9th July 2026
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening on 26th July! A huge welcome to Kelsey who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in Newcastle & North East!
30th June 2026
I was delighted to join the wonderful team at Early Excellence to chat all about the power of role play, creating meaningful role play experiences, and why role play matters so much for children’s learning and development. The Early Excellence Podcast shares practical ideas, inspiring conversations and thought provoking insights from leading voices in Early Years and KS1 education. If you would like to listen here’s the link: https://buff.ly/FrnKVIR
13th June 2026
We Won! 
Pop Up Play Village was honoured to win the Franchising Trailblazer Award at the Disruptive Franchise Awards.
I am incredibly proud, but this award is about so much more. This award belongs to our amazing franchise owners across the UK who bring the magic of role play to children every single day. It belongs to every family who has attended a session, every school that has welcomed us through their doors and every child whose imagination has been sparked through role play.
When I started Pop Up Play Village almost 10 years ago, my mission was to help children learn, develop confidence, communicate, explore emotions and thrive through the power of role play. To see that vision recognised is truly special.
11th June 2026
Exciting News! Our Resource Hub Has Had a Makeover!
Over the past few months, I’ve been thinking about how we can make our website the go to place for all things role play, learning and childhood development. I’m delighted to share that the Pop Up Play Village Resource Hub has now been revamped!
Inside you’ll find:
Role play ideas and inspiration
Educational resources
Activities for home learning and home education
Resources to support schools and educators
Practical ideas to encourage learning through play
A growing collection of downloadable role play resources
As a qualified teacher and passionate advocate for the power of play, my goal is to make it easier for parents, educators and childcare professionals to access engaging, meaningful activities that help children learn, communicate, explore emotions and develop confidence. This is just the beginning too. I’ll be adding new resources, ideas and inspiration regularly as we continue building a one stop role play hub for families, schools and communities. I’d love for you to take a look.
20th April 2026
We’re absolutely thrilled to share that we have been named a Finalist in the Disruptive Franchise Awards for the Franchising Trailblazer Award! 🎉 To be recognised for being a trailblazer means so much. What started as one role play village has grown into a nationwide network supporting children, families, schools and early years settings across the UK. This recognition is about a mission we truly believe in which is that role play has the power to transform children’s learning, confidence and wellbeing.
17th March 2026
We are so excited to share that we have made it to the finals of the ClubHub awards in two categories! The Family Business of the Year and Franchise with more than 15 Franchisees categories!
6th March 2026
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening in April! A huge welcome to Hannah who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in Ealing and Huntingdon!
3rd March 2026
We are absolutely thrilled to share that we are finalists in the ICAP Awards in the Pioneer in Education category! 
To be recognised for the work we do in creating meaningful, imaginative, child led learning experiences is such an honour. This journey has been built on passion, creativity and a belief that play truly matters. Thank you to our incredible franchisees, families and communities who make this possible every single day!
28th February 2026
We’re delighted to share some exciting news that Pop Up Play Village is now a Fellow Member of Alliance 4 Children!
Being part of a network that is dedicated to supporting children, families and best practice across the sector is something we’re incredibly proud of. This membership reflects our ongoing commitment to creating meaningful, enriching play experiences and continually learning, improving and collaborating.
We’re looking forward to connecting, sharing, and contributing alongside so many inspiring organisations to make a bigger impact to children and their families.
12th February 2026
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening in April! A huge welcome to Tracy-Ann who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in Croydon!
16th January 2026
We are thrilled to announce that Erica and Frank who own Pop Up Play Village in Basingstoke and Pop Up Play Village in Reading have re-signed a new franchise agreement to continue running Pop Up Play Village in both areas. Erica and Frank first started their Pop Up Play Village journey 8 years ago!
8th January 2026
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise that launched today in Cardiff and Vale! A huge welcome to Marie who has joined our team to run Pop Up Play Village in Cardiff and Vale! What an amazing launch day it was today!
29th December 2025
We are thrilled to announce that Jackie who owns Pop Up Play Village in North Plymouth, Saltash and Tavistock has re-signed a new franchise agreement to run Pop Up Play Village in her local area for another year! Jackie first started her Pop Up Play Village journey 5 years ago!
22nd December 2025
Exciting News! Erica and Frank at Pop Up Play Village in Basingstoke and Reading have launched a fixed Pop Up Play Village centre within the iFLY unit at Basingstoke Leisure Park alongside continuing to be mobile! Not only this, they have also launched a Real Cafe to go alongside it! Very exciting!
5th December 2025
Exciting News! John Watson Primary School has partnered with Pop Up Play Village to bring Pop Up Play Village to their school curriculum across their KS1 and KS2 classes! They will have their own Pop Up Play Village kit to facilitate this. Using our curriculum, themed and wellbeing planning, the children will be able to learn through role play every week.
25th October 2025
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening next week! A huge welcome to Danielle who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village Petley located at Petley Farm in Battle!
16th September 2025
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening in October! A huge welcome to Kerri who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in West Yorkshire!
13th August 2025
Exciting News! Erica and Frank at Pop Up Play Village in Basingstoke and Reading are launching a fixed Pop Up Play Village centre within the iFLY unit at Basingstoke Leisure Park alongside continuing to be mobile! We are very excited to see all of the amazing plans come together ready for launch in Autumn!
5th August 2025
We are very excited to launch our very first Wellbeing Home Visit.
19th July 2025
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening in August! A huge welcome to Nardia who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in Walsall, Wednesbury and North West Bromwich!
9th July 2025
Exciting News! We are very excited to announce that we have a new franchise opening at the end of this month! A huge welcome to Virginia who has joined our team to launch Pop Up Play Village in North Yorkshire!
29th April 2025
We are very excited to launch our very first Wellbeing Session at Beenham Preschool!
11th April 2025
Brand New! We are so excited to launch the very first Glow Up in the Village class in Bucklebury, Berkshire! All of the fun of our usual role play village but with the added element of glow up resources in each of our role play areas! We will also have disco lights and disco music and the lights dimmed for this very special event!
27th March 2025
We are excited to have our blog article on Children’s Mental Health written by our franchisor Becky Hoare featured in the Toddle About Berkshire and Hampshire Spring Edition April 2025 Magazine.
18th March 2025
We have just found out that we have been shortlisted as a finalist in the Club Hub Awards in the category Family Business of the Year! This is the third year in a row that we have been a finalist in this category.
8th February 2025
We are thrilled to have our blog article on Children’s Mental Heath written by our Franchisor Becky Hoare featured in the Primary Times magazine in Children’s Mental Health Week.
27th January 2025
Exciting News! We have created Brand New Wellbeing Planning which focuses purely on supporting children’s mental health. Our franchisor Becky has recently completed training on play therapy techniques in order to create this planning. Our Wellbeing Planning uses play therapy techniques and our village play areas to support children’s mental health.
20th January 2025
Exciting News! John Rankin Infant School has partnered with Pop Up Play Village to bring Pop Up Play Village to their school curriculum every week across their nursery, FS2, year 1 and year 2 classes! They will have their very own Pop Up Play Village kit to facilitate this. Using our curriculum, themed and wellbeing planning, the children will be able to learn through role play daily.
Visit the Resource Hub Here: https://popupplayvillage.co.uk/pop-up-play-village-resource-hub/
