Recognising and rewarding the most loved children's activities and businesses in the UK since 2006!


The biggest annual celebration of the children's activities sector is back!


The 19th What's On 4 Kids National Children's Activities Awards are the most prestigious and longest-running awards in the sector.

With a wide range of categories—both voted for and judged—spanning all activities and age groups, the event also celebrates exceptional achievements with our special recognition awards.

We are delighted The British Franchise Association are joining us as Ceremony Sponsor for a 3rd year!

Take a look below to see who has made it through to the final stage!

We're thrilled to announce that our 2025 What's On 4 Kids National Children's Activities Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday 27th November 2025, at the stunning Athena in Leicester - an art deco masterpiece, originally designed in 1936 by Robert Arthur Bullivant as an Odeon Cinema, the venue represented one of the largest, most extravagant buildings within the region comprising of simply one screen seating over 3000 guests.

Our finalists, sponsors, and esteemed guests deserve nothing but the finest, and this year, we have something extraordinary in store for you!

Join the brightest stars in the children's activities sector and step onto the red carpet, revel in the limelight, and indulge in a night of celebration complete with a sumptuous dinner and captivating entertainment hosted by Jonathan Bremner. 🎉


Be part of the action in 2025!  Sponsorship opportunities are now available - book early to secure your favourite category or package!





What would being part of the 'What's On 4 Kids National Children's Activities Awards' mean to you? 


"The location, set-up, dinner and awards ceremony was very professional and it was a great opportunity to network and meet others in the industry"

"Well organised. Well attended. All EXCELLENT! "

"Lovely host, inspiring evening, and a lovely backdrop for some excellent networking"

"It was a great experience"

"Always so well thought out. Everyone made to feel special and the service was brilliant"

Awards can also bring huge benefits to both bigger and growing businesses.


63% increased turnover in comparison to businesses without awards

88% more motivation from team members

77% higher sales in comparison to businesses without awards**

**Source ICAP 





In 2024 we received nearly 100,000 votes and nominations with a 30% increase in votes as parents and carers from throughout the UK showed their love and appreciation for their favourite class, club, leader, volunteer or venue.   

476 businesses went through to the voting or judged stages and 215 finalists were invited to attend our prestigious live Awards Celebration Event, alongside other VIPs and special guests at Leonardo Royal Hotel Southampton Grand Harbour.


So what are you waiting for - be part of the action and join us in 2025!  

"These are the crème de la crème of awards, have a great reputation and bring value to my business" ***

***Awards VIP guest





How it works


2025 Sponsors, Partners and Supporters Showcase

Thank you to all these organisations that make the What's On 4 Kids National Children's Activities Awards possible.



The Award Categories and finalists for 2025 are...

Special Awards

Most Loved Indoor Play Centre
or Venue
~

Sponsored by Association of Indoor Play


Open to  any venue, activity centre or play centre which offers exceptional facilities and activities for children. 

ARTventurers Sunderland West and Washington
Be Weird, Be Wild, Be Wonderful Playhub Ltd
CADWA WOW CENTRE
Gymboree Play & Music Bristol
Jungle Monkeys Play Cafe
Just Play
Kids Rule Play Cafe
Kiltoonies
So Curious
Tiny Tots Town

Most Loved Charity or
Not-for-Profit Community Group
~

Sponsored by ICAP

Open to any not-for-profit children's activity running in the UK.  Must be a registered Charity or Community Interest Company.

Clart About Ltd
Devon Antenatal Family Centre CIC
The ARC Centre
The Boury Academy CIC
The Sensory Storyteller CIC
Wonderland Community Centre CIC

Most Loved Party Supplier, Provider or Entertainment

~

Sponsorship Available

 Open to any party supplier, provider or entertainment company
ARTventurers
Caterpillar Music Ltd
DJ Bridgee'o's Entertainments
Drama Tots
Enchanted Events Manchester
Gymboree Play & Music UK
JoJo's Dance Party
Little City UK
Manchester Princess Parties
Party Peeps

Most Loved Volunteer
~

Sponsored by Caudwell Children

Open to any individual activity leader providing children's activities anywhere in the UK on a volunteer basis.

