the kiddos? I was skeptical that they could do it (or that my nearly 4-year-old child would actually be entertained throughout), but we both ended up having a blast at The Wheels on the Bus by Nashville Children’s Theatre — which runs on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 1.
The interactive and immersive play is designed for children ages 0 – 5. I think it’s best suited for preschool ages, but there were babies and older kids in attendance that seemed to enjoy it, too. I wouldn’t hesitate to bring a sibling if they are slightly out of the suggested age range.
Hansen’s daughter poses for a photo-op on set after the show.
“AN INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE FROM START TO FINISH”
If you haven’t been to NCT yet, it’s more than just arriving and sitting through a performance, It’s an interactive experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, they have fun activity stations for the kids set up in the lobby, so plan to arrive early to take advantage of those. For this particular play, they had coloring sheets for the kids to color their own traffic light or bus, an area to play with blocks, toys and more.
The play began with the actors “Bert and Betty the Bus Drivers” coming into the lobby and teaching the kids or “trainees” a hand motion to signal they were ready. This was used throughout the performance. The actors then led us down a corridor to a small, intimate theater with chairs and benches set up for the audience. It’s open seating and there are no bad seats. Many of the kids chose to sit on the floor up front so they could be close to the action. Each child was then given a bag filled with some interactive props that are used throughout the play. The actors are very engaging with the children. They stopped to say hello to each child and to make sure all felt included and a part of the journey along the bus route with Bert.
Each stop brought a new song, character and activity for the kids to join in on — like helping to replace the spark plug, helping get the sputtering bus started again, finding a lost dog and washing the bus that got dirty along the route. Each stop also brought a new dilemma to solve and between stops, not surprisingly, we sang “The Wheels on the Bus.” Kids are encouraged to sing and dance along. After the performance, we were invited to take photos on stage, so you can wait until it ends to get the cute Instagram-worthy pics of your kids on set at the bus station.
Overall, it was a fun activity that my daughter enjoyed. Though it was not our first visit to NCT, it would be a great introduction to theatre for any child. They have free, easy parking in a lot out front with plenty of availability. Snacks and drinks are sold in the lobby.
The play runs through December 1, so grab your tickets before the run is over at Nashvillechildrenstheatre.org.
Hilary Hansen is a mom, Vanderbilt graduate and a 2024 Nashville Parent Mom Reporter.
