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Children’s Theater
Local companies use actors, puppets and acrobats to make theater fun for kids.
Oregon Arts Watch
Kids can take a little convincing that people in costume aren’t scary, but fun — and Portland’s rich collection of children’s theater companies offer just the introduction they need. Kids already under the spell of the stage will delight in fantastical productions featuring acrobats, puppets and more.
The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts offers vibrant, accessible productions, often based on classic books, that can be enjoyed by kids as young as four years old. Acclaimed Oregon Children’s Theater aims a bit older, dabbling in rock opera and exploring world affairs. (Both of these companies also offer summer camps for blossoming performers.)
The beloved kids’ shows at Imago Theatre feature acrobatic actors dressed as frogs, cats and a menagerie of other creatures who dance, mime, delight and surprise. (These wordless performances are equally appropriate for viewers who don’t speak English.)
More Family Friendly Fun
Enjoy these kid-friendly things to do in and around Portland.
Kid-Friendly Regional Attractions
Trips outside the city promise all-ages entertainment. Here are four must-see attractions within two hours of downtown Portland.
When I Grow Up: Portland Attractions for Career-Oriented Kids
At these family-friendly Portland attractions, kids can walk in the shoes of the heroes they idolize: firefighters, astronauts, airplane pilots and sailors.
Parks With Playgrounds
If you're not old enough to fully appreciate Portland's beer, bikes and arts culture, we also have many slides and swings perfect for kids.
Theater for Kids
Head to these upcoming kid-centered theater performances around Portland.
George Balanchine's The Nutcracker
A treasured holiday tradition continues as Oregon Ballet Theatre returns George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker® to the Keller Auditorium. Brave toy soldiers battle mischievous mice, snowflakes dance, and we are carried away to a magical Land of Sweets, all to Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score! This year, make Oregon Ballet Theatre’s production of Balanchine’s Nutcracker a part of…
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer LIVE
The holiday classic soars off the screen in this musical adaptation of the beloved television special. Because of his shiny nose, Rudolph doesn’t feel like he belongs in Christmastown and sets off to find a place that accepts him. He encounters fellow misfits along his journey, only to realize that home is where he has…
Catalyst: NWCT's Youth Company presents Annie JR.
With equal measures of pluck and positivity, Annie is determined to find the parents who abandoned her on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage in the 1930’s. Confident that “the sun will come out tomorrow,” she finds a new home with billionaire Oliver Warbucks and his personal secretary, Grace — but will the…
The Amazing Bubble Man
Louis Pearl has been thrilling audiences worldwide for nearly 30 years with the art, magic, science and fun of bubbles. He is a favorite at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where he has enjoyed eleven years of sell-out success. Louis explores the breathtaking dynamics of bubbles, combining comedy and artistry with audience participation and enough spellbinding…
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