Leave some space in your business for fun with space dedicated to indoor play areas. These places benefit children and your business if you make the best use of them. Why invest in indoor playgrounds? Because your company can reap rewards that go beyond boosting your bottom line.
Read the full article or jump to a specific section:
- The Benefits for Children
- The Benefits for Businesses
- Is an Indoor Playground Right for your Business?
The Benefits of Indoor Playgrounds for Children
Build an indoor playground, and you can provide lifelong advantages to the kids who use it. Play is critical to kids’ development. It is the work kids need during childhood to build the skills they will need later in life. Kids who engage in playtime learn and grow in their physical abilities, creativity, social capabilities and psychology.
Exercise
Exercise is essential for building healthy bodies. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that kids ages 3 through 5 stay active throughout the day. Older kids from 6 through 17 need at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity daily. Additionally, they need at least three days a week to engage in muscle-building and bone-building activities.
Playgrounds provide kids with the means of engaging in all forms of activity. For example, kids climbing through the different levels of a large playground work at building their muscles and bones through weight-bearing activity while also getting aerobic exercise.
Even older kids can have similar benefits from taking on the challenge with The Hive obstacle course that puts their minds and bodies to the test to try to beat their best time or race against another. STOMP Interactive equipment is another element that allows interactive play for kids and adults by stomping on the gamepads. Gamifying the experience makes exercise more fun for older kids who may not feel inclined toward physical activity.
Building a playground in your business encourages kids to get active and associate movement with fun, promoting healthier, more active lifestyles later in life.
Creativity
Most people think of creativity as being imaginative. However, creativity includes any form of making something new. It could come from identifying unusual solutions to problems, creating musical tunes or thinking of imaginative topics for play.
Developing creativity is important for problem-solving. Play areas where kids interact with each other can promote working together to solve problems. Creating solutions to issues is one element of practicing creative thinking. This thinking will help kids resolve disputes and overcome differences throughout their lives.
Music and the arts are other ways kids can develop creativity. Indoor play spaces with music elements allow kids to create music alone or with others. By working with others to spontaneously create music, kids develop creative thinking skills and learn the fun of music.
Themed playgrounds can also foster creativity by encouraging imaginative play. The theme gives kids a starting place for their imaginations to think of a world to play in. For instance, a ship theme can inspire kids to imagine themselves as sailors finding adventure on the high seas and searching for treasure or discovering sea creatures.
Social Skills
Play researchers identify three main types of play in human kids and across various animal species — locomotor play, object play and social play. The last of these is vital for all mammal species that do it in building social connections. Appropriate play allows kids to interact with their peers and learn critical social skills such as cooperation, communication and planning.
Through social play, kids learn about their culture, too. Interdependent communities tend to pass on the value of social play to their kids, while independent cultures often emphasize object play. Kids can engage in both types while using indoor play equipment. For example, kids can play independently on music elements on an indoor playground or cooperate with their peers to create a kid-led band.
Kids who play with others on a playground learn to listen to other people’s perspectives and work at communicating their own viewpoints. Once they recognize that they may disagree with others, kids begin to see the need for learning to negotiate and reach a compromise with others to continue having fun. This type of social development can promote empathy and the ability to work well with others.
Indoor playgrounds let kids learn to connect with others, develop empathy, solve group problems and learn cooperation. These social skills will benefit kids for the rest of their lives.
Safety
An indoor playground for kids who visit your business can help them to keep safe by providing them with a dedicated place to play. Since kids can play in your play area under caretaker supervision, they are less likely to engage in more dangerous play in your facility. For example, a playground gives kids a place to channel their energy that does not cause damage to your building, products or exhibits.
A play space can also help caregivers keep track of their kids. Adults can easily watch their kids within the designated play area and know exactly where their kids are the entire time.
Indoor playgrounds are only as safe as the supervision kids have while on them. Always require kids to have adult supervision while in the play area. With their caregivers watching them closely in the play space in your business, kids have a safer place to let their excitement out.
Memories
Kids are constantly making memories. When they recall their having fun on a playground at your facility, they may later associate your business with that fun. Kids may ask their caregivers to bring them to your business just for the play area. Or later in life, they may become loyal customers themselves thanks to their positive experiences as kids.
