60+ Wonderful Family-Friendly Musicals for Kids
Are you looking for family-friendly musicals that everyone can enjoy? Whether you’re looking for shows suitable for children or productions that resonate with the entire family, you’ll find them all here. Explore the complete list of musicals for kids below, broken down into two categories for your convenience:
• Musicals for Young Audiences
If you’re looking for something else, here’s a full list of Musicals for Kids to Perform and the complete list of JR Musicals.
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Musicals for Young Audiences
These children’s musicals are typically staged by adults for kids, but some can even be performed by children themselves! The musicals in this category are specifically created to entertain children, whether presented by adults or a youthful cast.
Music: Robert Reale Lyrics/Book: Willie Reale
Musical Type: Contemporary (2002)
Cast Size: 5
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Anthony Stein
Musical Type: Contemporary (2005)
Cast Size: 10+
Music: Zina Goldrich Lyrics/Book: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Cast Size: 8
Music: Brad Alexander Lyrics/Book: Kevin Del Aguila
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Cast Size: 10+
Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!
Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems Book: Mr. Warburton
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Cast Size: 6
Elephant and Piggie’s “We Are in a Play”
Music: Deborah Wicks La Puma Lyrics/Book: Mo Willems
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 5-8
Music/Lyrics: Danny Abosch Lyrics/Book: Susan DiLallo
Musical Type: Contemporary (2012)
Cast Size: 6
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 6
Music/Lyrics/Book: Gary Kupper Book: Rose Caiola
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 7+
Music/Lyrics/Book: John Forster Book: Delia Ephron, Judith Kahan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1984)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Zina Goldrich Lyrics/Book: Marcy Heisler
Musical Type: Contemporary (2004)
Cast Size: 6-15
Music/Lyrics/Book: Rick Hip-Flores
Musical Type: Contemporary (2014)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: John Gregor Lyrics/Book: Victoria Kann, Elizabeth Kann
Musical Type: Contemporary (2007)
Cast Size: 10+
Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical
Music/Lyrics: Douglas Lyons Music: Greg Borowsky Book: Melvin Tunstall III
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 4
Music: Jeffrey Zahn Lyrics/Book: Joe Troiano
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 10
Music: Doug Besterman Lyrics: Dean Pitchford Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2019)
Cast Size: 10+
The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾
Music/Lyrics: Pippa Cleary Lyrics/Book: Jake Brunger
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 5
Family-Friendly Musicals
These musicals cater to both children and adults, offering an inclusive experience for audiences of all ages. Many of the following shows have mixed casts of children and adults.
Music/Lyrics: Benj Pasek, Justin Paul Book: Joseph Robinette
Musical Type: Contemporary (2009)
Cast Size: 25+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics/Book: Chad Beguelin Lyrics: Tim Rice, Howard Ashman
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics: Lynn Ahrens Book: Terrence McNally
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 21
Music: Charles Strouse Lyrics: Martin Charnin Book: Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Tim Rice Book: Linda Woolverton
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Paul Williams Book: Alan Parker
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1976)
Cast Size: 30+
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Music/Lyrics: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman Book: David Greig
Musical Type: Contemporary (2013)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman Adaptations: Jeremy Sams, Ray Roderick
Musical Type: 1968 Film/Contemporary Musical (2002)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Richard Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II Book: Douglas Carter Beane
Musical Type: 1957 Film/Contemporary Musical (2013)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: Various Lyrics/Book: Nick Blaemire Adaptation: Madeline Smith
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 25+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Leslie Bricusse
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1998)
Cast Size: 12+
Music: Matthew Sklar Lyrics: Chad Beguelin Book: Bob Martin, Thomas Meehan
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez Book: Lindsay Anderson
Musical Type: Contemporary (2006)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: Robert Lopez, Kristen Anderson-Lopez Book: Jennifer Lee
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Frank Loesser Book: John Fearnley, Beverly Cross, Tommy Steele
Musical Type: Golden Age (1952)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: George Stiles Lyrics/Book: Anthony Drewe
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Cast Size: 20+
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Music: Mel Marvin Lyrics/Book: Timothy Mason
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1994)
Cast Size: 8+
Music: Justin Paul Lyrics: Benj Pasek Book: Timothy Allen McDonald
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman, George Stiles, Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: 1964 Film/Contemporary Musical (2004)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Tim Minchin Book: Dennis Kelly
Musical Type: Contemporary (2010)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1963)
Cast Size: 10+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Karey Kirkpatrick Music/Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick Book: John O’Farrell
Musical Type: Contemporary (2022)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics: Nicky Ager Lyrics/Book: Debbie Isitt
Musical Type: Contemporary (2017)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Jack Feldman Book: Harvey Fierstein
Musical Type: 1992 Film/Contemporary Musical (2011)
Cast Size: 30+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Lionel Bart
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1960)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Mary Rodgers Lyrics/Book: Marshall Barer Book: Jay Thompson, Dean Fuller
Musical Type: Golden Age (1959)
Cast Size: 25+
Music: Moose Charlap, Jule Styne Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh, Betty Comden, Adolph Green Book: Sir J.M. Barrie
Musical Type: Golden Age (1954)
Cast Size: 15+
Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Willis Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Cast Size: 25+
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Lyrics: Glenn Slater Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 35+
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: George Keating, Scott Ferguson, Kyle Hall
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1993)
Cast Size: 6
Music/Book: Stephen Flaherty Lyrics/Book: Lynn Ahrens
Musical Type: Contemporary (2000)
Cast Size: 15+
Music: Jeanine Tesori Lyrics/Book: David Lindsay-Abaire
Musical Type: Contemporary (2008)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Larry Grossman Lyrics: Hal Hackady Book: Warren Lockhart, Arthur Whitelaw, Michael Grace
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1975)
Cast Size: 7
Music: Elton John Lyrics: Tim Rice Book: Rodger Allers, Irene Mecchi
Musical Type: Pre-Contemporary (1997)
Cast Size: 20+
Music: Alan Menken Lyrics: Howard Ashman, Glenn Slater Book: Doug Wright
Musical Type: 1989 Film/Contemporary Musical (2007)
Cast Size: 20+
Music/Lyrics/Book: Meredith Willson
Musical Type: Golden Age (1957)
Cast Size: 25+
Music/Lyrics: Various Book: Kyle Jarrow
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 40+
Music: George Stiles Lyrics: Anthony Drewe Book: Julian Fellowes
Musical Type: Contemporary (2016)
Cast Size: 15+
Music/Lyrics: Harold Arlen, E.Y. Harburg Music: Herbert Stothart Book: L. Frank Baum, John Kane
Musical Type: 1939 Film/Pre-Contemporary Musical (1987)
Cast Size: 24+
Music: Chris Miller Lyrics: Nathan Tysen Book: Claudia Shear, Tim Federle
Musical Type: Contemporary (2015)
Cast Size: 23
Music/Lyrics: Stephen Schwartz Book: Winnie Holzman
Musical Type: Contemporary (2003)
Cast Size: 20+
You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Music/Lyrics/Book: Clark Gesner Additional Songs: Andrew Lippa
Musical Type: Post-Golden Age (1967)
Cast Size: 6
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Which of these musicals for kids is your favorite?
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Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.