If, like me, you have a child who has just hit the terrible twos, finding a festive show to enjoy may be something of a struggle.

My little boy, who had his 2nd birthday this month, is at a difficult stage when it comes to taking in a festive theatre production.

He's probably still a bit too little to fully appreciate a full-blown panto and too big to be a babe in arms to take for anything else.

The Garage in Norwich, however, has struck the perfect balance for youngsters at similar in-betweener phrase.

Eastern Daily Press:

My First: The Night Before Christmas, is running at the city centre venue throughout December and is specifically aimed at families with youngsters up to five.

Hayley Thompson stars in the one-woman show as party host Lucy, who has a host of fun activities intertwined with a charming reading of the famous festive tale.

The immersive storytelling experience includes tree decorating, singing, dancing, shadow puppets, dazzling lights and more.

But its biggest selling point is the overall atmosphere - which is relaxed, welcoming and on a small enough scale to be perfect for youngsters who may find crowds overwhelming.

Children can participate as much or as little as they like and the room is cleverly set out with an enclosed cool-off area.

Host 'Lucy' deals expertly with all the curveballs her young audience throws, patiently reassuring a less-than-enthusiastic older brother and even working around my boy's endless attempts to steal her chair.

The mood is much closer to a playgroup than a traditional theatre performance, which was absolutely perfect for us.

Youngsters are given freedom to move about, play and sing.

If you're eager to take your little ones to a show but anxious about whether they would be too much of a handful for traditional theatre, this is ideal for you.

My First: The Night Before Christmas runs at the Garage from Tuesday 19 until Sunday, 31 December.