Children's theatre in London - the best shows for kids of all ages

Watch out, tired revivals: there’s a new kid in town. Inspired by a 2011 BBC documentary about a teenager who wanted to be a drag queen, the show follows 16-year-old Jamie on his journey to be himself. And it's cool and energetic enough to thrill both secondary school kids and their parents.

The posters have been plastered around the London Underground for years – long enough for this show to become the most successful musical of all time – but nothing prepares you for the sheer impact of 'The Lion King's opening sequence…

'My mummy says I'm a miracle,' lisps a pampered mini-me at a purgatorial kiddies' birthday party at the outset of this delicious, treacly-dark family show…

Time-travelling magicians Morgan & West have sleeves full of tricks that will astound kids, and bamboozle adults. Close-up magic, jokes, and plenty of audience involvement make this a ridiculously entertaining hour of Victorian-themed trickery. Ages five-plus.

This boisterous kids' show is the little sister of improv hit musical 'Showstoppers'. The performers use suggestions from the audience to power a completely improvised, song-filled hour of very silly musical fun. 

Bestselling kids' author David Walliams' elephant story is getting the Little Angel treatment this summer - the theatre's seasoned crew of puppeteers will bring this quirky animal tale to life. 'The Slightly Annoying Elephant' follows a boy who adopts a zoo animal, but quickly discovers that cohabiting with a pachyderm is harder than he thought. This production is directed at Samantha Lane, and aimed at kids aged three-to-eight. 

This punchy take on feminist history follows Annie, a young factory worker who's fighting for her right to vote. The mash-up title 'Suffrajitsu' is a reference to the surprising fact that real-life suffragettes used the martial art jiu-jitsu to resist arrest. Author Ruthie Boycott-Garnett and director Esther Ferry-Kennington will use a quirky blend of illustrated puppets and music to bring the story of the battle for votes for women to life, complete with the odd comic-style 'Ka-pow!'.

A Unicorn Theatre long-runner, Sarah Argent and Kevin Lewis's ‘Baby Show’ is one of London's rare regular theatre experiences for the very young. A light and sound-based sensory experience for ages six-to-18-months, it tends to be very popular and advance booking is advised.

Where would kids theatre be without Julia Donaldson? Stage versions of works like 'Tabby McTat' and 'The Gruffalo' are already school holiday staples, so it's no surprise that her dragon story 'Zog' is the latest of her picture books to get the big stage treatment. Its hero Zog is a big, clumsy beast who's doing his best to ace dragon school when Princess Pearl scoops him up for a new adventure. This stage show has an impressive team behind it, including Kneehigh's artistic directors Mike Shepherd at the helm, and songs by Johnny Flynn. It stops in at Cadogan Hall for August 2019, following a national tour.