Reflections & Projections: Looking Back at 2025 and Ahead to 2026

As 2025 draws to a close, we’re tuning up for the holidays and reflecting on a year that has struck all the right chords for inclusive, community-centered music-making. From joyful intergenerational play to creative transformations of small spaces, the appetite for accessible outdoor music has grown louder and prouder across the globe. So, before we ring in the new year, let’s celebrate the highlights and share a few exciting notes about what’s coming next!

🎵 Intergenerational Play Hits the High Notes
Across parks, senior living communities, schools, and public spaces, outdoor instruments are bridging age gaps more naturally than ever. Musical play is now a universal invitation - everyone’s welcome to join the band!

🎵 Beyond the Early Years: Music for Growing Minds
Educators and planners are increasingly recognizing how outdoor instruments support children far beyond the age of five - from emotional regulation in the primary years to confidence-building for teens.

🎵 Small Outdoor Spaces, Big Creativity
Compact courtyards, library entrances, healthcare gardens, and residential developments have been transformed into vibrant sound gardens that encourage spontaneous interaction and joy.

🎵 Demand for Experience-Rich Public Design
Instruments are no longer just decorative - they’re becoming centerpieces of public spaces, valued for their sensory, inclusive, and wellbeing benefits.

🎵 Sustainability Takes Center Stage
With a growing emphasis on long-life, low-maintenance, responsibly sourced materials, sustainability has become a key driver for clients. Percussion Play’s durable, weatherproof designs continue to lead the way.

✨ More Inclusive, Therapeutic Instruments
Collaborations with therapists and educators will inform the development of new products designed to support sensory, emotional, and cognitive needs.

✨ Nature-Inspired Sculptural Designs
Botanical shapes and organic forms will blend instruments seamlessly into landscapes. Following our launch of Bug Beats in early 2025, this design direction is set to flourish.

✨ Modular “Ensembles-in-a-Box”
Flexible, scalable ensembles will make it easier for planners to design musical spaces for everything from courtyards to rooftop terraces to large parks - all from a versatile core toolkit.

✨ Subtle Digital Enhancements
QR-based learning and light-touch digital features will enrich the experience while keeping music-making beautifully unplugged, acoustic, and analogue.

✨ Outdoor Music for Mental Health
As councils invest in wellbeing and inclusive placemaking, outdoor musical instruments will play an even greater role in creating uplifting, shared spaces for connection.

"This year has shown us just how powerful music can be in bringing people together across ages, backgrounds, and abilities. As communities reimagine their public spaces, outdoor musical instruments are becoming essential tools for connection, wellbeing, and play. Looking ahead to 2026, we’re excited to deepen our work with educators and researchers to create environments where everyone feels invited to make music."

From all of us at Percussion Play, thank you for making 2025 a year filled with harmony and hope. Here’s to an even more musical 2026! Wishing you a joyful holiday season and a new year that resonates with creativity and connection.