Taking place during the March school holidays, Esplanade’s annual March On festival returns as a gentle, purposeful invitation for young audiences to encounter the arts on their own terms. Designed especially for children and youths, the festival brings together theatre, dance and interdisciplinary works that speak to curiosity, imagination and emotional discovery, while offering caregivers a chance to slow down and see the world alongside them.

Running from 12 to 25 March 2026, March On gathers local and international artists whose works affirm identity, invite wonder and remind audiences that care and humanity matter at every age. Across its programmes, young audiences are encouraged to wonder, question and feel deeply, while parents, teachers and caregivers are invited to listen, learn and rediscover the experience of seeing the world anew.

Perhaps rather unexpectedly, one of the highlights of March On this year is presented by the world famous Akram Khan Company, who returns to Singapore with its much-loved, family-friendly production Chotto Desh. Adapted in 2015 by Theatre-Rites director Sue Buckmaster from Akram Khan’s Olivier Award-winning and critically acclaimed solo DESH, this heart-warming work tells the story of a young man searching for his place in the world.

Chotto Desh, meaning “small homeland”, draws on Khan’s unique quality of cross-cultural storytelling, creating a compelling tale of a boy’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the modern world. Blending kathak and contemporary dance with an exquisite mix of spoken text, dreamlike animation, visuals and specially composed music, Chotto Desh is an enchanting and poignant dance-theatre experience for the young and young-at-heart to enjoy together.

Also hailing from the UK is Barrowland Ballet, who present their dance work Tiger Tale. Something wild is prowling. She can hear it through her bedroom walls, but her mum and dad seem stuck in the dull routines of their everyday lives. Until one day the wild breaks in and everything changes.

A troubled family’s world turns upside down when a tiger invades. It’s chaotic, it’s dangerous but brilliantly funny as the tiger reignites the family’s love for one another. Enjoy captivating dancers and the thrill of sitting right up close to the action with a chance to explore the set at the end.

Barrowland Ballet also presents Playful Tiger, a sensory version of the show for neurodivergent young people. Playfulness within the work creates space for a two-way response between the audience and performers—blurring the boundaries as young people become active collaborators both within and beyond the set.

For younger audiences who want to be part of the dancing themselves, check out First Rave. It’s never too early to start partying, and in this show, a single parent DJ tells of the rhythmically unpredictable journey of mothering. She sheds the skin of her former self, mourning the withering of each layer, convinced that underneath all these layers is a cow on a journey with no return trip.

On this trip are some things that she knows she will lose: a sense of self, the clarity and separation of night and day, and the awareness that she’ll never be alone anymore. But every loss is a farewell that comes with a hello—a first wail marks a farewell to the womb, and a first rave marks a celebration of the journey ahead. This live theatre performance offers a powerful, magical and affirming experience for babies and their caregivers, particularly new parents, who are often navigating the invisible complexities of parenthood. As the first text-based baby theatre performance in Singapore, both adult and baby audience members are introduced to one another’s worlds through puppetry, light and sound, before a gentle and magical rave party.

From the UK’s The Egg, check out theatre performance Squirrel. Squirrel loves a good acorn. But not all acorns are good. Some are downright second rate. And Squirrel is fussy like that. Under the light of the sun, between the houses and the offices, and the rivers and the factories, Squirrel has buried their favourite acorn collection. This is a story of new growth and new beginnings with a sprinkling of magic and puppetry to charm audiences of every age.

Australia’s Omusubi Productions & Monkey Baa Theatre Company present Little Bozu and Kon Kon. When a shapeshifting raccoon and a misunderstood fox cross paths, a series of mix-ups and mistaken identities lead them on a journey of understanding. As they learn to see past appearances, their unlikely bond grows from curiosity and kindness into true friendship.  

Inspired by Japanese folklore, this productions tells a tender story of friendship, acceptance and self-discovery. Featuring beautifully designed puppets by Mayu Iwasaki and crafted by Katrina Gaskell, young audiences will be prompted to reflect on empathy, differences and the warmth of connection.  

On the music front, check out There’s a Dinosaur in the Concert Hall!, written by local playwright Thomas Lim and directed by Krish Natarajan. Watch as The Lorong Boys and Friends present a fun, interactive concert, where The Pitch Patrol arrive to take care of the dinosaur in the concert hall. Armed with their chords, instruments and a whole lot of groove, this band of melody-making heroes is here to save the day.

Whether it’s pesky rapping trolls under your bed, mermaids stuck in water pipes or a dinosaur that has lost its way in time, the task force has just the right tune for every emergency. Join the Pitch Patrol as they go on wacky, genre-bending missions full of stories, mythical creatures and adventure. Discover the hidden power of music—the elegance of classical, the wild energy of pop-rock, the smooth grooves of jazz and the bold beats of rap.

Finally, for some good old storytelling, check out The Curious Curators. Step inside an interactive gallery, a colourful world of wonder and culture where YOU become part of the adventure. Join the Curators on this journey as they reveal a secret: the artworks on display aren’t ordinary! Hidden within each artwork are magical creatures, mischievous Emperors, and brave heroes from timeless Asian folktales.

“In a world that moves quickly and often loudly, we continue to ask a simple yet enduring question,” says Rachel Lim, Senior Producer at Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. “How can the arts create spaces where the young can pause, feel deeply, and encounter stories that help them make sense of themselves and the people around them?”

At a time when children’s lives are increasingly shaped by speed and stimulation, March On offers something quieter but no less powerful: moments of connection, imagination and hope. As Lim puts it, the festival holds close the belief that young audiences will encounter works “that affirm who they are, spark curiosity, and gently remind us all that hope, care and humanity matter, at every age.” Come discover these shared experiences together, as you wander, wonder and March On as one.

March On 2026 runs from 12th to 25th March 2026 at the Esplanade. More information and tickets available here