National Play
Awards 2026
Celebrating the people, places, practice and progress creating the conditions for every child to play.
Thursday 8 October 2026 | Warwick
The inaugural National Play Awards will recognise outstanding contributions to children’s play across England.
Rooted in Play England’s ten-year strategy - It All Starts with Play!the Awards celebrate achievement across Spaces, Skills, Sector and Society, alongside the outstanding annual contribution of children and adults.
The Awards are founded on children’s right to play under Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and General Comment No. 17. Dr Naomi Lott’s STAR framework, Space, Time, Acceptance and Rights, will provide the common lens across every category.
We welcome nominations from charities, community groups, local authorities, schools, health services, researchers, designers, planners, funders, responsible businesses, volunteers, children and young people, and anyone helping to restore a play-based childhood.
Nominations open on Friday 17 August 2026 and close at 5.00pm on Friday 25 September 2026.
Entry is free.
Spaces Award
Recognising an outstanding space, place, plan, project, design or partnership that has created, protected or improved the environments in which children play.
Who or what may be nominated
Playgrounds, adventure playgrounds, streets, estates, parks, green and blue spaces, schools, healthcare settings, indoor provision, public realm, planning, housing, regeneration, transport and neighbourhood approaches.
What the judges will consider
Children’s freedom and choice; accessibility and inclusion; children’s influence; connection to the wider neighbourhood; play value, challenge and flexibility; maintenance and stewardship; evidence of use and impact.
Important boundary
This is not a best playground or product-design competition. An attractive or expensive installation will not win unless it demonstrates what changed for children.
Skills Award
Recognising an outstanding programme, organisation or partnership that has strengthened the knowledge, confidence, capability or recognition of people who enable children’s play.
Who or what may be nominated
Workforce strategies, professional standards, qualifications, training, continuing professional development, career pathways, recruitment, retention, cross-professional learning and resources that change practice.
What the judges will consider
The workforce need addressed; quality and rights-based integrity; changed capability or practice; inclusion and access; reach beyond the established play workforce; evidence of benefit to children’s play.
Important boundary
This category is for strategic, organisational or cross-sector workforce change. It is not intended to duplicate specialist awards for individual frontline playworkers, trainers or health play professionals.
Sector Award
Recognising an outstanding contribution to the strength, resilience, influence, infrastructure or long-term sustainability of play.
Who or what may be nominated
Policy, legislation, governance, Play Sufficiency, investment, commissioning, research, mapping, data, networks, standards and institutional reform.
What the judges will consider
The structural problem addressed; change beyond one organisation; evidence of changed policy, funding, governance or decisions; children’s involvement; durability, replication and wider influence.
Important boundary
This is not a general organisation-of-the-year award. The nomination must show how the wider conditions for play were strengthened beyond the nominee’s own service.
Society Award
Recognising outstanding work that has made play more normal, accepted and visible in everyday life.
Who or what may be nominated
Public campaigns, media, communications, creative work, community-led culture change, action on restrictive rules or No Ball Games practices, and work with parents, residents, institutions or decision-makers.
What the judges will consider
The cultural or behavioural barrier addressed; authentic representation of children and play; children’s voice and agency; changed understanding, behaviour, practice or policy; reach beyond a specialist audience.
Important boundary
High visibility alone is not enough. The nomination should demonstrate wider cultural, institutional or behavioural change.
Children’s Play Personality of the Year
Recognising an individual child or defined group under 18 whose contribution, commitment or achievement made an outstanding difference to play during the award year.
Who or what may be nominated
A child, young person or group under 18 living, learning or contributing to change in England. Nominations may be made by children, families, schools, organisations or communities. Supported self-nomination is permitted.
What the judges will consider
The child or group initiated, shaped or materially influenced the work; adults listened and responded; the contribution improved opportunities for play; the achievement demonstrates agency rather than token participation.
Important boundary
This category does not reward a child merely for being inspirational, overcoming adversity or participating well in an adult-designed programme. It recognises the child’s own contribution and influence.
Play Personality of the Year
The headline honour of the National Play Awards, recognising the adult whose contribution, commitment and achievement during the award year made an outstanding difference to children’s play in England.
Who or what may be nominated
Any individual aged 18 or over from a relevant profession, discipline, community or public role. Third-party nominations only.
What the judges will consider
Significant achievement during the eligibility period; demonstrable impact on children’s play; leadership beyond routine expectations; wider influence; respect for children’s agency, equality and inclusion.
Important boundary
Personality refers to the standing of the award, not charisma or popularity. This is an evidence-led annual honour, not a lifetime achievement prize or public vote.
Help us recognise the people and work creating the conditions for play.
What the judges will look for
Every nomination must show a clear and authentic relationship to children’s play. Generic claims about wellbeing, physical activity, education or community benefit will not be sufficient unless the nomination demonstrates how children gained greater freedom, time, space, acceptance or opportunity to play.
Judges will consider the significance of the achievement, its impact on children’s play, its contribution to STAR, inclusion and children’s participation, and the quality of evidence, learning and sustainability.
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Geographic scope
The achievement being recognised must principally benefit children’s play in England. UK-wide and international bodies may be nominated where the relevant English impact is clear and evidenced.
Eligibility period
Judging will focus on contribution and impact between 1 June 2025 and 31 August 2026. Earlier work may be included only as context.
Entry fee
There is no fee to nominate or enter.
Attendance
Finalists are not required to attend the ceremony, buy a table, advertise, join an organisation or engage with a sponsor.
Strategy awards
Self-entry and third-party nominations are permitted for Spaces, Skills, Sector and Society.
Children’s award
Third-party nominations and supported self-nominations are permitted, subject to appropriate consent and safeguarding before any public announcement.
Adult personality award
Third-party nominations only. Self-nominations will not be accepted.
Multiple categories
A substantially identical nomination should be entered in one category. The organisers may propose moving it to a more suitable category with the nominator’s agreement.
Evidence
Claims must be accurate and capable of verification. The organisers may request supporting evidence or contact a referee.
Right to withhold
The judging panel may withhold an award where no nomination reaches the required standard.
Sponsors
A sponsor, parent company, subsidiary or closely connected organisation may not enter the category it sponsors.
Safeguarding and rights
A nomination cannot win where there is an unresolved safeguarding, discriminatory, exploitative, materially misleading or serious rights concern.
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We want the nomination process to be accessible. Reasonable adjustments and alternative submission formats, including audio or video, are available. To discuss support, please contact us. Please do not include unnecessary sensitive personal information.
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Information submitted will be used to administer the National Play Awards, assess eligibility, support judging, verify claims and contact nominators and nominees. Access will be restricted to authorised Awards personnel and judges. Information about finalists and winners will be published only after the necessary verification and consent. Additional child and parent/carer consent will be obtained before a child or group is publicly shortlisted.
A final data-retention period and privacy notice should be approved before launch and linked from every form. The existing Play England privacy policy should be reviewed and updated for Awards-specific processing before publication.