All nominees will be asked to submit the following information:

✔️A description of them/their business. (200 words max.)
✔️What winning the award would mean to them. (200 words max.)
✔️A photo that is meanful and 'says it all'.

Optional:

✔️Supporting information (max. 2 x A4 PDF file).
✔️Link to a 3 minute (max.) video that can be audio only.

Plus the following information for the different categories:

New for 2026!  The Most-Loved Grandparent-Friendly Activity

Open to any individual children's activity class.

• Inclusion: Demonstrates a proactive and thoughtful approach to welcoming grandparents and making them feel confident, comfortable and genuinely included. (200 words max)
• Impact: Shows positive outcomes for children and grandparents through shared experiences, including strengthened relationships, wellbeing or developmental benefits. (200 words max)
• Accessibility: Reduces barriers to participation through clear communication, inclusive practices and practical adaptations that support older carers. (200 words max)

• Eligibility Requirement:
  
  
To be eligible for this award, entrants must:

1) Have completed the Generations training, and

2) Have reviewed their class listings on Generations by What’s On 4 Kids to ensure they are accurate, accessible and relevant for grandparents.  

The Steve Franks 'Shining Star' Award for Excellence and Innovation sponsored by the Children's Activities Association

Open to a named individual person.

• Innovation: Demonstrates creative approaches that have significantly enhanced the children's activities landscape. (500 words max.)
• Impact: Shows measurable positive outcomes for children, families, community or the children's activities sector. (200 words max)
• Leadership: Exhibits visionary guidance and inspires others within the sector. (200 words max.)
• Sustainability: Implements practices ensuring long-term benefits and continuous improvement. (200 words max.)

The Morton Michel Remarkable Achievement Award

Open to a named individual person.

• Significant Accomplishment: Achieved a noteworthy achievement, milestone and/or overcame substantial challenges. (200 words max)
  
• Inspirational Story: Provides a compelling narrative that motivates and encourages others. (200 words max)
  
• Community Engagement: Actively involved and positively impacted the local or wider community. (200 words max.)
  
• Legacy: Leaves a lasting positive effect on the children's activities sector. (200 words max)

The ThinkSmart Software Outstanding Newcomer

Open to any individual children's activity provider organisation that started operated a new progamme, business or franchise territory in the UK after 1st January 2024.

• Popularity: Gained significant traction and positive feedback from participants and parents. (200 words max)
• Quality of Experience: Offers engaging, safe, and developmentally appropriate classes/activities. (200 words max)
• Differentiation: Stands out from existing classes/activities through unique features or approaches. (200 words max)
• Growth Potential: Shows promise for expansion and sustainability within the sector. (200 words max)

The Little Starts Gift Card Diversity & Inclusion Champion

Open to any named individual person.

• Inclusive Practices: Actively promotes and implements policies ensuring accessibility for all children and families. (200 words max)
• Cultural Sensitivity: Incorporates diverse cultural perspectives and respects differences. (200 words max)
• Equity Advocacy: Works towards reducing barriers and providing equal opportunities for participation. (200 words max)
• Community Representation: Reflects the diversity of the community. (200 words max)

Our judging panel has been carefully selected to represent a range of perspectives, including industry experts and independent stakeholders. All judges are required to disclose any potential conflicts of interest to ensure fairness and impartiality.

When voting opens, nominees in the judged award categories will also be invited to provide additional information to support their nomination. Please refer to the awards timeline for exact dates and deadlines.

Nominees will receive this request via email, sent to the address provided during the registration for the award category. If you do not receive this email, please contact us immediately.

Nominees must submit their additional information via an online form using the provided link. See above for details including the maximum word counts.

Optionally, nominees may also include a link to a YouTube video no longer than 3 minutes featuring themselves or, in the case of organisations, a representative. This video serves as an opportunity to further support the written nomination.  Videos longer than 3 minutes will not be viewed.

All information submitted will be treated with the utmost confidentiality and used solely for the purposes described here. Following the completion of the judging process, information will be securely stored for 12 months and then permanently deleted.

After the submission deadline, all nominee information will be assessed against the judging criteria using a standardised scoring system:

    1: Insufficient – Does not meet the criterion.
    2: Below Average – Partially meets the criterion.
    3: Average – Adequately meets the criterion.
    4: Good – Exceeds the criterion.
    5: Outstanding – Significantly exceeds the criterion.

Judges will provide written justifications for their scores to ensure accountability and transparency.

Following the initial scoring, the judging panel will convene to review the results collectively. This discussion allows judges to share insights, address discrepancies, and focus on borderline cases to ensure a thorough and fair evaluation.