YORK Theatre Royal and Leeds company Tutti Frutti’s biennial festival of children’s theatre, Little Feet, returns to York from tomorrow until Sunday.

This year is the fourth time the festival has taken over the Theatre Royal with a selection of shows and activities to stimulate curious young minds and bring the magic of live performance to children aged up to 12.

Little Feet will transform the theatre building, turning the foyer into an imaginative play space. A special menu of festival food and free craft activities will be provided, plus a host of interactive experiences for babies, children and their families, and the festival will have the theme of the natural environment.

Juliet Forster, the Theatre Royal's associate director, says: "Often, theatre for young people is less regarded than theatre made for adults, but this festival aims to change that perception. This is a chance for families to see the best children’s theatre now touring the UK and we're looking for the very best of this talent.

"Little Feet will transform our newly redeveloped theatre into a welcoming space for families to enjoy, whether coming to see a show, take part in an activity or just to spend time in a fun and child-friendly venue in the city centre."

This year’s festival opens in the Main House tomorrow with Curious, a 25-minute Half Moon and Tam Tam Theatre's play with few words for the very young and the curiously inquisitive as cake-making turns messy in this introduction to theatre at 10am, 11.45am and 1.30pm.

After this show for the under-threes journeys into a world where the kitchen meets the garden, dirt is good and messiness mischievously conjures the perfect birthday surprise, children can take to the stage to create recipes by digging in soil.

York Press:

The People's Theatre Company's Don't Dribble On The Dragon. Picture: Richard Howles

Tomorrow, in the Studio at 11.30am and 1.45pm, Second Hand Dance explore the ground and all its wriggling inhabitants in Grass, a 50-minute show for four to seven year olds. Look out for worms, slugs, snails, spontaneous outbreaks of ant dancing and plenty of insect-related facts in a performance full of movement, puppetry, projection, stories and audience participation, where children can "get mucky, play and dance barefoot".

On Wednesday, on the Main House stage at 1pm, Indefinite Articles present Claytime, a 60-minute play with clay that moulds its own world, characters and stories, drawn directly from its audience of three to six year olds.

Puppet State Theatre Company's multi-sensory stage adaptation of Jean Giono's environmental play The Man Who Planted Trees runs in the Studio on Wednesday at 1.30pm and 7pm and on Thursday at 11am and 1.30pm. This inspiring 65-minute story of a shepherd planting a forest to transform a barren wasteland is targeted at seven year olds and upwards, who learn how one man and his dog can make a difference in the world.

York Press:

Puppet State Theatre Company's The Man Who Planted Trees

Mud Pie Arts host The Enchanted Chalk for ages three to seven in the Studio on Friday at 10.45am and 4.30pm in a 50-minute performance cum workshop involving live drawing, storytelling, music and imaginative improvisation with the audience.

Mud Pie invite children to jump into the story of Esme, a quiet little girl who lives in a grey, noisy place where she loves to draw. One day she finds a piece of chalk and magic starts to happen as her green chalk door opens up a strange and colourful world, waiting to be explored. Esme, however, dares not face this unexpected adventure alone; she needs friends [in other words, the audience] to advise her when the oddest things happen with the enchanted chalk.

Direct from the West End, Dinosaur Zoo introduces the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex to the Main House stage on Friday at 11.30am and 1.45pm and on Saturday at 11am and 2pm.

This 50-minute global hit brings these prehistoric creatures to life for three year olds and upwards to marvel at cute baby dinos and teeth-gnashing giants alike in a humorous show presented by Erth.

York Press:

The late Paul Daniels: designed the magic for Don't Dribble On The Dragon

The festival ends on Sunday with two shows: The People's Theatre Company's Don't Dribble On The Dragon in the Main House and Kala Sangam's The Pine Tree And Its Green Secret in the De Grey Rooms Ballroom.

Based on author and playwright Steven Lee's beautiful book, the hour-long musical adventure Don’t Dribble On The Dragon is a story of friendship and the importance of family, featuring magic designed by the late Paul Daniels. When young brothers Jack and Tom fall out, can a magical dragon help them to bond again in this fun show for age three upwards? Find out in Nick Lane's touring production at 2.30pm.

After the show, Steven Lee will sign copies of Don’t Dribble On The Dragon, which you can bring with you or buy in the theatre.

South Asian arts organisation Kala Sangam’s interactive spoken-word performance and workshop for all the family at 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm and 3pm combines music, dance and theatre in a story taken from The Pine Tree And The Sparrow.

The workshop encourages people to respect each other, value friendship and live in harmony with themselves and nature, while learning the moves of South Asian birds and trees.

For tickets and workshop places, phone 01904 623568 or book online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or in person at the Theatre Royal box office.

ON Wednesday, Mud Pie Arts bring their Storymakers play sessions to the York Theatre Royal foyer at 10.15am. Children aged three to five can make, stick, sprinkle, dress up, hide, seek, dance, sing, invent and pretend; at the end of the 75-minute session, the book is revealed and shared and the craft is taken home so the story can be re-told.

On Saturday, in the Upper Foyer at 12.15pm and 1pm, children aged five and over can take part in Flying High with Annelese and Catherine, a 30-minute chance to fly high with garden birds, mythical birds, rhyming birds and ancient birds in stories, poems and songs with plenty of interaction.