Clart About Ltd, Durham
Infinite Wellbeing C.I.C., Derbyshire
Phoenix Gymnastics Academy, Sheffield
The Curiosity Mill, North West
Wye Circus CIC, Hereford

Game Changing Supplier
~

Sponsored by Baby Sensory


Open to any company who supplies products or services to children's activities companies and/or professionals.
Cerys Keneally Ltd
Dot & Stripe
Morton Michel
The Baby Class Expert
The Den

Awards Across Different Regions

Most Loved Activity Leader or Business Manager in:

Scotland and
Northern Ireland
~

Sponsored by The British Franchise Association

Ashleigh Diamond - Bloom Baby & Toddler Classes, West Lothian
Carrie Love - babyballet, Lanarkshire
Danielle Johnstone - West Lothian Football Academy, West Lothian
Jacqueline Millard - Jiggy Wrigglers, South Ayrshire
Lesley Gilmore - Baby Sensory, Irvine
Lisa Jameson, Baby Sensory, Glasgow South
Sonya Leeman - Little Learners, Belfast & North Down

North England

~

Sponsored by The British Franchise Association

Angela Joseph - Sing & Sign, Huddersfield
Danielle Blyth - ARTventurers, Wakefield East & the Five Towns
Jenni Ringland - Jenni's House, Rossendale
Kimberly Hinde - Baby Sensory, Gateshead
Lucy Holliday - Baby Sensory, Fylde
Rachel Martin - Bloom Baby Classes, St Helens, Wigan & Warrington
Sarah Bamford - Baby Sensory, Stockport East
Sarah Harris - Moo Music, Widnes & Runcorn
Sarah Serey Canales - Kidslingo, Ormskirk
Stephanie Spike - Hartbeeps, Saddleworth & Tameside

Wales, West and South West England
~

Sponsored by The British Franchise Association

Beth Kennedy - Baby Sensory, Plymouth
Jayne Clark - Baby Sensory, West Dorset
Jodie Warren - Boogie Beat Music & Movement, Gloucester
Kate Harman - Baby Sensory, North Cornwall
Kate Worgan - Tots Play, Cardiff North
Louise Walker - Baby Sensory,Bromsgrove
Lyndsey Stuart - Hartbeeps, Cardiff
Polly Rorison-Jones - Gymboree Play & Music, Bristol
Sophie Roberts - Hartbeeps, Plymouth, Saltash & Tavistock
Terri Manuel - Baby Sensory, Dudley

East England
~

Sponsored by The British Franchise Association

Abbey George - babyballet, Suffolk South
Anita Andrews - Little Learners, South Colchester
Jess Watson - The Hub - Early Years, Leicestershire
Jody Garrett - Baby Sensory, Bedfordshire
Laura Gadsby - Baby Sensory, Derby
Megan Mayes - Baby Sensory, East Suffolk
Natalie McCormack - tiny toes ballet, Essex Mid & South
Nicola Dale - Baby Sensory, Derby East
Shaye Doyle - Baby Sensory, Chesterfield
Stacey Leafe - ARTventurers, Mansfield, Ashfield, Alfreton & Chesterfield

South East England
~

Sponsored by The British Franchise Association

Anita Anand - Caterpillar Music, North West London
Anna Richardson - Sing and Sign, Caterham, Coulsdon, Croydon & Purley
Chloe Tweed - Caterpillar Music, Guildford
Gemma Henson - Tots Play, Eastbourne
Katy Brown - Baby Sensory, Woking & Bagshot
Kelly Johnson - babyballet, Colchester
Lauren Sanchez Salmonte - Baby Sensory, Camberley
Lucy Dobson - Baby Sensory, Guildford & Godalming
Sarah Harding - Baby Sensory, Whitton & Twickenham
Suzie Franck - Baby Sensory, Banstead, Carshalton, Cheam & Sutton





Open to any individual activity leader, teacher or coach providing structured children's activities operating anywhere in the UK or business manager of a children's activities business or organisation operating anywhere in the UK.  A map of the regions can be found here.

Judged Awards

The Steve Franks 'Shining Star' Award for Excellence and Innovation

Sponsored by The Children's Activities Association


Please see judging criteria and evaluation.
 In memory of Steve Franks who contributed so significantly to the children's activities sector.  Steve sadly passed away in April 2020 from COVID-19 complications.  Steve's legacy lives on through many initiatives to improve the lives of children across the UK and our thoughts remain with his family, friends and colleagues.