Caregivers, too, create memories they can share with their kids to improve their bonds. For example, by engaging in interactive play with elements such as STOMP, caregivers and their kids can play together and build shared memories and connections.
How Does an Indoor Playground Benefit Your Business?
Indoor playgrounds have advantages for the kids and their caregivers at your business. They can also improve your attendance and profits. The upfront investment in a play area allows you to attract more families to your business, create a space of safety and relaxation for kids and adults, and protect your merchandise from overexcited kids.
Appeal to Families
Families actively look for attractions, venues and stores that will serve their needs. Among those needs is for kids to have a place to have fun. Indoor playgrounds offer a place dedicated to active play that separates kids from your operational areas.
For most businesses, families are one of the most important demographics because they spend more money in your facility through more admissions to your venue or purchases. Appeal to families with indoor play areas, and attract kids of all ages to your company.
Play areas have long been elements for attracting families to fast food restaurants, but you don’t have to run an eatery to want to bring families in. Museums, schools, shopping centers, gyms, hotels and recreation centers are all businesses where playgrounds perfectly fit into the facilities to appeal to the needs of visiting families.
Create a Safe Space for Children
Kids should have a space to engage in connections with their peers. A separate play area in your business keeps kids in a controlled space under the supervision of their guardians and prevents them from using the rest of your business for play.
Additionally, if your playground is inside, you protect kids from heat and cold. Your equipment won’t get wet or frozen from rain or ice, making it a better alternative to outdoor playgrounds.
To keep the play area as safe as possible, emphasize to customers the importance of following the rules, including requiring supervision of all kids in the area. Kids must also avoid yelling, not run and not misuse the playground equipment or elements. You may need a staff member to ensure guardians watch their kids on the playground and that kids follow the rules. The staff member can also clean up spills immediately after they happen, which prevents slips and keeps the play area cleaner.
Create a Relaxed Space for Adults
Adults who visit your business should not get distracted by their kids. A playground lets the adults relax with others while they watch their kids play. After the kids enjoy time in the play area, the adults can focus more on your products or services.
Include comfortable seating in the play area to encourage adults to watch their kids on the playground and feel more relaxed. When adults feel you understand their need to keep their kids occupied, they will feel valued and more likely to continue to patronize your business.
Protect Your Merchandise
Kids need to move. They may not channel that need appropriately if they don’t have an area for play. Without a playground for kids, overly excited kids may damage your merchandise. Give them a healthier option to direct their energy with a play area where they can engage in active play with their peers. You won’t have to worry about kids damaging merchandise by playing in your store.
Is an Indoor Playground Right for Your Business?
Whether an indoor playground is right for your business depends on if you have the space, budget, time and clientele to accommodate it. Most companies and facilities that cater to families can find playground options that fit into their operations.
Space
SpaceYou don’t need a large space in your business to install a playground. Kids have big imaginations, so even the smallest play area will draw their attention and impress them. The only downside to smaller play spaces is they can have room for fewer kids. If your business draws big crowds, over time, you may choose to expand the space for your playground to allow room for more kids to play. If you have a large amount of space, you can choose a large playground that has plenty of room for more kids to play at once.
The playground can pack a lot of fun into compact spaces. For example, the ATOM play area is a compact, self-contained play area with multiple features for kids to use. Additionally, these play zones are budget-friendly.
Other small playground solutions pack more fun into less floor space by giving kids multiple levels to play on. If you have vertical space but not floor space, taller, smaller playgrounds can be the perfect solution for your compact space.
Don’t let limited space prevent you from adding an indoor playground to your business. Even small areas can accommodate play areas that maximize fun in minimal space.
Budget
Your business’s budget does not have to be a barrier to installing a playground. Financing options for play equipment allow you to choose a lease-to-own or same-as-cash loan to fund your play space. These options let you afford bigger playground options or more elements than your budget may allow for immediate purchase. With payments spread out through financing, you have more cash on hand for your business.
As your play area increases your incoming customers, your profits increase, allowing you to expand the playground or pay off your loan.
