For the past 24 years, the award-winning New Victory Theater in the heart of Times Square has been the premier destination to catch entertaining and affordable productions for all ages. But the beloved New Victory is much more than just a place to catch a show in NYC. Through hands-on workshops, interactive pre- and post-show activities, and performances adjusted for children with special needs, the nonprofit organization is raising the bar for what theater for young audiences can be. I know this firsthand: I've been bringing my daughter to the New Victory Theater for well over a decade, and her formative experiences there inspired her love of live entertainment. I'm pleased to share a preview of the New Victory's 2019-2020 season, including the best plays for kids of different ages (even big kids, like mine), and ways to save on tickets.

Autumn marks the start of a new theater season, but you don't need to shell out big bucks on Broadway shows to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. In fact, this fall boasts more high-quality theater productions for young audiences than ever—so many in fact, we have a whopping 24 picks, and that's after whittling down the contenders.

Preschoolers will be excited to see a slew of puppet shows, a stage adaptation of Peter Pan, and the unstoppable Baby Shark Live!. Older kids can check out the return of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and the silent spectacle of Mummenschanz. Plus everyone in your family can enjoy the Big Apple Circus. Best of all, many of our picks are $25 or less per ticket.

Think the dog days of summer are a cultural wasteland? That's not the case when it comes to the stage—New York City's family theater scene is hotter than an unshaded sandbox during the summer months, and this year is no exception.

There are shows for all ages, interests, and budgets throughout the summer season, including FREE options such as high-quality Shakespeare, a stage adaptation of Disney's beloved animated movie Hercules, and a puppet show touring to parks throughout the five boroughs. Best of all, most tickets cost less than $25 per seat. Read on for our complete guide to the best summer shows in NYC for kids and families.

One of the reasons my family and I love going to Cirque du Soleil spectacles is we never know what to expect. Sure, there will always be world-class circus artists performing jaw-dropping feats, but what sets the company apart from other troupes are the eye-popping environments it creates through sumptuous design. We know we're going to be transported, but to where? For Cirque's latest extravaganza, LUZIA, currently running at Citi Field in Queens, the destination is a fantastical imagining of Mexico filled with oversize puppet animals; cascading walls of water; mariachi-tinged music; colorful projections; and, of course, gorgeously outfitted acrobats, aerialists, and other athletic performers who seem to defy the laws of physics.

With two jaded teens in tow who've seen many a circus, I worried they might pull a been there, seen that 'tude. Heck, I figured I might feel that way, too, because I've been attending Cirque shows since before I became a mom. But at 13, 16, and even my advanced age, we were all as wide-eyed with wonder as the youngsters sitting behind us, because LUZIA is one of the most breathtaking Cirque creations in years.

The spring is always a great time for family theater, but the next few months look particularly exciting. There are page-to-stage adaptations of young-adult favorites (The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Anne of Green Gables); wordless spectacles to captivate all ages (Snap, Cirque du Soleil's new extravaganza); and a few thought-provoking choices for young teens (The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer, Silent Voices: Lovestate).

While on Broadway it's all Beetlejuice and Be More Chill, there's no need to shell out big bucks to give your kids a memorable live entertainment experience in NYC. Most of the 22 shows we're spotlighting are just $25—or less—per ticket.

New York City has tons of cool shows for families this winter, including the debut of two buzzed-about Broadway productions aimed at tweens: the Internet-fueled phenomenon Be More Chill and the big-budget musicalization of Beetlejuice. But you don't need to dig into your 401K to give your kids a memorable live theater experience in NYC—plenty of family-friendly productions are playing beyond Broadway for a lot less.

This winter there are wonderful options for kids of all ages from toddlers to teens, including shows aimed specifically at the preschool set (The Naughty Penguin, Sesame Street Live!), stage adaptations of popular picture books such as The Snowy Day, The Magic School Bus and The Stinky Cheese Man, and eye-popping spectacles for the whole family (Thunderbird American Indian Dance Concert and Powwow, Jedi Academy).

Best of all, most of these 28 shows are priced at $25 and under, so you can take the whole family for less than the price of one Broadway ticket.

I love that the New Victory Theater usually presents a circus show as its holiday production—after all, if there's anything as magical and sparkly as the holiday season itself, it's the circus. Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams may have a different vibe than the Big Apple Circus, but it's just as charming and jaw-dropping. Especially when you realize the troupe was formed just last year!

At just 100 minutes including intermission, with inventive twists on familiar acts, Circus Abyssinia: Ethiopian Dreams is an exhilarating holiday show for the whole family. Read on to find out about the fabulous feats you'll see—and how you can meet and take pics with the performers.

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are plenty of spectacles to splurge on, like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those beautiful Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets.

That's why our roundup of Christmas-season family theater includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to extravaganzas that are worth the investment.

From live stage adaptations of classics such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to seasonal musicals based on popular picture books, to amazing circus feats and offbeat spectacles (like drag queen ballerinas and performing-arts activists), here are our top 18 holiday shows for NYC families.