HOW TO START AN INDOOR PLAYGROUND

DEVELOPING YOUR PLAY CONCEPT

Looking for some assistance to get your project completed?

Smart Playgrounds with over 27 years experience in operations, planning and design along with providing services and equipment for children’s entertainment centers in countries around the world, can help.

Developing Your Indoor Party Center

Our experience includes; operations, playground design and installation, facility design and layout, content development, birthday party operations, playground manufacturing as well as face-time working behind the indoor party center service counter.

With experience in both operations and manufacturing we bring a unique perspective to playground design and development and offer this one-stop Smart Playgrounds Concept Development guide:

Starting an Indoor Playground Business

Starting an indoor playground business is a valiant community commitment, to provide families and children in your area a safe, fun, friendly, inclusive environment where young creative minds can be active and nurtured.

The business can also be a rewarding financial and personal venture for the entrepreneur who is focused on providing a fun environment for kids and a safe, value-based experience for mom (your primary buyer).

In this SMART Playgrounds startup guide, we present a concise list of the steps to Starting an Indoor Playground, each with their own requirements and objectives.

Steps to Start an Indoor Playground

For new indoor party center developers, play cafe, children’s entertainment or edutainment centers, the development of your playful concept is really where it all starts – market research and planning.

Step 1: Research & Planning

This is kind of an obvious, no brainer – but it warrants mention, because there is a process, or a strategy involved that will help to focus you and maximize your effort. Now that you have decided to at least think about the idea of starting an indoor party center business, we know our primary customer demographic is going to be families with kids 10-12 years and/or younger.

In the scope of this initial project plan – we are not interested in teenagers, young adults or others…. so we know who are customers are – Mission accomplished!

The Real Market

However, the ugly, dreadful homework that first needs to be conqured is the question of your ‘real‘ market opportunity. Just because there is ‘nothing for kids to do…’ in your area, does not guarantee a market.

You first need to focus your time and energy to really understand that market. This includes the number of families with kids 10-12 years and younger, the density of that demographic (in relation to your ultimate location), and a thorough competitive analysis of attractions and services that may or may not yet be offered.

The good news here, is that with this bit of homework and local research completed, many of your other initial questions can then start to be answered;

How much space should I be looking for?
What kind of a location best suits the market opportunity?
How much ceiling height should I consider?
How big of a playground do I need?
What activities should be included in the playground?

Indoor Play - The Business Plan

As I am certain you are aware, at some point – to get serious – you are going to need to complete your business plan. Once again, this isn’t rocket science but it can be frustrating, time consuming and generally is a step most of us would prefer not having to do. Unfortunately, if you are in need of funding, or intend to lease space (your landlord will want a copy), a business plan must be done.

Until you start putting your ideas and research into a written plan – your indoor party center is just a dream.

The good news here (I believe), is that once you start, the universe understands you are serious. New windows of opportunity, potential partners, the right location, connections and things you hadn’t previously considered all start to appear – it’s a wonderful thing.

The business plan is a standard document with a basic set of bones on which to build-out your complete project scope/idea;

A well thought out and eloquently presented mission statement. What the project is, who your customers are, how many there are, where they will come from, how often and why (your competitive analysis), what attractions and services you will offer.
A complete set of financial projections and statements, including your startup costs, pricing structure and sales projections.
An operations plan to outline the daily activities, staffing, customer service and employee policies.

Step 2: Location, Layout & Attraction Design

You’ve heard it many times before – location, location, location.

Although that is true here as well, there is some flexibility, in that this is a planned activity or event – a destination – more so than a drive-by opportunity. The ‘need’ to be front and center beside a busy walmart superstore, with a ton of foot traffic isn’t necessary to be successful.

In fact, for that scenario in many markets the lease rate for that kind of highly visible location would kill your business by the second year. As you know, many of these centers of 4,000 sqft and up, are located in light industrial areas, or secondary hubs, where a community or neighbourhood is going through a revitalization and lease rates and parking can be accommodating.

Our general rule of thumb, if you plan to attract 5 years and older to your indoor play business, is to search for warehouse space with a minimum clearance of 16.5 foot ceilings. This facilitates a full three level play structure and provides enough height to include several long, fun slides, both speed slides and an assortment of spiral slides.

Climbing is fun – but sliding is the reward – and as kids get older, the higher and faster the slide, the better.

Facility Layout - Operations & Cashflow

We can not stress this bit enough.

Physical location is one thing – the other location variable is the ability of that location to provide a profitable home for the business. This comes down to the interior space. As mentioned above, an accommodating ceiling height is part of that, so is the readiness of site, which could dramatically affect your startup costs with any major tenant improvements required. For example;

Are there existing plumbing for washrooms and any food service?
Is there adequate HVAC services for winter and summer operations?
Are there pillars or columns to work around?
Is there a ton of demolition to be done, prior to the start of your construction?
What about the state of the ceilings, do they require any updates, painting, fire sprinklers?
Are there any existing partitions, rooms or walls that can be repurposed?
Is there adequate space for a check-in / check out area?

Speaking of check-in / check-out area, this is where we really start our facility layout and planning. How your guests and your staff utilize the space, how you manage and direct traffic flow in and around your attractions and services is very important – and it directly impacts build-out, operations and ultimately, cashflow.