If you prefer to choose a playground that comfortably fits into an upfront payment, you have several budget-friendly options. Wonderscapes is a series of themed play areas that include sculpted foam and play elements that fit into small spaces. ATOM play areas also are budget- and space-friendly options.
Time
The amount of time you have for installing your new playground will help determine your choices. If you have less time, consider sculpted foam elements or smaller play areas. Professional installation will also shorten the time needed to have your play elements put into place. It’s best not to attempt a DIY approach for your business’s playground. Trust certified experts to install your playground for time savings and better results.
Clientele
If your customers include families with kids, you should consider a playground. The makeup of the families makes a difference in the type of playground you install. Do you mainly have caretakers of small kids in your facility, or do you see kids of all ages? Daycares, for example, may see more preschool kids, while car dealerships may have kids of all ages come with their caretakers.
If you have mainly younger kids, you may want a playground designed for toddlers and preschool kids. Alternatively, you can include a side play area for younger kids with another playground for kids 5 to 12 nearby. Separating these spaces can increase the number of kids who play in the area at once and ensure that younger toddlers have a place to play with their peers.
How Soft Play® Can Help You Start an Indoor Playground Business
With Soft Play, you have an expert in your corner to help you throughout the process of selecting, installing and maintaining your indoor playground. Our robust customer services start from the moment you contact us with a question or request a quote.
Free Design Consultation
Many of our indoor play areas offer full customization options. Our designers can help you create a perfect play area that represents your brand, fits your available space and won’t break your budget. We’ve worked with large and small businesses, from local daycare centers to Kennedy Space Center, to design their ideal play spaces. Trust us to offer you the same stellar customer service in designing your playground.
Turnkey Solutions
We help you with more than the design phase when you select and purchase your playground. Our customer service extends beyond the sale to include service and construction from our approved field professionals. We also offer continuing support through our highly trained customer service staff. With more than 25,000 installations over 30 years, our team at Soft Play will give your business the same world-class services we’ve come to be known for.
Customization
While choosing a standard play area produces quick results, you can also customize your playground with various added elements, colors and themes. Tailor the play area to your business with your brand colors or logo. Kids and their caregivers will more likely associate the fun times on the playground with your business.
Customization also allows you to find a playground that fits the amount of space you have. Whether your company needs something to fit into a small footprint but has vertical room or if you have a low ceiling but lots of floor space, we can find the right playground and elements that work for you.
Because customizing your playground equipment can feel daunting, our professional design team will help you along the way. Let us know what you need, and we will fulfill your requests with a playground designed specifically for your business.
A Painless Process From Start to Finish
Our team at Soft Play will facilitate the entire process for your business to get an indoor play area. We work hard to provide you with guidance and support at every step of the way.
First, you may look through our online products and send us a quote request online or ask for a free design consultation by contacting us. Our team will work with you to help you choose the elements you need and decide whether to theme the play area for your brand. Most designs and quotes take two weeks. Our team may need more time if you want theming or additional customization.
Professional installation does not require your business to rely on unproven contractors. We use a team of certified independent installers and service technicians who have proven their knowledge of correctly assembling and serving our products. To ensure they maintain their level of excellence in servicing our playgrounds and elements, we periodically test them. Consequently, you get a proven team of installers you can trust to do the work correctly when setting up our Soft Play products in your business.
Finally, we’re here for your company even after installation. At any time in the future, you can contact our customer service for continued product support. We’re here to answer any questions you have about components, repairs, service or spare parts. Plus, our team can connect you with the resources you need if your playground equipment requires replacement components.
Your company strives to provide your customers with excellent service and care. We do the same at Soft Play to ensure businesses like yours get the right playgrounds for their operations and outstanding customer service throughout the buying process and beyond.
Kickstart Your Business’s Indoor Playground Today
At Soft Play, we are experts at helping operations of all sizes find indoor play areas to fit their needs. We’ll pair your business with the best playground to meet budgetary or space constraints. With a playground that fits your business, you can better serve your customers, make families feel welcome and give kids a fun place to grow their skills. Let us know the type of equipment you want and your budget by requesting a quote online.
