The best children's shows to book this Christmas: from The Snow Queen to Bluey

As the school holidays approach, what better way to keep your little ones from trashing the house than take them to a Christmas show?

London has a wealth of great theatre, dance and other performance aimed at children of all ages, and our pick – not including pantos, which will come later in the week – is below...

The Witches at the National Theatre

This brand new adaptation of Roald Dahl's twisty classic is an absolute triumph (hear our critics rave about it on the Standard Theatre Podcast here). Candy coloured, with a witty script from Lucy Kirkwood and a fantastic score from Dave Malloy, it's as much fun for adults (often slightly more, if you listen carefully) as for children. And the kids' performances are just knock-out. Recommended for ages eight to 88.

To January 27;