Kevin Lewis in 'Baby Show' at Unicorn Theatre
© Helen Murray | Kevin Lewis in 'Baby Show' at Unicorn Theatre
© Helen Murray

London theatre for toddlers and young children

Let a trained professional do the entertaining at these theatre shows for toddlers and little ones

Advertising
London's vibrant theatre scene is for all ages and even includes the odd show for babies; by the time your kids have become toddlers they'll find themselves spoilt for choice at venues like the Little Angel Theatre and the Unicorn Theatre, which regularly host shows aimed for ages three and up. 
If you're planning ahead for the school holidays, you can also check out top 10 children's theatre shows this half-term and our 101 things to do in London with kids

Theatre for young children

  • Children's
  • Belgravia

What is it? The seemingly inexhaustible supply of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler picture books is further mined with a new one from Freckle Productions. The Baddies is one of the duo’s most recent books, dating back to just 2022, and concerns a trio of terrifying beings – a witch, a ghost and a troll – who find themselves stumped by a little girl who isn’t even slightly afraid of them. 

Where is it? Cadogan Hall.

  • Children's
  • Seven Dials

What is it? Describing CoComelon to a non parent is a bit like trying to describe infinity to a dog, but let’s have a go. CoComelon is a weird American show accessible via Netflix that combines very saccharine, very American versions of nursery rhymes with garishly rudimentary CGI graphics. The individial episodes are freakishly long and by the end you tend to feel like you’re hallucinating, although preschoolers generally seem to enjoy it. This is a live show based on it.

Where is it? St Martin’s Theatre.

Advertising
  • Children's
  • Wimbledon

What is it? This musical and sensory adventure for the very young – aged 0-36 months – follows a pair of cocky sheep who reckon they know everything about sleep. Only tonight, they can’t actually get to sleep themselves. A half hour show plus 15 minute play session about the frustrations of bedtime from The Herd.

Where is it? Polka Theatre.

  • Children's
  • Alexandra Palace

What is it? Dougie Poynter and Tom Fletcher’s The Dinosaur That Pooped series concerns the adventures of young boy Danny and his best pal Dino, a T-rex who eats everything in sight and expels it from his behind in a way that tends to improbably saves the day. This new live show sees the duo go and see their favourite rock band, only to discover their villainous manager is making things difficult. The solution will inevitably involve pooing on things. 

Where is it? Alexandra Palace and Rose Theatre Kingston.

Advertising
  • Children's
  • Kew

What is it? This cute outdoor spin off from A Midsummer Night’s Dream for young kids is part of the Australian Theatre Company’s summer season at beautiful Kew Gardens. In it, four of Oberon and Titania's fairy posse encounter Peter Pan’s pal Tinkerbell. Little audiences are invited to dress up as fairies, pirates or whatever they want; it's performed picnic style, so by all means bring a picnic. For ages three to eight.

Where is it? Kew Gardens.

  • Children's
  • Wimbledon
  • Recommended

What is it? Utterly delightful cardboard puppet adaptatioon of Jon Klassen’s wonderous trilogy of darkly comic picture books that kicked off in 2011 with the seminal I Want My Hat Back, in which a dopey bear wanders the forest looking for his missing red party hat, eventually clocking that it has been nicked by a rabbit, which it’s then very strongly implied that the bear goes on to kill and eat.

Where is it? Polka Theatre.

Recommended
    You may also like
    You may also like
    Advertising