Taking two young children to the theatre can feel like a bit of a gamble, but Tales from Acorn Wood at Oxford Playhouse was an absolute joy from start to finish and a great example of how to pitch a show perfectly for little ones.

I went with my four year old and my 18 month old, who was sitting on my lap. I fully expected the youngest to be wriggly and lose interest quite quickly, but I was so pleasantly surprised. He was completely absorbed and sat still watching for at least the first 20 minutes, which honestly felt like a small miracle. Just as attention might have started to dip, the show introduced gentle movement breaks that were really naturally built into the story. It gave the children a chance to stretch and join in without breaking the flow, which worked so well.

Based on the much loved books by Julia Donaldson, including favourites like Postman Bear, the show keeps all the charm of the original stories while adding extra dialogue and songs that really bring the characters to life. It felt familiar in a comforting way, but still fresh and engaging.

The cast was entirely female, which was really nice to see, and they brought so much energy and warmth to the performance. They held the attention of a room full of young children with ease, and their enthusiasm was completely infectious. We were all singing the songs on the way back to the car, which is always a good sign.

One of my favourite moments was right at the beginning. As everyone was settling in, there was gentle music playing and the performers brought out bird and butterfly puppets on long sticks, moving them through the audience. It was such a simple idea but worked beautifully to draw the children in and help them feel part of the show straight away. It made everything feel calm and inviting from the very start.

The whole production felt really thoughtfully put together for young children and their grown ups. The pacing, the interaction, and the overall atmosphere all felt just right. Nothing felt overwhelming, but it never lost the children’s attention either.

The biggest sign of how much my boys enjoyed it came afterwards. The first thing they did when we got home was run straight to their copy of Postman Bear. That kind of reaction says everything.

All in all, Tales from Acorn Wood is a warm, engaging show that really understands its audience. For families with young children, it is a lovely theatre experience and well worth a visit.