There are lots of reasons to take the kids to see Peppa Pig's Best Day Ever, Duke of York's Theatre ★★★★★

If you're a culture-vulture parent keen to expose your little one to West End Theatre - but worried they'll scream throughout or never want to come back (which will naturally destroy your entire reason for being), then shows like Peppa Pig's Best Day Ever are precisely designed for you and yours.

The production is at the Duke of York's Theatre on St. Martins Lane until 5 January, but it will come back to London in February 2020 at the Richmond Theatre, in case you miss it this time around.

Peppa Pig's Best Day Ever combines those key ingredients required to make the very young capable of sitting still in a theatre seat for over an hour (an incredibly arduous task!):

1) Beloved characters (when you're a toddler, there's no such thing as too much Peppa Pig)

2) Amazing, larger-than-life puppets

3) Fun songs and musical numbers with actions, including plenty of recognisable ones (The Wheels on the Bus/Car and The Grand Old Duke of York, with a few word changes)

4) Audience interaction

5) The plot focuses on favourite TV adventures and book storylines that the kids know and love

Also, for parents, there's the rather satisfying sensation that if your child is not watching Peppa on TV, it already feels like a win.

The theatre was packed when we attended with our Peppa-loving two-year-old (if you can avoid bringing your buggy, do) and it perfectly does the trick as a show designed to appeal to youngsters who might find other Christmas shows and pantos a bit too confusing or overwhelming.

The combination of familiarity of characters and scenes with the unexpected and exciting (we're thinking of you, giant dragon), makes it an ideal show for that usually impossible-to-bring-anywhere 18-month+ age range.

There were also loads of babies under the age of one, bouncing along delightedly on their parents' laps to the music.

Older children will also get something out of it as there are plenty of interactive elements, led by Peppa's friend Daisy, who regularly engages the audience with questions and new lyrics or dance moves to learn.

This family show takes kids on a journey into Peppa's family day out with George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Road trip! Other beloved characters and friends show up along the way.

We enjoyed the familiarity of the everyday: trying to make the family car journey as interesting as possible, getting ice creams at a rest stop, waiting at a stoplight while Mr. Bull digs up the road... as well as the more exciting adventures (exploring the depths of a dark cave with hard hats, imagining they're royalty at the castle, seeing the dragon).

While our two-year-old's reviewing skills are currently limited to monosyllables, the constant repetition of "Peppa" throughout the afternoon, as well as the insistence that she cuddle her Peppa Pig soft toy when going to sleep, says it all.

Top tip: those spinning windmill light toys (on sale when you enter) might seem indulgent but are very effective, helping kids stay engaged when they start getting exhausted during the show and providing entertainment for the journey home.

Wellies optional.