Dragons are a folklore staple. They appear in books, theatre shows for under 5s, games, movies and more, with many different dragon types fuelling our imaginations. While some dragons are scary and ferocious, others are sweet, lovable and show a somewhat softer side. So, let’s check out some of the world’s cutest dragons.
 

1. 1. Dragon from Shrek 

Grumpy green ogre, Shrek, never intended on chasing the dragon or rescuing a princess from the tower. He was quite content at his swamp. But one thing led to another and he ended up on an adventure which led him straight to ‘Dragon’ - a fire-breathing machine and the guardian of Princess Fiona’s tower. While mean to start with, Dragon’s heart soon warmed when she set eyes on Donkey. In fact, love turned her into a doe-eyed cutie destined to become a mule’s wife. Not many dragons flutter their eyes and blow kisses, making Dragon highly memorable. 
 

1. 2. Toothless from How To Train Your Dragon

According to DreamWorks, Toothless is more of a ‘winged pussycat than the stuff of nightmares.’ Loyal and empathetic with an abundance of energy, Toothless is more like Hiccup’s best friend than a pet. He’s extremely protective of his Viking soul mate and goes to great lengths to guard him from harm. As the last known example of the formidable Night Fury species, Toothless is a rare, special and enchanting dragon who is mischievous and undeniably lovable.
 

1. 3. Haku from Spirited Away

While not traditionally a dragon, Haku from the movie Spirited Away can transform into a dragon. In his dragon form, Haku is majestic and cute, especially in the scenes where he interacts with protagonist Chihiro. He’s also kind-hearted and supportive, but can be strict when needed. Haku the dragon looks different to many other dragons too with his teal and mint green mane and white scaled body. He’s certainly not what you’d expect of a traditional dragon character.
 

1. 4. Elliott From Pete’s Dragon

Pete’s Dragon is a popular movie dating back to 1977. It enjoyed a live-action/CGI remake in 2016 and is still a family favourite. In the film, a boy named Pete becomes best friends with a loyal, cute and rather large green dragon named Elliott. Elliott has many qualities, but in particular he’s affectionate, playful and magical, turning himself invisible to avoid being detected by humans. 
 

1. 5. Dragonite from Pokémon

With his large eyes, orange body and small wings, Dragonite is a kind-hearted Pokémon with human-like intelligence. He lives near the sea and is said to demonstrate altruistic qualities, rescuing those who are drowning or guiding ships to safety. Despite his bulky shape, he can fly very fast, circling the globe in just 16 hours. 

If you love the theatre, family shows such as Dragons and Mythical Beasts are sure to delight. With a range of beasts brought to life on stage using spectacular puppetry, this production is great fun for all. It’s a particularly good introduction to theatre for preschoolers, being just 50 minutes long with no interval.