Starting with your front entry/exit and check-in area, the task of the business is to get guests in the door

Attraction Design - Your Indoor Playground

The ‘soft contained modular playground’ is still the number one attraction for this younger (family) demographic of children aged 5 through 10 years, so it is the meat and potatoes so to speak of your business, and not all soft playgrounds are created equal.

Lets start wit the basics;

Work with a professional designer/company who understand your business goals and are 100% compliant with ASTM.
Expert, North American companies are held to much higher materials and construction standards than off-shore manufacturers.
ASTM compliance requires considerations for pinch-points, head-gaps, entrapment hazards, like finger-traps, body entrapments, hair and clothing snag points, among others.
Designs need to take into account maximum distances for access and egress out of the play ground in case of emergency, especially as kids get up to higher levels.
Designs need to be considerate of both playability and capacity as well as grid height for different activities.

As you see, there are many considerations for your playground, before we even start to consider the actual attraction mix inside. Further are the actual materials.

As a guest, watching your 8 year old running, climbing and sliding, the structure looks fantastic all full of color and activity, you have no idea what is under those vinyl decks. Is it rolled steel or pipe, are the decks 1/2″ or 7/8″ ply or hardwood? Are the clamps guaranteed for the life of the structure? What kind of foam is used, upholstry or marine? How thick is that foam?

As with many things in life – you get what you pay for. However, in this situation, cost savings are felt in maintenance not long down the road, or worse a failed deck, poor quality netting or clamps that fail causing injury or worse.

Many of the designs we have replaced had zero compliance with ASTM, and when pulled apart used inferior materials.

Activities & Components

There are many activities to consider that create a fun well rounded structure that has equal playability across every level of play. The task of good design is to ensure there are no deadends or congestion points, while at the same time being considerate of the play experience for guest and the site lines/visibility for parents who want to keep an eye on their child, or witness their activity.

Having a large multi-lane wave slide from the second or third level down to the front of the playground offers a great ‘Kodak’ moment for parents, and when designed with engagement in mind, can facilitate an easy 1-2-3 climb up if an adult would like to join the fun for a slide down or two.

Among the earlier mentioned considerations for access and egress, the guest experience for both child and parent need to be considered during the design process.

For us, we no longer do ball pits. In addition to being a cleanliness and operational nightmare (those balls end up everywhere, everyday) they are an easy filler activity for lazy design. A ‘large’ ball pool can be sold as a ‘wow’ factor that increases the size of the playground. From our many years and installations, we have found the maintenance and cleanliness issue for operators outweighs any playability added.

Similarily with roller slides – a default activity we included many years ago – until a choking incident occured (not our playground thankfully), but that was the end of the roller slide. The probelm is that girls with long hair, or kids wearing a pullover with collar strings can get tangled and there is your accident. We note however, that is an activity still provided in many off-shore designs.

As you can see, the process to getting started is logical in what needs to be done and the steps in general that will take place as you continue your journey down this path.

With 30 years amusement experience and expertise in design, manufacture and operations, we offer our support and guidance to help get you there. From initial market and feasibility to completed business and project concept with floor plan, layout and documentation ready for architectural and city approval.

If this sounds of interest – check out our Concept Development service.

Concept Development Service

To complete your party center plan and secure your funding you may need the following:

Indoor Playground Design

Activity Options – What playground activities are necessary, which are not and how much to pay for them.
What percentage of open play elements vs. slides, crawls and tunnels gives the best play-experience?
How much ceiling height do you really need?
Your #1 customer (mom) and her 4 major concerns; Visibility, Cleanliness, Safety and Value.
Your #2 customer (kids) and their 3 major concerns; Fun, social-comfort and challenge.
How you can maximize your facility space and playground through-put to double your weekend revenues.
Themeing – Manufacturers make a mint on themeing. How to gain control of this high-margin add-on and make it work for you.
Add these activities to make your playground act larger than your budget.
Thoughts and ideas on extending the play-a-bility and revenue opportunity beyond your core users.
Open floor concept allows parental interaction while emphasizing visibility and safety – Creative tips for good design.
How to save thousands of dollars on installation fees.
Design ideas to turn mid-week lows into revenue highs.

Planning Services

Market specific, Indoor Play Center Business Plan — or full review and critique of your own.
Construction and start-up budgets.
General seasonal volume trends.
Pricing structure & guidelines : admissions and activity pricing.
Industry averages and comparisons; Operating costs, expenses and revenues.
Children’s Entertainment Center sample floor plan.
FREE Guidebook – How to Raise Start-up Capital from Friends and Family

Concept Development, Layout &
Playground Design

To succeed, your project concept must match your target market opportunity. Does the center size, activity mix, playground design, budget, and facility layout fit with your potential customer?

Most indoor play centers are community-based, which means year to year your center must pull from the same market area. Family (A) has their 6 year old’s party at your place, how do you ensure he and his 12 guests will all come back next year and the year after?

Startup Academy

For new indoor party center developers, we offer the Startup Academy program. A ongoing coaching and plan development DIY feasibility program to help steer you on the right path.

PLAYFUL STIMULATION FOR BODY, MIND & SOUL

HOW TO START AN INDOOR PLAYGROUND

Developing Your Indoor Party Center