Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury offers some fantastic theatre experiences for families

Is it over? Has it finished? Can we come out yet?

After what feels like the longest winter and a sudden flurry of germs to match, we finally had to admit defeat and come inside.

Despite some seriously gorgeous winter walks and crisp cold adventures with little people who absolutely love to roam in the great outdoors, the cold, the damp and the viruses finally came and claimed us and we've been taking some shelter indoors.

We've sought out the cinema and some brilliant films with Odeon Kids Club - Moana being our absolute favourite last weekend.

While everyone loves a good blockbuster - and we are counting down the days until the new Beauty and the Beast - family cinema outings can be expensive.

But if you're prepared to play the waiting game both Odeon and Cineworld in Kent offer fantastic Kids Club or Movies for Juniors ticket prices on Saturday and Sunday mornings and EIGHT of us went to see Moana last Sunday for just £24! Unbelievable.

We've tried some soft play - which because we don't do very often Liv in particular has absolutely loved.

In fact she's now three and I'm not sure she's been in a soft play centre since she learnt to walk and I decided that two small excited children tearing off in completely different directions into an enormous warehouse packed full of equally noisy children was perhaps more than my patience or my nerves could take.

And we spent a wet and rainy Saturday afternoon at the theatre and had an utterly awesome time.

We chose The Bear which was at Canterbury's Gulbenkian. A small but yet perfectly-formed theatre space set on the University of Kent campus and perhaps one of the best ways to introduce very small children to live theatre (they also do cinema screenings too!)

It's the second show we have seen there - the first being The Tiger That Came To Tea which returns later this year - and we love it.

Its size means that every little face has a good and close-up view of the stage.

They have some fantastic small theatre companies, which bring favourite and familiar stories like The Bear, Room on the Broom and The Tiger That Came To Tea. (Full listings here.)

And the experience therefore is immersive.

In the case of The Bear there were snow machines, water pistols fired into the audience, glitter cannons and actors who sat among the children. It was wonderful.

What's more - ticket prices are really reasonable. Often very close to the price of a soft play entry and often cheaper than a full-priced cinema ticket.

There's also good clean toilets right outside the theatre doors (always essential with little ones in tow) a bright colourful good-sized cafe selling both coffee, sandwiches and child-suitable snacks as well as colouring and other things to do, build, play and see while you wait for the doors to open. What's not to love?

Winter - that's not for loving anymore.

Spring - we're coming for you.