Cerys Keneally, Approaching Schools Academy
Gary Harrison, Morton Michel
Jessica Hill, Showtime Circus Ltd
Rachel Fay-Sedgwick, Little Learners
Sarah Cressall OBE, The Creation Station Ltd

The Morton Michel Remarkable Achievement Award


Please see judging criteria and evaluation.

Anna Neville, Kidslingo
Fatema Zahra Meghjee, Tots Play Birmingham South Central
Jenni Ringland, Jenni's House
Kerrie Goude, TOTFest Festival Ltd
Sarah Cressall OBE, The Creation Station Ltd

The ThinkSmart Software Outstanding Newcomer Award

Open to any children's activity provider in the UK that started their business or franchise territory after 1st January 2023.

Please see judging criteria and evaluation.

Anneka Hurst, Rhythm Time Coventry, Rugby and West Northants
Elaine Bielby, Jack in the Box Musical Memories
Georgia Wellesley-Davies, Next Level Camps
Kathryn Pemberton, Gig Tots
Katie Hainbach, Little Voices North London
Michelle Armstrong, Train Time UK Lichfield, Cannock, Stafford & Burton-on-Trent
Rachelle Hutt, Cheerful Champs Holiday Camps
Ruth Astley, Nature Makers Coventry
Valerie Shao, Kidwise After School and Summer Camp
Zoe Harrison, ZLH STUDIOS

The Little Starts Gift Card Diversity & Inclusion Champion

Please see judging criteria and evaluation.

Bethany Alice Whiteley, BB Broadway
Caroline Boury, The Boury Academy CIC
Danica Bulgin, Stagecoach Fleet & Basingstoke
Lizz Mullen, Little Fizz
Rachel O'Neil, Let's Rock The Spectrum
Rebecca Henwood, Morton Michel
Rob Scott, Kids Gone Wild

Awards for All Activities by Type

Most Loved
Sport or Physical
Activity
FRANCHISE or LICENSE TERRITORY
~

Sponsored by JMW Solicitors

Gymboree Play & Music, Bristol
Little Ballers, Durham
Rugbytots, Doncaster and Rotherham
Swimkidz, Berkshire
Toddler Sense, South Liverpool
Toddler Sense, Sutton
Toddler Sense, Wakefield
Toddler Sense, Wigan and St Helens
Tumble Tots, Stevenage
Tumble Tots, Wirral

Most Loved
Sport or Physical
Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with up to 14 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by The Little Sensory Co

Baby Swimmers
Footy School
Gymboree Play & Music UK
Kidz4
Scoot Stride Glide
West Lothian Football Academy

Most Loved
Sport or Physical Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 15+ Leaders
Overall
~

Sponsorship Available

Basking Babies
Toddler Sense
Tots Play UK Ltd
Tumble Tots (UK) Ltd

Including archery, athletics, baseball, basketball, canoeing, cheerleading, circus skills, climbing, cricket, cycling, fencing, fitness, football, goalball, golf, gymnastics, hockey, horseriding, ice skating, judo, karate, karting, kayaking, kickboxing, laser tag/quest, mayorettes, martial arts, motor sports, movement, netball, active play, rugby, sailing, scuba diving, skate parks, skating, skiing, snowboarding, surfing, swimming, sword fencing, table tennis, tampoline, tennis, water sports, yoga.

Open to any company or organisation with a significant part of their programme based on physical activity operating in any part of the UK.
Leaders refers to activity leaders, teachers or coaches delivering one or more of the activity programmes across the whole of the UK.

