A teacher in Uganda sitting with a child supporting them as they are learning
Esther Smitheram

Written by Esther Smitheram

November 12th, 2026

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Children on the Edge play-based assessment tool named among the Top Global Education Innovations by HundrED 2027

Our Assessment for Play-based Early Childhood Education has been selected for the HundrED Global Collection 2027, which highlights 100 of the world’s brightest education innovations each year. 

Our innovation was chosen from over 800 submissions and was reviewed by an expert academy board. This means that our innovation is not only impacting the lives of children in Uganda, but is also internationally recognised as impactful and scalable.

a child in uganda drawing on a ground - sticker on image reads 'Selected for the hundrED Global Collection 2027'

What is the Assessment for Play-based Early Childhood Education?

Created by Children on the Edge, together with local communities in Uganda and our partners at Learn to Play in Botswana, the Assessment for Play-based Early Childhood Education helps educators and caregivers:

  • Track children’s progress: See how well children are learning and developing through everyday play.

  • Review the learning space: Check that the education environment, materials, and daily routines put children's needs and interests first.

Many early childhood programmes lack simple, meaningful ways to assess child development and the quality of play‑based practice. Our child‑centred assessment framework offers a practical solution for low‑resource settings and beyond, using playful activities and observations of everyday routines to generate clear insights that strengthen teaching, inclusion and programme improvement. 

children using sticks to hammer other sticks into the ground

What is HundrED?

HundrED is A global, mission-driven education organisation, based in Helsinki, with
an active community in over 100 countries. They identify impactful and scalable education
innovations and help them spread.

As a result of our selection, our assessment tool will also be featured in their Global Report 2027. These annual reports outline the upcoming trends in education innovation and showcase the 100 innovations chosen for each year’s collection. 

What struck me most was the quality and diversity of innovations I encountered, each rooted in a real problem, each carrying genuine conviction. This experience has not only deepened my appreciation for the quiet, persistent work of education innovators around the world, but has also reaffirmed my belief that the most transformative ideas often emerge from the margins.

Anil Saleem - Data Analyst at KIPP Texas Public School, USA

a child pouring water into a pot which is filled with mud - sticker on image reads 'Selected for the hundrED Global Collection 2027

How can others use the Assessment for Play-based Early Childhood Education?

This tool was developed by local communities, for local communities, and we want to share it. The assessment aims to help early years programmes identify strengths, address gaps, and continuously improve child development outcomes through play. 

We believe that effective tools should be shared openly. To help grassroots organisations, educators, and community leaders create the greatest possible impact for children living on the margins, our core resources are completely free to access.

Find out more about The Play Toolbox
children in uganda using coloured stones to make patterns onthe ground

The Assessment for Play-based Early Childhood Education can be accessed as part of the Children on the Edge Play Toolbox. This is a free, field-tested suite of Early Childhood Education (ECE) resources developed by Children on the Edge. Designed specifically for low-resource, conflict-affected, and crisis contexts (Education in Emergencies / EiE), the toolkit provides grassroots practitioners, NGOs, and community educators with practical tools to implement, monitor, and measure play-based learning.  

Find out more about how The Play Toolbox might help you, your practice or your organisation.

Take me to the Play Toolbox

a group of children in uganda running towards their classmate

How can I contribute to your work? 

This November, every pound you give is matched and doubled. Just £10 becomes £20 - funding a full month of play-based early education for two children.

Your gift puts our award-winning assessment into action where it is needed most.

In Karamoja, Uganda, severe drought and extreme poverty leave children out of school and vulnerable to exploitation. By donating today, your doubled support takes this proven learning model directly to doorsteps where no classrooms or trained teachers exist.

Double my donation

A teacher in Uganda sitting with a child passing them a bottle top

Read more

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Water Where It Matters - Double Your Impact in Karamoja This November

In early 2026, prolonged drought in Uganda’s arid Karamoja region wiped out over 90% of community vegetable gardens, triggering acute food insecurity. This November, every donation to Children on the Edge will be doubled to drill and repair 11 community-managed boreholes placed directly alongside local growers. These permanent water points can revive food production, will be maintained by trained local committees and are designed to protect 7,700 people from future climate shocks.
A teacher in Uganda sitting with a child passing them a bottle top

Taking Cluster Learning to Karamoja

Children on the Edge is replicating our proven Cluster Learning Model in Karamoja, Uganda, to address critical gaps in early childhood education. We are adapting the model for communities in Karamoja, Uganda's poorest and most remote region. Only 10% of children here have access to Early Childhood Education, leaving thousands without foundational support during the most critical stage of their development.
a Child Protection Team meeting in Karamoja, members are sat at desks listening to a speaker

Protection starts at home

In the last 12 months, Child Protection Teams in Karamoja have helped over 6,450 children in their communities. From stopping incidents of trafficking and exploitation to supporting parents with safer ways to raise their children.

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