Crafty Tales Summer 2026

Crafty Tales returns to the Upper Foyer of York Theatre Royal on Friday 10 July, part of a weekly series of storytelling and craft sessions for children aged 2 to 5. It's run by Cassie and Janet of Story Craft Theatre, two professional theatre makers who lead the whole thing. If you've got a little one in that age bracket, it's one of those regular morning slots that's as much about the routine as the activity itself.

Each session follows a set pattern. It starts with big hellos, warm-up games, and songs to get everyone settled and focused, then moves into crafting together, and finishes with interactive storytelling. The two halves — the making and the telling — run side by side, so the children are doing and listening in the same space. It's designed as a weekly thing rather than a one-off, with the idea that kids build confidence, language, and social skills week by week as they discover a wider world through story.

Because it's a weekly session, it works best if you stick with it for a bit. A single session is £8.00, but if you book all 11 sessions in the run, the price drops to £7.50 per session. It's held in the Upper Foyer at York Theatre Royal, so you're right in the heart of the theatre's public spaces rather than tucked away in a studio. If you're looking for a regular morning out with a toddler or preschooler, this is a good one to keep in the diary.