Use overhead lights to bathe the entire stage. Place as many light fixtures, called instruments, above the stage as you can. Try to space the lights so they cover every corner of the stage.
Place spotlights or similar instruments at the kids' eye level on either side of the stage to act as fill lights. These lights can be behind the curtains on stage or you can hang them from light standards in the theater itself. Fill lights will help eliminate shadows and give the production a more natural look.
Put at least one movable light in the house to act as a spotlight to support solos, if needed.
Position the children so they receive maximum coverage from the lights you've set up.
Use red and yellow gels, transparent color sheets that you place in front of the instruments, if you want to highlight the mood of your production. These colors will make the children look healthier and happier than blue and green gels will.
Create a light panel that will be easy for your lighting technician to use. Assign each set of lights (overhead, fill, spot and houselights) to a switch you can easily reachin the dark.