Interactive children's shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2011

Our tips on the best shows to get children up and moving

This article is from 2011.

Snow Play

The Enormous Turnip, Magic Porridge Pot, Peter Pan on Dinosaur Island, Robinson Crusoe the Lost Jedi Knight

Spotlites Theatre Productions don’t just dabble in interactive theatre, it’s their raison d’être. ‘Little ’uns come onstage!’ is the proclamation they make for all these shows – so go pull a turnip, stop runaway porridge, fight a dinosaur or hang out with Jedi Knights and have something to talk about when you’re back at school.

The Big Sing-a-Long!

Join singer Karine Polwart and local children aged 5-18 for an afternoon sing-a-long, where you can belt out numbers by Katy Perry, Bruno Mars and Take That. It’s like karaoke, but with class.

Hansel and Gretel

Patch of Blue Theatre really knows how to sell a show – its promised free sweets in the form of an edible house, which Hansel and Gretel invite you up on stage to tuck into. Given how tough it is to put bums on seats during the Fringe, other companies would do well to follow this lead.

Movin’ Melvin Brown: Just Singing and Dancing …You Can Do It!

‘Everybody joins in!’ proclaims Fringe regular Melvin Brown. So get ready to try singing, tap dancing, moonwalking and robotics with this infectiously enthusiastic American.

Snow Play

Now that the relentless snow of last winter has been gone long enough for us to stop hating it, it’s time to play with some fake snow that doesn’t cripple the country’s travel infrastructure. Throw snowballs, make snowmen and frolic in the white stuff at this popular show.