Overview
Davies Symphony Hall hosts its Music for Families series throughout the season — 60-minute concerts, no intermission, programmed specifically for kids ages 5–12 with narration and program notes written to be intelligible to a child who has never heard a symphony before. What separates this from a standard kids' concert is the pre-concert hour: instrument petting zoos, a conductor photo station, piano mats, coloring stations, and a musical passport stamp challenge scattered through the lobbies. Kids who might squirm through a concert will spend 30 minutes of serious hands-on time before the music even starts. Recent programs include "Around the World Through Dance," "Peter and the Wolf," and music-meets-mystery themed performances.
How to Do It
Davies Symphony Hall is at 201 Van Ness Avenue, one block south of City Hall. The Performing Arts Garage at 360 Grove Street (two blocks away) is the designated parking structure; rates run $5–$40 depending on event. Street parking in the Civic Center neighborhood is metered, limited, and actively enforced. Transit is the cleaner option: BART to Civic Center/UN Plaza station, then a three-minute walk. The 49 Van Ness bus stops directly in front.
Arrive at least one hour before curtain — the lobby activities open one hour before each performance, and the instrument petting zoo is genuinely the highlight for kids under 6. The main hall is on the ground floor; strollers can be managed through the lobby and checked. Kids under 12 must be seated next to an adult; lap sitting is not permitted, meaning everyone in your group needs a ticket regardless of age.
For the "Deck the Hall" holiday concerts in December, two performances run at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm. VIP packages include a pre-concert experience with treats, interactive activities, and special appearances — worth it for a first visit or a birthday treat.
Tips & Tricks
Book as soon as the season schedule drops. Music for Families concerts sell out, especially the holiday programs. The SF Symphony website posts the full season schedule in late summer — set a reminder and buy early. Child tickets (ages 17 and under) are half price, which makes this significantly more affordable than it looks at first glance.
The instrument petting zoo lobby circuit is the first thing kids want to do. Build in 45–60 minutes before the performance. The piano mat (a giant floor keyboard you stomp on) and the conductor photo station tend to be the biggest hits with the 4–7 crowd. The stamp passport challenge gives kids a structured reason to visit every station rather than circling one activity for 20 minutes.
Dress code is relaxed for family concerts — jeans and sneakers are fine and common. Don't stress about it. What matters is that your kid isn't wearing something that makes sitting still for an hour feel like a punishment.
Children under 3 are generally not admitted to standard Symphony concerts, but Music for Families and Deck the Hall are exceptions to this rule. That said, a 3-year-old who can't sit still for 60 minutes will be a miserable experience for everyone around you. Age 5 is realistically the floor for a kid who will get something out of the performance itself; under 5, come for the lobby activities and treat the concert as a bonus.
Food and beverages are not permitted inside the performance hall. The café in the lobby is open before the concert. Bring a snack for the car ride home — kids come out hungry.
Planning
Adult tickets run $27–$64 depending on seat location and program. Children 17 and under are half price. Everyone entering Davies Symphony Hall needs a ticket, regardless of age. Purchase through sfsymphony.org. Music for Families concerts typically run October through May; the holiday Deck the Hall concerts are in December. The hall is at 201 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco.
Bring: a light jacket (the hall runs cool), a small snack for after, and patience for parking if you drive. Skip the stroller inside the hall — check it in the lobby. Best for ages 5–8; the 60-minute format is calibrated for that window. Families with kids 3–4 can make it work if the child handles new environments well, but go in with realistic expectations for the concert portion.