Play Their Way launches child-first coaching app

Play Their Way has today launched a new app offering child-first coaching advice, support and resources for coaches working in sport and physical activity.

The ‘Coach in Your Pocket’ provides quick answers and practical ideas that coaches can access on the move or when difficult situations arise during sessions.

It'll help them put the enjoyment, rights and needs of young people at the heart of their coaching, with the aim of instilling a lifelong love of sport and movement.

Our latest Active Lives survey results show that only half of children and young people strongly agree that they enjoy taking part in sport and physical activity.

Coaches can have a huge influence on young people's experiences of sport – and ever-growing numbers of them are embedding children's rights into their coaching methods.

But they're often volunteers with limited time, so the app is designed to fit around their real coaching lives.

In the app, which is available to download for free from the App Store and Google Play, users can:

• ask Joy, an AI coaching assistant, for child-first coaching guidance
• explore practical learning, real coach stories and downloadable tools
• track progress and unlock badges
• stay up to date with events, webinars and new resources
• enjoy trusted, child-first content – because all guidance comes from Play Their Way and partner-approved resources.

One the app's main innovations is the personal coaching assistant Joy, who can provide ideas specific to a coach's age group, activity or available time. Questions might include:

• How do I support children to have more freedom of choice in this activity?
• What can I say if a parent does not understand my approach?
• How do I adapt a game for different confidence levels?
• What would make this session feel more inclusive?
   

The Play Their Way app was unveiled during the joint UK Coaching Conference and Play Their Way Summit, taking place in London on 24 and 25 June as part of UK Coaching Week 2026 – the theme of which is 'Purposeful Play'.

On Wednesday, members of our workforce development team spoke at the conference about the challenges of diversifying the coaching workforce and what’s needed to drive action towards greater inclusivity.

On Thursday, our chair Chris Boardman delivered the summit’s keynote speech championing child-first coaching, before taking part in a Q&A about the importance of play in children’s sport and physical activity.

And our executive director for the sporting system, Phil Smith, engaged in a panel discussion of how greater collaboration across the sector can transform children’s experiences.