US
site
AU site
CA
site
EU
site
BETT is always loud, colourful and full‑on, but BETT 2026 felt different for us at Mrs Wordsmith.
From day one, our stand was busy in the best possible way. Not rushed or transactional, but the kind of busy that invites people to stop and stay awhile. Teachers, school leaders, parents and children spent time with us, asked thoughtful questions, and often came back later with colleagues or friends saying they HAD to check out what we were doing.
What helped with this was our Head of Education, Jo Jackson, speaking at the SEND Theatre daily about how our products make learning inclusive for all regardless of ability.
A stand built for curiosity
We came to BETT with a lot to share and we didn’t hold back.
Visitors could explore our full range of vocabulary resources, dive into demos, and get hands‑on with Word Tag, which quickly became a crowd favourite. There’s something powerful about watching adults and children alike get completely absorbed in tagging, discussing and debating words, proving that vocabulary learning doesn’t need to be passive or dull to be effective.
Alongside Word Tag demos, we ran a tombola, with products such as Blah Blah Blah and The Book of Big Feelings being the main prizes, that kept the energy high all day long. It turns out that the combination of words, games and the chance to win something creates a very compelling reason to stop by. Add in a few surprise prizes and suddenly our stand became a bit of a magnet.
And then there were the friendship bracelets.
More than just beads and string
What started as a playful extra turned into something much bigger. Our friendship‑bracelet table was rarely empty. Children (and adults) sat with our team threading beads, choosing colours, and chatting — not just about bracelets, but about words.
We talked about favourite words. Tricky words. Words they’d learned recently at school. Words that made them feel clever, confident, or curious. Educators joined in too, sharing what vocabulary teaching looks like in their classrooms and how children respond when learning feels creative rather than pressured.
Those moments felt unpolished, human and genuinely joyful , and that reminded us why we do what we do.
The moment we didn’t see coming
On the final day of BETT, the stand was buzzing with children making bracelets, playing Word Tag and asking brilliant questions about what we do at Mrs Wordsmith.
What we didn’t realise was that some of those children were student judges for Kids Judge Bett.
The same children we’d been laughing with, listening to, and learning from were quietly deciding which resources stood out to them — which ones felt helpful, fun and meaningful.
Best Vocabulary Resource
Later that day, we were stunned to be named Best Vocabulary Resource at the Kids Judge BETT Awards. We may have been snooping at a talk from Just Like Us featuring a video from Jonathan Bailey as we received the golden envelope..
The award was presented by YouTube creator and TV presenter Maddie Moate, alongside the incredible student judges from Wheatley Hill Primary School in Durham. Knowing that the recognition came directly from children made it emotional in a way we didn’t expect. It was also the perfect way to end a great week at BETT 2026.
There’s something profoundly affirming about hearing that your work resonated not because it was flashy or complicated, but because it made sense to the people it was made for. That's priceless in itself.
Why this one really matters
At Mrs Wordsmith, children are always at the heart of every decision we make. Our resources are designed to be bold, playful and evidence‑informed but above all, they’re designed to work for kids.
Winning an award judged by children, sparked by genuine conversations over Word Tag, tombola tickets and friendship bracelets, feels like the truest reflection of our mission.
BETT 2026 reminded us that vocabulary learning sticks when it’s social, joyful and rooted in real connection. Sometimes the most meaningful feedback doesn’t come from a formal demo — it comes while threading beads and talking about words.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand, played, chatted, asked thoughtful questions or came back for another bracelet. And a huge thank you to the Kids Judge BETT panel for reminding us exactly who we’re here for.
We’ll see you next time with more words, more colour, and definitely more beads.
https://mrswordsmith.com
Comment
Leave a comment