Play is more than just fun—it’s a key part of a child’s development. From social skills to cognitive growth and physical well-being, structured activities in camps and clubs help children learn, grow, and thrive. Discover why play matters and how technology can support activity providers in delivering enriching experiences.

Andy Hoang has a background in science teaching and learning technologies — and a lifelong love of LEGO. “The plan had always been to open up some sort of LEGO Robotics kids’ activity, but I had a stable job, kids and a mortgage to pay, so it had never come to fruition,” Andy shares. Then, during the Covid pandemic, he ended up working back in a school. “The only part of it I enjoyed was running my LEGO Robotics club. And I saw how bad computing education has got in schools. I thought: Wait a minute, I can make a living out of this. I really enjoy it. And I can make a difference in schools by taking in my knowledge and my kit.” That was 3.5 years ago, and Andy’s business Beyond Blocks has grown quickly since. From just two kids in their first term, they were running four full classes within a year. Fast forward to now, and Beyond Blocks has a team of four teachers, runs after-school clubs in London schools and other venues, and runs daytime sessions for schools as part of the curriculum. They do events, too: full-day sessions during schools’ coding weeks across the UK, plus corporate events. All getting kids — and adults — involved in programming, engineering and design through LEGO.

Are you considering expanding your business through franchising in the UK? It's really common that providers in this sector look at it as a way to grow and it’s a significant step that offers potential for growth and profitability, but it also requires careful planning and consideration. Franchising can be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the franchisor (the business owner) and franchisees (those who buy into the business), but it's essential to understand the complexities involved. Here are some key considerations to keep in mind when franchising your business in the UK based on 30 years in this sector, 22 of it in franchising and the last 13 years helping businesses in this sector grow and in the process working with nearly one hundred franchisors at various stages of their business on a variety of different types of projects.

As anyone who’s ever worked with children or has their own children will know, with kids around you never know what might happen! As a class instructor or organiser people will look to you for advice on what to do in an emergency so it’s vitally important to have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to know how to act quickly, appropriately and efficiently in the event of an emergency involving a baby or child. At Daisy First Aid we provide essential first aid skills to children’s activity providers like you, so you and your customers can be confident should the unexpected happen.

You’ve ticked off the training and are launching your very own baby classes or courses, supporting people at one of the most vulnerable times of their lives. You do what you think you should: set up the Instagram account, order posters and tell everyone you know about your new venture… And then you wait. Your first few classes might have some interest – everyone loves to check out the new experience in their local town. But activities relating to pregnancy, birth and babies are unique. If you own one of these businesses, your marketing strategy needs to be unique too. Parents find themselves in a brand-new world where every new milestone in pregnancy changes their hopes and fears. Babies and their routines change rapidly too. It leaves activity providers and antenatal instructors in a difficult position – we need to be growing our audience constantly to attract new people in.