Playground Festival

Kent’s first international early years festival, celebrating the creativity of babies, young children and their families
Playground Festival is an exciting new international early years festival designed for babies and young children in Kent.
From Friday 22- Sunday 31 May 2026, more than 150 FREE events will take place across 20+ venues including libraries, cultural spaces and outdoor locations.
The ten-day programme brings together inspiring work from artists across the UK, Spain, Mexico, Norway, Sweden, Finland and more - all created especially for babies and young children.
Expect performances, installations, workshops, talks and discussions designed to spark imagination and creativity.
The festival will also visit Wyvern School on Friday 29 – Saturday 30 May, bringing international performances and activities to the school community.
Playground is proud to be an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) whose funding has made Playground Festival possible. Playground is a partnership between Kent County Council’s (KCC) Culture and Creative Economy Service and Kent Libraries.
What's on?

The Garden by Makers of Imaginary Worlds (UK)

Golden Time by Grace Hann, Nicola Flower, Casey B, Kenny Mangena & Chris Duncan (UK)

MoMeNtS by Nicolette May (UK)

Baby Playground

In The Deep by Natalie Thomas and Stasha Dukic (UK)

Pulsar by Teatro Al Vacio (Mexico)

Family Playground

Baby Playground

Wonder by dybwikdans (Norway)

Babies and the Digital World: Challenges and Opportunities for the Earliest Years

ISLAND by Starcatchers and Frozen Charlotte (Scotland)

Playground Festival: Early Years - Conversations and Exchanges Series

Baby Bhangra by Cohesion Plus (UK)

HOLD by Natalie Parsons and Meire Machado (UK)

Playground: A Baby Revolution

Seen First: Exploring the Baby’s Visual World for Creative Practice

Fields of Tender by Dalija Acin Thelander & Company (Sweden)

Fields of Tender by Dalija Acin Thelander & Company (Sweden)

First Light by Daniel Naddafy / Marty Langthorne (UK)

The Colour Workshop for Babies by Kruunupää Centre for Children´s Culture (Finland)

Towards Sensuous Ecologies: Lecture + Q&A with Dalija Aćin Thelander

Baby Session at Golden Time

GOAT by Lucy Thompson, Megan Garrett-Jones and Tom Tegento (UK)

Lumini by Architects of Air (UK)

Playground Band by Playground Artists

Tangle by Teatro Al Vacio (Mexico)

Girafes by Xirriquiteula Teatre (Spain)