In 2024, the TOY for Inclusion Play Hubs continued to demonstrate the power of inclusive, community-based spaces where children and families can play, learn, and grow together. Across eight European countries, nearly 9,000 children and more than 5,000 adults took part in Play Hub activities. More than half of the children were under the age of six, underlining the Hubs’ vital role in supporting the earliest years of development.
View the 2024 M&E Infographic here.
Inclusivity at the Core
The 2024 Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) process highlighted one of the Play Hubs’ greatest strengths: their ability to reach those most in need.
- Three in ten children came from Roma communities,
- One in ten were refugees, and
- Many others were from families facing poverty or other challenges.
In 2024, the proportion of children from these backgrounds grew compared to previous years, showing that inclusivity remains at the heart of the Play Hubs’ work. Parents and caregivers also played a central role, with over 5,000 adults joining in activities, playing and learning alongside their children, and building connections with other families.
People and Quality Behind the Hubs
None of this would be possible without the dedication of the Local Action Teams – 186 staff members and 513 volunteers who poured their energy and love into making each Play Hub a safe and joyful space. In 2024, they took part in training sessions on everything from creative play to supporting refugee families, continually growing their skills and strengthening the heart of the Play Hubs.
The quality self-assessments validated what families already experience: the Play Hubs scored very highly on child-friendliness, safety, and inclusion. They are places where children feel safe, welcomed, and encouraged to explore their potential.
A Year of Change
At the same time, 2024 was a year of transition. The winding down of support earmarked for children and families fleeing Ukraine led to the closures of some Play Hubs established in 2022 and 2023 in some countries, especially Slovakia and Hungary. This impacted the number of participants, which decreased from more than 21,000 children in 2023 to just under 9,000 in 2024. Yet, amid this contraction, the Play Hubs continued to prioritize those most in need. Roma and other vulnerable children made up a growing share of participants, showing the resilience and focus of the network even in difficult times.
Looking Ahead
The MEL findings point to areas for growth: building long-term sustainability, reducing reliance on short-term funding, and securing stronger municipal support. These are important advocacy priorities for the coming years.
But the story of 2024 is above all one of resilience and impact. Even with fewer resources, Play Hubs continued to be a lifeline for thousands of families, proving once again that every child deserves, and can have, a place to play, to learn, and to belong.
In 2025, the programme is growing again, welcoming a new country – Ireland – and bringing attention to new areas of work:
- Promoting meaningful child participation in non-formal and formal ECEC settings, through the TOY4Participation project
- expanding the scope of Play Hubs to include teenagers and prevent school drop-out, through the Hubs4Teens project
- promoting STEM and socio-emotional learning in non-formal and formal ECEC settings, through the Outdoor Play Labs project
