EdFringe 2025: Theatre for children and young people

Aug 3 2025 | By Thom Dibdin More

Edinburgh-made theatre for children & young people at EdFringe 2025

There is a strong showing of theatre for children this year, with 22 shows in the listing, aimed at audiences ranging from babes in arms to early teens.

There are a lot more Children’s shows in the programme, we know, performed by many talented individuals. However, this listing is primarily for theatre-based shows – with a regular smattering of other tempting treats.

Andy Manley in Pekku. Pic: Mihaela Bodlovic.

There are couple of potential pearls in here too. Pekku, produced by Red Bridge Arts, convenes something of a Scottish children’s theatre dream team of Andy Manley performing under the direction of Ian Cameron with set and costumes from Shona Reppe.

While there is also a chance to see aerial show The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl, from Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali, which was sadly cancelled due to performer illness at this year’s Imaginate Festival.

253 #MadeInEdinburgh shows

There are a total of 253 shows Made in Edinburgh at #EdFringe this year – not including standup comedy.

In order to make things clearer, we have divided the listing up into eight parts. On this page you can find an alphabetical listing of productions by Edinburgh companies in the children and young people’s section of the programme.

Here are the links to the other seven listings pages:

We are also proud to work with EPAD to produce and publish their annual listing of shows “created, performed or produced by Edinburgh’s theatre professionals” which is here.

Theatre for children and young people

A Magic Morning!
Tim Licata Magic / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ Little Plaza (Little Plaza) Venue 159
2 – 24 Aug (not 11, 18): 11.10am (45mins).
Magical mischief, great fun and classic trickery! Tim astounds with his delightful deception. Bring the kids for a magic morning! Mind blown! From kids to adults, Tim is brilliant! Sell-out Fringe 2023! Further details.

Abracadabra Family-Friendly Magic Show
Alex Kouvatas / PBH’s Free Fringe
PBH’s Free Fringe @ CC Blooms (LAB) Venue 171
2 – 24 Aug: 12.30pm (55mins).
Join Alexis Magician a sold-out Fringe children’s performer, returning for his fifth year. Laughter and fun in an interactive show for the whole family! ‘An incredibly likable performer’ (WorldMagicReview.com). Further details.

All New Crazy Puppet Magic Show
Scotland’s Magic Sensation
Frankenstein Pub (Bier Keller) Venue 304
1 – 17 Aug: 12 noon (1hr).
Sell-out show every year! More puppets! More magic! More laughter! The perfect family show to start your day – kids love the magic, mayhem and colourful puppets! Further details.

CeilidhKids at the Fringe
CeilidhKids / Free Festival
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (The Ballroom) Venue 170
31 July – 24 Aug (not 13, 20): 10am. (40mins).
Fun Scottish dancing for all the family. Very simple, child-friendly dances to traditional Scottish music. Hugely popular with local families, now it’s your turn. Bring mum or dad along to partner you under the chandeliers! Further details.

Dragon Babies
Dragon Song Productions
LifeCare Centre (George Young Hall) Venue 524
1 – 16 Aug (not Sun): 11.30am & 12.30pm (40mins).
The perfect show for babies up to 1 year. Selling out each year, the tales bring beautiful captivating stories to very young audiences. The stunning puppets, incredible cast and interactive props bags are the most perfect 40 minutes! Further details.

FlamenKids
TuFlamenco
Edinburgh New Town Church (Church) Venue 111
10, 17: 2.45pm (55mins).
Back by popular demand, TuFlamenco presents an interactive flamenco show for children, blending rhythm, dance, guitar, singing and Spanish expressions. A vibrant, educational experience that brings the passion of flamenco to life for all ages. Olé! Further details.

Fringe for Bairns
The Three Sisters
The Three Sisters (LIVE room) Venue 272a
1 – 24 Aug: 10am. (5hr).
A magical, fun-filled festival experience designed especially for the wee ones. Packed with laughter, wonder and interactive delights, this special Fringe programme brings together the best family-friendly theatre, comedy, music and storytelling. Further details.

Klassics for Kids: The Ugly Duckling Meets Peter and the Wolf
Moonlight
St Vincent’s (The Chapel) Venue 197
14 & Tue 19: 6pm. (1hr).
A fun, interactive and educational classical concert experience designed especially for children! Join acclaimed author and storyteller Alastair Sim and Usher Hall emerging artist and pianist Matthew Shiel as they compose a new musical and storytelling setting of Hans Christian Andersen’s iconic fairy tale The Ugly Duckling. Programme also includes Prokofiev’s hilarious symphonic tale for children – Peter and the Wolf and a sing-along of favourite children’s songs. Further details.

Magical Melodies: Musical Storytelling
Ailsa Dixon
St Cecilia’s Hall (The Concert Room) Venue 77
5 Aug: 11am. (1hr).
From fiddlers in fairy hills to golden harps and magic geese, Scotland abounds with fantastical folklore of musical adventures. Join storyteller and musician Ailsa Dixon for an hour of enchanting story and song. Further details.

