10 of the best kids’ shows at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2022

You could call this ‘a puppet show’ – although the description feels somewhat inadequate to describe the huge, spectacular models of everything from cute, tiny George the Wyvern to the most gargantuan of dragons. For ages three-plus.

That’s right: the actual Julia Donaldson – author of approximately 20 percent of all pre-school children’s book – returns to Edinburgh in the company of her family and friends to bring a clutch of her most beloved characters to life, including the Smartest Giant in Town, the Singing Mermaid, the Highway Rat and, of course, the Gruffalo.

Progressive theatre company Rhum + Clay is best known for its forensic, meticulously researched shows aimed at adults, so the kids are in for a treat with ‘Everything Has Changed’, a new work aimed at children aged five to 12. It’s described as a ‘joyful, kaleidoscopic’ show exploring the nature of change itself, made in consultation with a child psychologist.

Tall Stories have adapted countless Julia Donaldson picturebooks and here’s the latest, an adaptation of her 2019 post-Brexit parable ‘The Smeds and The Smoos’, a yarn about two irrationally mistrustful tribes of aliens who learn to overcome their prejudices. Ages three-to-ten.

This concert of toddler-friendly classical hits is given a bit of additional pep by featuring the contributions of Peppa Pig and her family who conduct, play instruments and pick a few favourite songs.

Written by Laura Lindow, this new kids’ show from Paines Plough and the Rose Theatre Kingston follows Dill, whose happy life is changed forever when she discovers a ball of wolf hair in one of her grandad’s books. Eva Sampson directs this play for ages five-to-12.

An hour of ‘really stupid kids’ comedy plus maybe some drawing’ from stand-up, children’s author and former winner of Joke of the Fringe Olaf Falafel. Aimed at kids aged four to 14, it’s part of the Free Fringe (ie tickets are free but tipping in encouraged and you can pay what you can to reserve a place).

Is this a horrible idea? Or a very smart one? The brainchild of Professor Tom Solomon, OBE, ‘Covid for Kids’ spins our last two years of hell into a lighthearted romp about Corry the Coronavirus, who rampages about causing all sorts of problems until tamed by the Science Superheroes. 

Louis Pearl’s bubblicious show is an Edinburgh mainstay that sells out every year for a reason. That reason being: he does cool stuff with bubbles! Big bubbles, little bubbles, artistic bubbles, bubbles demonstrating science, dumb bubbles, clever bubble – aaaaaaall the bubbles.