Three performers with blue faces play colorful drums, creating vibrant splashes of paint on stage.

Children's Theater & Live Shows for Kids in Chicago

Find the best children's theater near you on our interactive map & calendar, where we're listing upcoming plays, musicals, concerts & kids shows around Chicago and the suburbs!

Many of these are live shows for kids that offer shorter lengths or interactive performances meant to engage younger audiences.

Help other parents discover a new show to watch with their family by liking & commenting on any you've seen. And if we've missed any great Chicago kids theater shows near you, please recommend them below so we can add to the list!



Click date(s) to narrow results
July Dropdown Icon
2025 Dropdown Icon
S M T W T F S
01 02 03 04 05
06 07 08 09 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
 
    Courtesy of Ravinia Festival

    Ravinia Festival Kids Concerts

    Rating 1
    Rating 2
    Rating 3
    Rating 4
    Rating 5

    The Kids Concerts series extends Ravinia’s signature mix of genres and artists in kid-friendly environments, bringing the joy of music to thousands throughout the Chicago area.

    Highland Park, IL
    absproductions.com

    AlphaBet Soup Productions

    Rating 1
    Rating 2
    Rating 3
    Rating 4
    Rating 5

    AlphaBet Soup Productions puts on fun, high-energy plays for kids, bringing favorite stories and fairy tales to life on stage. Their shows take place in theaters around the Chicago area, making it easy for families to catch a performance. It’s a great way to get kids excited about live theater in a relaxed, kid-friendly setting.

    Lombard, IL

    Chicago Kids Company

    Rating 1
    Rating 2
    Rating 3
    Rating 4
    Rating 5

    Chicago Kids Company is a professional children’s theater in Chicago that brings classic fairy tales to life with fun, colorful musicals designed for kids ages 2 to 10. With engaging performances, sing-along songs, and friendly characters, it's a great first theater experience for young children. They also offer classes and camps that let kids explore acting and musical theater in a supportive, creative environment. Performances take place in different venues in and around Chicago.

    Chicago, IL
    chicagochildrenstheatre.org

    Chicago Children's Theatre

    Rating 1
    Rating 2
    Rating 3
    Rating 4
    Rating 5

    The Chicago Children's Theatre is a community-focused theater that offers a year-round lineup of plays for children, plus acting classes. Check out their Walkie Talkies, audio experiences recorded by local theater artists that families can listen to while strolling different Chicago neighborhoods.

    Chicago, IL

Primary photo:   Blue Man Group

Upparent collects community-submitted recommendations and reviews, and any ideas that are shared reflect the opinions of individual contributors.

View Map
4 places in this list