Looking for ways to entertain the family in London in summer 2026? How about a trip to the theatre?
London's stages are packed with options, from upbeat musicals, to adaptations of beloved children's books, to unusual takes on Shakespeare. Disney, Alice in Wonderland, Studio Ghibli and Harry Potter regularly feature too. Whether you're looking to entertain toddlers, teenagers — or any age in between — here's our pick of the best family-friendly theatre shows and musicals in London right now and throughout the rest of 2026. Get booking!
Best family-friendly musicals in London: Summer 2026
CATS: The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is the setting for a revival of Cats the Musical, in which the feline strays and rebels of London gather under the Jellicle moon in the hope they'll be the chosen one. Age five+. 25 July-19 September 2025
DISNEY'S HERCULES: It was only a matter of time before someone made a stage musical out of Disney's 1997 animated film, itself, of course, based on a (slightly older) Greek myth. Disney's Hercules is at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until the autumn, promising "a wise-cracking, column-shaking, underworld-rocking ride of adventure, self-discovery and love. In tunics". Age six+. Until September 2026
THE LION KING: A perennial favourite that's been running for over 25 years, and with good reason. Watch Simba's adventures on the Serengeti come to life in The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre, told through stirring puppetry and live music. Top tip: if you're buying tickets for the stalls, go for aisle seats to get a good view as the cast weaves down the aisles mid-performance. Age six+. Currently booking until December 2026
MATILDA: Roald Dahl's story of a child genius is transformed into a musical by the Royal Shakespeare Company — and Matilda the Musical at Cambridge Theatre is as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. All the charming detail of Dahl's original words remain, with catchy Tim Minchin songs levelling the whole thing up. Age six+. Currently booking until January 2027
MAMMA MIA!: Show the kids there's more to ABBA than bopping to Dancing Queen at family weddings. Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre takes the super Swedish quartet's tunes and plants them on a Greek island, as one young woman tries to figure out who her real father is shortly before she gets married. Colourful, catchy and upbeat, it's everything ABBA should be. Age five+. Currently booking until March 2027
OLIVER!: Cameron Mackintosh's production of Lionel Bart's musical, Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre — itself based on Charles Dickens' novel about a young orphan who gets involved with a gang of pickpockets — is packed full of catchy tunes including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and You've Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, that'll leave your kids asking for more. Age seven+. Currently booking until March 2027
PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL: Everyone's favourite Peruvian import gets the West End treatment as Paddington The Musical takes place at the Savoy Theatre. Designed for ages six+ it uses music and choreography to tell the story of the bear's arrival at Paddington station, and how he adapts to London life. Currently booking until February 2028
Children's theatre shows to see in summer 2026
JUDITH KERR'S TIGER: Even as adults, we find Judith Kerr's The Tiger Who Came To Tea utterly enchanting, so imagine how much your kids'll enjoy Theatre Royal Haymarket's summer production. Dance and sing along as a stripy friend rings Sophie's doorbell, and joins she and her mum for tea. Age three+. 22 June-5 September 2026
MALORY TOWERS: Enid Blyton's boarding school novel series Malory Towers comes to Alexandra Palace Theatre, offering a dose of nostalgia for those who read the books in childhood, and introducing younger audience members to the adventures of Darrell, Gwendoline, Sally and co., on the Cornish coast. Age eight+. 22 July-2 August 2026
BRAINIAC LIVE: Keep little minds ticking over during the summer holidays with family science show Brainiac Live at the Garrick Theatre. In the space of just an hour, delve into several mysteries of science, and witness a series of experiments which are definitely not to be repeated at home. Age five+. 26 July-30 August 2026
THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE: After a successful run at the Open Air Theatre last summer, Roald Dahl's Enormous Crocodile snaps its way into the Lyric Hammersmith, with music and large puppets telling the story of the other jungle creatures summoning up the courage to stop his rampage. Age three+. 28 July-22 August 2026
DINOSAURS LIVE: Large dinosaur puppets bring the prehistoric era back to life in Dinosaur World Live at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus all appear in the 50-minute show, with a chance to meet and greet the puppets afterwards. Age three+. 28 July-6 September 2026
DOG MAN THE MUSICAL: Southbank Centre offers a summer holidays treat in the form of Dog Man The Musical, based on the best selling children's book series of the same name. With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture, but now he's called on to perform heroics including saving the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings. Age five+. 29 July-16 August 2026
HORRIBLE HISTORIES: Boudica, King John, the Magna Carta, Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin all feature in the latest Horrible Histories stage show, which tackles Barmy Britain. It's history with the nasty bits left in — because everyone knows that's what kids latch onto. See it at the Apollo Theatre. Age five+. 30 July-31 August 2026
BLIPPI: Preschoolers' TV show Blippi comes to life on stage as the Be Like Blippi tour swings into The Arts at Marble Arch Theatre. Join Blippi and Meekah in an interactive adventure packed with catchy songs. Age two+. 5-23 August 2026
MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO: The much-loved Royal Shakespeare Company production of 1988 Studio Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro plays out on stage at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. The show — which has already scooped six Olivier Awards — features elaborate sets that shift from village to forest to school, small and huge-scale puppetry, and a small orchestra performing a new arrangement of the original score. It's the story of two sisters exploring the forest near their new home, and is as charming for adults as it is for children. Age six+. Currently booking until August 2026
GREATEST SHOWMAN CIRCUS: Circus show meets West End musical in Come Alive! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular at Empress Museum in West Brompton. Inspired by the 2017 film of the same name — but minus Hugh Jackman, sorry — a brand new storyline plays out in a 700-seat big top, featuring songs from the film. Age six+. Currently booking until February 2027
Top London musicals and theatre shows for teenagers and older kids
Teenagers can be trickier: too mature for sing-along puppet shows, not quite ready for adult shows. These productions toe the line perfectly — buy them an ice cream in the interval and they might even admit to enjoying themselves.
