Theatre for Early Years or TEY is a blanket term for theatrical events designed for audiences of pre-school children (aged under five or six years of age). TEY is considered to be a sub-category of Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA). TEY is known in the US as Theatre for the Very Young, or TVY.
It has been defined as “professional theatre led by adults performing for an audience of babies from months old to toddlers approximately one and a half to two years old accompanied by a parent or adult companion. Babies usually sit on their caregiver's lap or in a stroller, and watch a play - usually between 30 and 45 minutes long - designed especially for them”.[1] In addition, performances for newborns, centring on bonding and attachment, and more participatory productions which invite children to enter the performance area for a time[2] have become common. Even productions aimed at foetuses and expectant mothers have been created.[3]