London Kids Week Theatre | What’s on and how to get Cheap Tickets
I have been gifted press tickets to use this summer for reviews
Have you heard of Kids Week at London theatres? It’s a great initiative running across a wide range of London shows, offering cheap tickets for families over the summer holidays in 2023. Despite its name, its actually far longer than a week and now normally runs for the entire month of August, but for 2023 its been extended even further and there are some shows now included for the second half of July too.
So what’s it all about? Its nice and simple really – for all the shows running involved in the scheme (and there are lots of big productions included) families have the chance to get one child ticket for free with a full paying adult. The idea is to provide more families the opportunity to visit the theatre in London, when lots are looking for value for money fun days out, over the long summer break.
There’s a huge variety of different London musicals, plays, comedies and children’s shows to choose from. From the big name shows such as Wicked, Greece and Horrible Histories, newer shows such as SpongeBob, to productions based round classic children’s books such as The Smeds and the Smoos. Even YouTube sensation Blippi now has his own London musical that’s included!
So now we’ve covered what the scheme is and how to get tickets, with so many different shows to choose from, here’s a few top picks for different age groups:
What are the best shows for primary school aged children at London Kids Week 2023?
My children are nine and eleven and as there are so many shows that look great for this age group, I thought I’d start with some highlights for tweens…
Horrible Histories – Terrible Tudors, Garrick Theatre
Alongside the hugely popular TV Show, the Horrible Histories plays have been a great success. Their latest offering also has a short running time at only one hour ten minutes, so looks a good intro to theatre for younger ones that find it difficult to sit still for long periods of time too.
“From the horrible Henries to the end of evil Elizabeth, hear the legends (and the lies!) about the torturing Tudors. Find out the fate of Henry’s headless wives and his punch up with the Pope. Meet Bloody Mary and see Ed fall dead in his bed. Survive the Spanish Armada as they launch their attack!” Book tickets for Horrible Histories – London Kids Week
Nickelodeon SpongeBob the Musical, Southbank Centre
The classic kids cartoon whose popularity has never waned, is now coming to life on the stage. The quirky fun of SpongeBob is perfect for the theatre and it is not coming quietly! Exploding onto the stage in a riot of neon colour and catchy songs, Garath Gates stars and it sounds like its going to be one of the hits of the summer, on the South bank this year. We have been invited to see a performance early August, so can’t to share more on what its like very soon. Book tickets for the Spongebob Musical – London Kids week
I Believe in Unicorns is a beautiful adaptation of much loved children’s Author Michael Murpurgo’s book, retelling the touching story of Thomas and the Librarian. We were lucky enough to see a special ten year gala anniversary performance of this play recently and the powerful storytelling of the show captures your heart and imagination from the very beginning. It is a one woman show surrounded by a library set of clever props that help bring the story to life. If you are after a big all singing and dancing production with a big cast, then isn’t necessarily the right show for you, but for those not keen on such a sensory overload, and especially avid readers and young story writers too, this captivating tale is well worth a watch.
What are the best shows for pre-schoolers at London kids week 2023?
I used to feel far more pressure choosing a show to take my children to when they were very small, than I do now. Finding something that appealed to fidgety pre-schoolers, that kept their attention and in their seats for a long period of time without getting bored, while also appealing to us adults, sometimes felt a tall order.
Looking through the shows available for under 5’s at this years kids week however, I’ve been impressed with the selection on offer. Here’s a few I thought looked great shows to take young children to this summer in London 2023…
The Smeds and The Smoos, Lyric Theatre
You can’t go far wrong with Julia Donaldson – I would say most UK households with kids, have at least a couple of her titles, well thumbed in the bookcase. This show is based on her classic The Smeds and the Smoos and looks full of fun and adventure. The suggested minimum age is three and with a running time of an hour, it also looks perfect for little ones that find it tricky to sit still for too long. Book tickets for the Smeds and the Smoos
Blippi the Musical, Alexandra Palace
In all honesty I had a bit of a love hate relationship with Blippi from You Tube, when my children watched him when they were younger. My daughter, like his millions of other followers, absolutely loved him – she used to walk around with him blaring out loudly of her IPad and loved all his catchy songs and sayings. If you have a child that is still in this stage and loves their screen time with Blippi, this looks the perfect way for them to see this come to life on the London stage with rave reviews. Book tickets for Blippi the Musical – London Kids Week
What are the best shows for children and adults to enjoy together at London kids week 2022?
Once your children reach a certain age, it becomes less about finding something to hold their attention and more about finding things you can enjoy all together. Those special shows with many layers that resonate with everyone at different points. There’s lots on in the West End at the moment that do just that..
Tina Turner the Musical, Aldwych Theatre
Described as irresistibly uplifting, its not hard to see why, with all of Tina Turners catchy back catalogue to choose from. The Tina Turner musical tells the story of her amazing life starting with her childhood in Tennessee right through to her ascent to become one of the biggest musical sensations of a generation. As one of the more expensive shows to go and see in the West End at the moment, this looks a great one to get discounted tickets for this summer. Book tickets for the Tina Turner Musical
The Verge of Forever, The Other Palace
Using the power of music to tell the love story of two teenagers going through the trials and tribulations of drama school, with stunning visuals and a talented cast, this looks an amazing show for young budding actors and creative teens. Book tickets for The Verge of Forever
How to find out Which Shows are Included in the London Kid’s Week Deal 2023
If you go over to the official London Theatre website, they have all the participating shows listed and you can book tickets directly. The dates where you can use kids week tickets are tagged on the booking calendar and the discount is calculated when you put through your booking.
There’s a lot of theatres and shows to choose from, but obviously you can’t use the offer if you can’t find any seats left to buy! So how do you find the available slots for the top West End shows As well as booking as soon as possible, even if a show looks booked up, it’s worth checking back at a later date. They release more tickets as time goes on and a good way to find out when new tickets are released, is to follow London Theatres on social media.
You can find out all about kids week and all the shows involved over on the London Theatre Website
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