Council Teams Unite to Celebrate Vale Playday

10 August 2026

On Wednesday 5 August, colleagues from across the Council came together at Gladstone Gardens to celebrate Playday 2026, joining the Vale Play Development Team for a fantastic event filled with play, creativity and plenty of smiles.

The day welcomed families from across the Vale to enjoy a wide range of free activities, showcasing the important role that play has in supporting children's development, wellbeing and happiness.

Every child has the right to play, and throughout the year our dedicated Play Development Team works hard to create safe, welcoming and inclusive opportunities for children and young people across the Vale.

Events like Playday highlight the positive impact of their work and the value of providing spaces where children can explore, imagine, learn and connect through play.

The event also demonstrated the strength of teamwork across the Council, with colleagues from a number of services supporting the day - including Adult Community Learning, Vale Libraries, the Vale Youth Service, Vale Family Compass, Communities for Work, Active Travel and the Community Safety Team - all helping to engage families and promote the wide range of support available to local communities.

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What is Playday?

Playday is the national day for play, traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August. It is the UK's largest celebration of children's play and raises awareness of the vital role that play has in children's lives.

Coordinated by Play England in partnership with Play Wales, Play Scotland and PlayBoard Northern Ireland, the campaign champions every child's right to play while encouraging communities to create opportunities for children and young people to enjoy active, imaginative and inclusive play.

Celebrating Across the UK

Each year, hundreds of Playday events take place across the UK, bringing together children, young people, families and communities.

Celebrations range from park festivals and street parties to woodland adventures, beach activities and community events of all sizes. Whether large or small, each event reflects the needs and character of its local community while highlighting the importance of giving children the time, space and freedom to play.

A huge thank you goes to everyone who helped make the event such a success, as well as to the many families who came along to celebrate Playday!