Quick, send for the grandparents – it’s a half-term emergency! If you’re looking for ways to keep your kids entertained during their week’s school holiday (or before) check out some of these fantastic shows taking place in Cambridge this month…

BOB THE BUILDER
Bob The Builder must surely be Britain’s most optimistic and cheerily efficient tradesman. ‘Can we fix it?’ he asks rehetorically, when we all know that the answer emanating from Bob, his colleagues and his humanoid mini-army of construction vehicles will be “Yes we can.” So different from the sort of tradesmen many of us encounter in everyday life when the response to such an innocent enquiry is more likely to be “Yeah, but not for another month because me plasterer’s in Gran Canaria.”
Anyway, all construction industry cynicism aside, Bob The Builder is without doubt one of the best-loved children’s characters of recent years. He’ll be back at the Corn Exchange this half-term with his faithful cohorts including female counterpart Wendy, turnip-nosed scarecrow creature Spud and a cavalcade of talking vehicles. In this all-new production, local theatre impresario Dickie Olivier needs Bob’s help to fix up the stage at the newly-refurbished Fixham Theatre for his brand new musical. But when Spud decides he wants to be the star of the show, the job doesn’t exactly go to plan…

Bob The Builder, Thursday 16 February, 14:00 and 16:30. Cost: £12 adults/£10 children. Corn Exchange, Wheeler Street T: 01223 357851 www.cornex.co.uk

CHARLIE AND LOLA’S BEST BESTEST PLAY
Vying with Bob The Builder for the best-loved children’s characters of recent vintage, along with your Iggle Piggles, Angelina Ballerinas, Pingus, Postman Pats et al, would be the duo of big brother Charlie and his little sister Lola, who, as anyone who has read the books or seen the BBC series will automatically blurt out, is “small and very funny,” just like little sisters the world over.
This enchanting pair inhabit a charming two-dimensional world of pink milk, lost dogs called Sizzles, imaginary green ogres, dancing dogs and invisible friends, that straddles the dividing line between real life and the wildly imaginative interior world of children’s own minds.
Lauren Child’s most famous creations are brought to life in this stage show at the Arts Theatre by a winning blend of puppets, live action and music, with the long-suffering Charlie encouraging his little sister to get to bed even though she claims she can stay up until at least 13 o’clock in the morning! So the duo happily contend with tigers who need a bedtime drink, dogs who seem to have stolen Lola’s pyjamas and a cheeky ogre who may or not be hiding in the wardrobe. This is a magical show, ideal for anyone aged three or more – or indeed anyone who’s ever had, or been, a funny little sibling.

Charlie and Lola’s Best Bestest Play, Fri 17 Feb (13:30 and 15:45) and Sat 18 Feb (11:00, 13:30 and 15:45). Cost: £12.50. Cambridge Arts Theatre, 6 St Edwards Passage T: 01223 503333.

SNOW PLAY
If you’ve been missing the snow this year during our hitherto extremely mild winter, a show for younger children at The Junction this month while promises a bucketful of the white, icy stuff that causes such glee and/or panic every time it falls from the sky in this country.
Snow Play is a production from the well-loved Lyngo Theatre group, who are regular visitors to The Junction (previous productions include Watch The Birdy and Egg & Spoon) and specialise in shows for children aged seven and under.
This highly interactive and exciting production imagines what it would be like if Winter came to live in your house, complete with icicles in the bathroom and a snowman taking up residence in the kitchen. Children watching the show will get the chance to play around with ice and snow, make a snowman, and encourage Winter to get back where it belongs – in the garden! The play features Patrick Lynch. Who will be recognisable to fans of CBeebies programmes such as Razzle Dazzle and Let’s Celebrate.

Snow Play, Sunday 5 February, 11:30 and 14:30. Cost: £9/£5/£23 family ticket. Junction J3, Clifton Way, T: 01223 511511 www.junction.co.uk