WAR HORSE: The National Theatre's much-lauded (and rightly so) production of Michael Morpurgo's novel War Horse returns home to the Olivier Theatre this summer, telling the story of one boy's attempts to find his beloved horse Joey when they are separated at the outbreak of the First World War. Mesmerising puppetry is used to depict the equine star of the show. Age 10+. 16 May-31 July 2026
BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL: Tim-Burton-movie-turned-Broadway-musical-extravaganza Beetlejuice launches a West End run at the Prince Edward Theatre, in which a strange teenager shares her home with a pair of newly-deads and the demonic Beetlejuice. Age 12+. 20 May 2026- April 2027
MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Introduce older kids to the trippy world of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the atmospheric setting of the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Let comedy and folk-infused melodies lure you into the fairy world of an enchanted forest... Age 10+. 20 June-18 July 2026
COMEDY ABOUT SPIES: 1960s spy escapade The Comedy About Spies at the Adelphi Theatre will have all generations of the family giggling with a rogue spy, enough double agents to confuse even the sharpest operative, and a mission that's hilariously out of control. Age 10+. 1 August-26 September 2026
SHERLOCK HOLMES: The Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park kicks off its 2026 season with Sherlock Holmes, a fresh adaptation featuring Conan Doyle's detective, and which follows Holmes and Watson through a new conspiracy staged across Victorian London. Age 12+. Until 6 June 2026
HARNESSED THE WIND: Based on a memoir and film of the same name, the true story of William Kamkwamba is told in new musical The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, at Soho Place. William designs and builds a windmill to make his Malawi village's broken water pump work again, and saves the local area from drought. Age 11+. Until 18 July 2026
AVENUE Q: After two decades, award-winning musical Avenue Q has returned to the West End in all its glory, using puppets to tell the story of college graduate Princeton, who moves into the neighbourhood, meets new friends and seeks out his purpose in life. Read our full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. Age 13+. Currently booking until August 2026
HARRY POTTER: Drawing in Potterheads since 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is an unusual set-up, in that it consists of two parts, each more than 2.5 hours long. Your ticket includes both parts, one in the afternoon and the second later that evening. As for the storyline, it picks up almost two decades after Harry, Ron and Hermione left Hogwarts... but we won't give anything else away. Age eight+. Currently booking until September 2026. After this date, the show will magically transform from its current format into a single performance, with a run time of just under three hours with one interval.
THE HUNGER GAMES: The world premiere run of The Hunger Games: On Stage continues at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. Step into the world of Panem and follow Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers as tribute in place of her sister. Impressive stunts and mind-bending illusions take you through the competition as young people fight to the death to be crowned the winner. Age 12+. Currently booking until October 2026
SIX: It's the Tudors, but not as you know them. SIX The Musical at Vaudeville Theatre empowers the six wives of Henry VIII, who tell their own stories in their own words, backed by all-female band, the Ladies in Waiting. History becomes herstory. Age 10+. Currently booking until January 2027
WICKED: Wizard of Oz prequel Wicked casts its spell over the Apollo Victoria. BBC News dubbed it "one of the most successful musicals of all time", so provided your children can handle a couple of dark/borderline scary bits, it's a spellbinding introduction to musical theatre at its finest. Age seven+. Currently booking until January 2027
HAMILTON: Still going strong, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton at the Victoria Palace spins the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, from his involvement in the American Civil War, to his career as a lawyer and his marriage to Eliza Schuyler. The soundtrack is mainly hip-hop, and it does help to have a bit of background about the historical context, so give the kids the lowdown before you go. Age 10+. Currently booking until March 2027 (though tickets for July-September 2026 are very hard to come by, due to Leslie Odom Jr. performing during this period).