Most Loved
Music, Dance
or Performing Arts Activity
FRANCHISE or LICENSE TERRITORY
~


Sponsored by The Creation Station

babyballet, South Suffolk
Caterpillar Music, Guildford
Caterpillar Music, Liverpool South
diddi dance, Central & North Liverpool & South Knowsley
diddi dance, Cheshire East & West
Little Movers, Darlington, Newton Aycliffe & Bishop Auckland
Little Movers, Durham, Seaham, Spennymoor & Peterlee
Moo Music, Widnes
Popcat's Music Time, Didsbury
tiny toes ballet, Staffordshire

Most Loved
Music, Dance
or Performing Arts Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with up to 4 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by the dt group

Abricabeats
Baby Rockers
Beat Feet Academy of Dance
Jack in the Box Musical Memories
PopTots®
Rock Out Baby
When You Wish Studio

Most Loved
Music, Dance
or Performing Arts Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 5 to 14 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by Mini Professors

Boogie Pumps
CTA Performing Arts
Gems Performing Arts
Infinity School of Dance
Mellor Performing Arts School
PopGems® Academy
Rockademy Music School

Most Loved
Music, Dance
or Performing Arts Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 15+ Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by Cerys Keneally

babyballet®
Caterpillar Music Ltd
Drama Tots
Jo Jingles UK
Little City UK
Moving Waves

Including choir, dance, drama, film making, music, music and movement, music lessons, performing arts, role play, singing.

Open to any company or organisation with a significant part of their programme based on music and/or the performing arts operating in any part of the UK.

Leaders refers to activity leaders, teachers or coaches delivering one or more of the activity programmes across the whole of the UK.

Most Loved Academic
or Creative Activity
FRANCHISE or LICENSE TERRITORY
~


Sponsored by
tiny toes ballet

ARTventurers, Coventry & Kenilworth
BilinguaSing, Cornwall
Bloom Toddler Classes, Liverpool Central
Bloom Toddler Classes, St Helens
Kidslingo, Notting Hill, Hammersmith & Putney
MagiKats Maths and English Tuition, Woodford
Phonics with Robot Reg, Ashbourne
Phonics with Robot Reg, Wirral
Reading Fairy, Stockport
Spanish Tots and Bebés, North Liverpool

Most Loved Academic
or Creative Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with up to 4 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsorship Available

Arty Explorers
Kids Gone Wild
Les Petits Pois Fun French
Little Seashells Messy Play
Mess Around Ltd
Mini Mess Makers
Number Train
Over The Moon Messy Play
Spanish Tots and Bebés
The Wee Coaching Company

Most Loved Academic
or Creative Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 5 to 19 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsorship Available

Fun Little Foodies
Mini Lingos
Mini Professors
Reading Fairy
TechyTots Ltd

Most Loved Academic
or Creative Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 20+ Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by
Dot & Stripe

ARTventurers
Kidslingo
RoboThink UK
The Little Sensory Co

Including arts and crafts, messy play, pottery painting, languages, academic classes, science, computing, photography, reading, storytelling, gardening

Open to any company or organisation with a significant part of their programme based on academic or creative activities in any part of the UK.

Leaders refers to activity leaders, teachers or coaches delivering one or more of the activity programmes across the whole of the UK.

Most Loved
Baby Activity
FRANCHISE or LICENSE TERRITORY
~


Sponsorship Available

ARTventurers, Sunderland East & Seaham
Baby Sensory, Central Liverpool
Baby Sensory, Rochdale
Baby Sensory, South Liverpool
Baby Sensory, Wigan & St Helens
Bloom Baby Classes, Liverpool Central
Bloom Baby Classes, Reading, Wokingham & Henley
Little Movers, Durham, Seaham, Spennymoor & Peterlee
Moo Music, Widnes
Sing and Sign, Sutton & surrounding area

Most Loved
Baby Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with up to 10 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsored by Trustist

Allsorts Tots
Baby Swimmers
BB Broadway
Bright Sparks Sensory
Gymboree Play & Music UK
Lindy Lou's Adventures in Music
Munchkin and Me
Rock Out Baby
Spa Babies Ltd
Swimmers-R-Us Swim School

Most Loved
Baby Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 11 to 34 Leaders Overall
~

Sponsorship Available

ARTventurers
Basking Babies Ltd
Music Bugs Ltd
Popcat's Music Time Ltd

Most Loved
Baby Activity
FRANCHISOR or INDEPENDENT
with 35+ Leaders Overall
~

Sponsorship Available

Baby Sensory
Jo Jingles UK
The Little Sensory Co
Tumble Tots (UK) Ltd
Water Babies

Open to any company or organisation with a separate programme specifically for children under 18 months old operating in any part of the UK.

Leaders refers to activity leaders, teachers or coaches delivering one or more of the activity programmes across the whole of the UK.

Awards Info

How it works






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