Community Playthings UK

08/09/2026

What is it with us humans? We just love to create! Building something has given us a buzz since time began. The dopamine reward will prompt ever increasing structures. Let's see where this goes 😃.

01/07/2026

Statement regarding the use of Dream Coracles for babies under 12 months:

In 2012 Community Playthings designed a product to help nurseries provide a beautiful and safe sleep environment that is good for children and staff. Currently almost 3000 early years settings in England use the Dream Coracle.

Sadly, on 29 June 2026, the Department for Education (DfE) confirmed to us that floor beds (including the Dream Coracle) should not be used for babies under 12 months in early years settings. They expect to make this a requirement from September.

We have provided an abundance of evidence to the DfE about the product’s safety – that it meets the relevant parts of the standards, that it has been independently evaluated by three testing houses, and that over 10,000 are in use today without any reported safety incidents. The Dream Coracle also meets the Safer Sleep guidance by providing a flat, firm and waterproof surface.

Despite this, the DfE has gone ahead with their recommendation. We understand this is very disappointing news for the many early years providers who have relied on the Dream Coracle or other floor beds to support the growing independence of older babies while saving precious space and reducing the risks associated with lifting these children into cots.

To be clear, this does not mean we have concerns about the Dream Coracle’s safety for babies between 6-20 months. We still recommend it for babies from 6 months in settings not subject to DfE’s guidance.

Earlier messaging by the DfE referenced a fatal incident in 2015 involving a “similar product,” but we can reassure our customers that no child has ever died or been seriously injured because of a Community Playthings cot or Dream Coracle. The tragic incident the DfE referred to involved a poorly designed bedside sleeper used at home for a 7-week-old baby.

We have asked the DfE to at least give providers a year to switch from floor beds to cots, as expecting compliance in such a short period is unfair. Unfortunately, they have decided not to do this, and they expect that settings will be in compliance by September.

Please contact your Account Manager if this affects you and you have any questions.

16/05/2026

21/03/2026

Super-busy days at the Child Care Expo London. Running low on energy after day two, but these two enthusiastic cooks have come to the rescue.

23/02/2026

Happy Birthday, Loris Malaguzzi.

The most meaningful tribute? Not nostalgia. It is continuation. It is designing environments that communicate trust. It is honouring children’s ideas. It is investing in materials and spaces that reflect the belief that learning is visible, social, and worthy of beauty.

What a legacy this man left us with!

· A strong image of the child – capable, competent, curious.
· A research stance toward teaching – educators as co-learners.
· Education as a democratic act – schools embedded within civic life.

In an era increasingly driven by standardisation and measurable outputs, this framework remains quietly radical. It resists reduction. It asks educators to slow down, to observe, to listen deeply. It positions learning as relational rather than transactional.

Millions of children later, the hundred languages continue to speak.

14/02/2026

This valentine's Day we're celebrating the joy of play and the love that grows in every learning space.

05/01/2026

Happy New Year everybody. It's chilly outside, and the ice play has been next level. What are you doing with ice?

06/12/2025

We're absolutely thrilled and honoured to announce that we have been named External Estates Supplier of the Year 2025 at the Education Today Awards. Thank you for your support and recognition. We're proud to be contributing to excellence in education environments across the UK. Here's to continuing to make inspiring and creative spaces. Thanks for an awesome night Well done everybody!

06/12/2025

Loads of happy people at Education Today Awards. So proud to be external estate supplier of the year. Let's go!

28/11/2025