Pip's Island - An Out of This World Adventure for Kids

This past weekend we were hosted by Pip's Island for a special bloggers' preview of this "immersive theatrical adventure" and can I just say, MIND. BLOWN!!! I was expecting a cute generic children's theater kinda thing, but boy oh boy, was I wrong! Rather than being the audience, your children are actually TAKING PART IN THE ENTIRE SHOW! There is no stage but rather a series of rooms designed so well that you actually feel transported to this other dimension - Pip's Island!

The kids are immersed in the adventure right from the start, getting dressed in special explorer vests and digital wrist bands. Led by a park ranger from set to set, meeting other characters, engaging in exciting challenges. The kiddos' care givers join but take a back seat, figuratively and literally, being encouraged to sit back and watch from comfy benches and chairs toward the back of each room. But for the kids, it's never about watching passively. They're engaged in every moment - helping to find gems to open up a hatch, fly a magical ship, crawling through mole hills, decorating cake to feed to a huge monster, and in the end, working as a team to destroy the villain and save the Island.

As a parent, I found the entire show captivating. The actors were terrific, the sets were incredibly creative, the dialogue at times downright hilarious. But watching my children's faces as they participated in the adventure was the absolute best thing ever!

It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience for both kids and adults. If you are a NYC-area parent, take your kids to Pip's Island, from the bottom of my heart, you will not regret it! Whether it's a birthday treat, weekend adventure, or random after-school splurge, you and your kids will be talking about it for days (or weeks, or longer!).

Pip's Island is geared toward kids ages 4 - 10 years. My 3 year old twins thoroughly enjoyed it, though there were a couple of short-lived moments that unnerved them a wee bit, and one of them sat on my lap during the last scene because of the "scary bad guy" haha! There are strobe lights and loud noises, too, but it's very kid-friendly, the actor / guides are great with the kids, and parent(s) are there for reassurance as well. So, take that into consideration, you know your children best!

Pip's Island started previews today (March 11)! You can buy tickets for $39 online or $49 at the box office (adults & kids require a ticket, and all children must be accompanied by at least 1 adult parent or guardian). The 60-minute long show runs Wednesdays through Mondays at 400 W. 42nd Street at various times throughout the day.

Don't forget to pop back to this blog post (or @usjapanfam on Facebook/Instagram) to leave a comment after you've seen it and let us know what you thought!!

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