Moon Dragon for Under 6
Dragon Song Productions
LifeCare Centre (George Young Hall) Venue 524
1 – 4 & 11 – 14 Aug: 10am, 2pm, 3.30pm. (40mins).
Dragon Song proudly brings Moon Dragon back to Edinburgh where it launched in 2019. This enchanting interactive show for under 6s is a must for all. Loved by all, the puppets are incredible! Further details.

Pekku
Red Bridge Arts
Zoo Southside (Main House) Venue 82
1 – 09 Aug: 11am. (45mins).
Shh… What’s that noise? A squeak? A squeal? A bird? It’s getting louder. Oh dear… Pekku takes a playful look at what happens when you want to be left alone and others have a different idea. A new show for ages 3+ by the creators of White and Stick by Me. Further details.

Plague, Poo n’ Punishment
Edinburgh Storytellers Ltd
Scottish Storytelling Centre (Netherbow Theatre) Venue 30a
31 July – 24 Aug (not 13-15, 18-22): 10.30am (50mins).
Watch out, they’re back! Edinburgh’s gruesome past is brought to life in this outrageously horrible show. With catchy songs and really bad jokes. ‘Heaps of fun’ (AllEdinburghTheatre.com). ‘This was cracking!’ (FringeReview.co.uk). ‘Epic!’ (EdinburghReviews.co.uk). Further details.

Rik Carranza Presents: Marvel vs DC
Rik Carranza / Free Festival
Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (The Lounge) Venue 170
31 July – 17 Aug: 1.15pm (1hr).
Spiderman or Batman? She-Hulk or Supergirl? Ant-Man or Aquaman? In this action-packed hour, young Marvel and DC fans battle it out to decide whether Marvel or DC is the true home of heroes. Further details.

Sail Away
Recitals for Wrigglers
Stockbridge Church (Young Room) Venue 317
7 – 21 Aug: 1.30pm (35mins).
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed! The programme of music has a theme of water and tells the story of the The Lucky Toy Soldier. Further details.

Sea Dragon for Under 6s
Dragon Song Productions
LifeCare Centre (George Young Hall) Venue 524
5 – 17 Aug (no 11-14): 10am (not 10), 2pm, 3.30pm. (40mins).
Sea Dragon the magical interactive puppet show swims back to Fringe for more joy under the sea! With 5-star reviews, fabulous live music and interactive fun for little ones – the best show! Further details.

Snakes and Bladders
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (Physician’s Gallery) Venue 314
16 Aug: 10am. (4hr).
Come along to our drop-in fun day full of activities, talks, glitter tattoos, experiments and the opportunity to meet a real-life snake! We’re exploring the bladder and everything that our pee tells us about ourselves. Further details.

Squidz: Cilla the Spider’s Big Journey!
Miss Annabel Sings (MAS)
Eric Liddell Community (Myreside Suite) Venue 235
23 Aug: 10am. (1hr 15mins).
Join MAS and the Squidz Puppet Gang for an hour of silliness, puppets, interactive storytelling and easy puppets to make and take home! Further details.

The Disco Duckling
Performing Arts Studio Scotland
PASS Theatre (Theatre ) Venue 446
20 – 23 Aug: 11am. (45mins).
Colourful characters, catchy songs and feel-good energy, The Disco Duckling will have all ages dancing in their seats! Perfect for the whole family, a feather-flapping celebration of finding your unique rhythm in a world full of possibilities! Further details.

The Kids Always Win
Hooray Productions
Pleasance Courtyard (The Green) Venue 33
30 Jul – 17 Aug: 1pm. (1hr).
Sick of grown-ups being know-it-alls? This game show is for you! Join Tom Whiston, [s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s][s]*[/s] (ThePhoenixRemix.com), and Max Prentice (140k Tiktok followers) in this madcap show where the clue’s in the name! Further details.

The Truth About Trees
Apropos Theatre
Assembly George Square (The Crate) Venue 8
31 July – 24 Aug (not 11, 18): 11.50am (50mins).
When Grandpa explains how to discover a tree’s story, Alfie doesn’t believe him. Once he starts to listen closely, Alfie realises he is the only one who can save them from being chopped down. Further details.

The Unlikely Friendship of Feather Boy and Tentacle Girl
Vee Smith and Sadiq Ali
Assembly Roxy (Central) Venue 139
4 – 17 Aug (not Wed): 11.25am (1hr).
Two friends perform breathtaking aerial shows. They fly, spin, hang from the rooftops and fall out of the sky… But they weren’t always so glorious. How did they transform from feeling like outsiders to the fantastical creatures they always knew they had inside them? A touching story of a girl who wants to be a monster and a boy who wants to fly. This dynamic and visually stunning aerial show for ages 8+ explores the universal yearning to belong and the joy of friendship. Further details.

Wriggle Around the World
Recitals for Wrigglers
Stockbridge Church (Young Room) Venue 317
7 – 21 Aug: 11am (not Suns), 3pm (35mins).
A fun, educational and interactive show for babies and toddlers where wriggling is allowed. The programme of music travels the world and includes the story of the Gingerbread Man. Further details.