Large Family of the Year 2026: the Laikre family from Tallinn is raising six children
The title of Large Family of the Year and a €10,000 scholarship sponsored by Bigbank has been awarded this year to the Laikre family from Tallinn, who have six children. The winner was announced and the award presented on Sunday at the Large Family Day event held at Tallinn Zoo, which gathered over 1,000 participants from across Estonia.
According to Raili Maasing, President of the Estonian Association of Large Families, the jury believes the Laikre family deserves the honorary title “Large Family of the Year 2026” and the scholarship primarily due to their exceptional dedication, unity, and contribution to Estonian cultural and educational life.
This is a family where raising six children by mother Piret and father Tõnu goes hand in hand with conscious value-based upbringing and purposeful effort. The parents have created an environment where the children grow into caring, hardworking, and goal-oriented individuals. The children’s achievements—numerous first-place awards in both national and international music competitions—are no coincidence, but reflect the family’s consistent support and love for music,” said Maasing.
However, according to her, what makes the Laikre family truly special goes even further—their shared creative and societal contribution. “They are not focused solely on their own family’s development, but have created value for all of Estonia. Their Noodipank platform is a unique initiative that supports Estonian composers and makes their work accessible to a wider audience. In addition, they have created activity-based music materials—albums, guides, and videos—which are used daily in hundreds of schools and kindergartens, enriching children’s learning experiences across Estonia. Not to mention the performances of their family ensemble.”
It is also important that this is truly a family enterprise—all family members, both parents and children, have contributed to their shared creative work. This fosters a strong sense of unity and provides children with invaluable experience in cooperation, responsibility, and the joy of creation.
“The Laikre family is an inspiring example of how a large family can simultaneously be a caring environment for growth, a successful creative collective, and a force contributing to society. Their story shows that with love, collaboration, and determination, it is possible to create something that touches and supports many people,” added Raili Maasing.
The purpose of the €10,000 scholarship provided by Bigbank is to support children’s extracurricular activities and offer opportunities for learning and development. According to Arthur Taavet, Head of Bigbank Estonia, the Laikre family deserves the Large Family of the Year title precisely because the children have been raised with love and great care.
“The Laikre family is a role model of how a large family can be caring, active, and socially contributing at the same time. They have already shown that they are capable and successful,” said Taavet.
According to him, the Laikre family is also an excellent example that having a large family does not mean struggling or having limited opportunities. “Piret and Tõnu have found ways to provide their children with a fulfilling environment for growth, both physically and emotionally. Hats off to their life’s work so far, and best of luck moving forward!”
This year marked the 17th time of the Large Family of the Year competition, with a total of 48 families with four or more children participating from across Estonia. “Large families are the most important foundation of any country and nation’s future. The contribution of these dedicated mothers and fathers to society is remarkable, which is why we want to recognize their achievements and present them as role models,” explained Maasing about the mission of the competition.
According to the competition rules, anyone in Estonia could nominate candidates for the title—families themselves, colleagues, relatives, acquaintances, and friends. Both the selection of candidates and the choice of the winner were based on the family’s achievements and merits, not on their level of need—this is a recognition project, not a support initiative.