In today’s competitive retail landscape, you’re tasked with finding new and exciting ways to increase foot traffic to your shopping center. Along with competing with other local businesses, retail shopping centers must combat the growing desire for online shopping experiences. Recent reports show that only 46% of consumers prefer shopping in-store, highlighting the intense competition that online shopping creates. In our digital era, retail shopping centers need to find ways to offer something that online stores cannot.

Making in-store shopping an experience, rather than simply a transaction, and creating family-centric spaces may be the key to bringing shoppers back to your doors. Thankfully, there are many ways to cement your standing. From designing interactive play areas to hosting family events, you can implement a range of strategies to increase your outreach and promote family bonding.

1. Design an Interactive Play Area

With the right design and features, play areas can benefit kids and parents. Adding a play area can help create a less stressful shopping trip by keeping kids entertained and encouraging families to spend time together.

There are several ways to design a play area, from simple activity rooms to large indoor playgrounds. Offering a comfortable blend of sit-down spaces and opportunities for kids to burn some energy ensures your play area has something for everyone. While there are many elements to consider when designing your play area, the top three to keep at the forefront are using age-appropriate equipment, incorporating educational elements and creating parent areas.

Use Age-Appropriate Equipment

Play areas offer kids an excellent opportunity for physical and social development. Considering various age groups is critical for meeting a wide range of developmental needs. Dedicate distinct spaces to cater to each age group:

• 6 to 23 months: Kids under 2 years old need space to walk, stand, sit up and crawl. Small ramps, single-step ladders, stairways with handrails and low-crawl tunnels are excellent age-appropriate play equipment to consider. Kids in this age group tend to be at floor level, so equipment should be easy to access and low to the ground.
• 2 to 4 years: Preschoolers often enjoy physical challenges that involve crawling over or under elements. Equipment can feature low platforms with multiple access ramps, rung ladders and slides.
• 5 to 12 years: School-age kids often engage in more complex types of play, such as hide-and-seek games or completing physical challenges. They are more likely to have competitions or find ways to create games and activities that incorporate play equipment. Age-appropriate equipment for this group could include climbing pieces, large slides, spinners, higher stairways, swings, overhead rings and track rides.

Blend Play With Education

Kids learn by exploring their surroundings and interacting with others, and play areas create many opportunities to blend play with learning. Dedicate a space to a controlled environment with simple games, puzzles and other activities.

Interactive art stations or reading corners encourage kids to flex their mental muscles and offer a reprieve for kids who need to take a physical break from running around or prefer to engage in solo activities. These spaces can also create opportunities for parents to play with their kids, and siblings in various age groups to spend time together.

Incorporate Parent Areas

When designing a play area, it’s also important to consider comfortable spaces for parents and non-playing family members. Parents often want to watch their kids exploring and laughing in a play area, but they may also want a few moments of peace or connection with other adults.

Balancing proximity with giving parents a moment to unwind is key to creating a space everyone in the family enjoys. Engaging parent spaces often feature comfortable seating, Wi-Fi connectivity options, clean surfaces, and adult-friendly amenities like charging stations or reading materials.

2. Host Family Events and Activities

Hosting family events and activities benefits both visitors and the shopping center. It’s an excellent way to increase foot traffic, including from those who might not otherwise visit your location.

For example, visitors may come from another town to enjoy an event with family members. The more time families spend in your retail center, the more likely they may be to shop or dine at your facilities. Hosting events can also position your shopping center as a gathering place, fostering a sense of community and helping your location stand out from competitors or online shopping options.

Embrace the Holidays

The holidays offer many opportunities to bring families together. Major holidays, like Christmas, Easter and Halloween, encourage you to incorporate themes that embrace the holiday spirit. Santa’s workshop activities could include making crafts, gift wrapping or swapping baked goods. You could invite families to dye eggs or participate in an egg hunt during Easter, and host costume contests or trick-or-treat events during Halloween.

Decorating your space with festive lights, playing music and incorporating interactive displays can enhance your atmosphere and encourage visitors to linger. You can also encourage retailers to participate in special promotions, in-store activities or themed merchandise to complement the festive ambience.

Get Busy During the Off-Season

There are also plenty of ways to maintain steady traffic during off-peak seasons with family events and activities. Your shopping center can embrace the weather for year-round activity ideas.

For example, in the summer, consider using part of your parking lot for an outdoor movie night, or invite local vendors to place pop-up stands for food and snacks at the center’s entrance. As fall approaches, consider creating back-to-school events like fashion shows or STEM workshops to get kids excited about their return.

During quieter months, like those in the winter or early spring, consider indoor activities. Host a scavenger hunt or invite families to dine at your facilities with special promotions or meal deals. Partner with local organizations like libraries and fitness clubs to boost your sense of community and keep the fun going all year long.

3. Hop on Social Media

Maintaining strong physical and digital assets is more important than ever. Establishing a social media presence allows you to build credibility, foster community and engage with customers of all ages. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer tons of opportunities to spread the word about upcoming events and promotions. Tech-savvy shoppers may enjoy hashtag campaigns or QR code-enabled discounts. For a targeted approach, consider investing in online ads to reach your family audience.

Advertise Your Offerings

Showcasing your family-friendly offerings and events on social media is a creative and engaging way to spread the word. Use visually appealing content to highlight the fun and interactive play areas or attractions you want families to experience. Use strategies like livestreaming or posting behind-the-scenes footage to create buzz around your events and allow families to get a feel for what they can expect at your shopping center.

Promote upcoming activities or events well in advance. Give families time to mark dates and times on their calendars. Post reminders regularly, and consider adding more excitement as your event gets closer. For example, you might create a post about activity options in one advertisement and food offerings in another. You could also host contests for reposting and sharing your content to amplify your outreach.

Leverage Partnerships

Maximize your appeal to families by leveraging community or influencer partnerships. Collaborating with local businesses and organizations can unlock co-host and cross-promotion opportunities. This strategy can also help you reach larger audiences. For example, partnering with a local kids’ sports club for mini-classes or workshops could encourage teams to stop by your location.

You can also host collaborative contests or offer exclusive social media promotions. For example, you could partner with a local library to create a reading competition. Perhaps you offer a free meal to kids who read a certain number of books within a specified time frame, or create a two-team event for a single book where kids answer questions and the winning team gets a prize.

4. Consider Pet-Friendly Spaces

Furry friends are family, too. For families that consider pets to be integral family members, offering accommodations can transform the shopping experience. While there may be some legal limitations to consider, it’s worth investigating whether you can implement pet-friendly spaces.

If you have unused outdoor space, you could consider creating a dog park. A well-maintained grassy area with play zones and water stations can encourage families to take breaks with their pets and socialize with other pet owners in the community. You could also use this space to host pet-friendly events, like “Yappy Hours,” where families can enjoy games and treats while their pets roam.

You could also consider accommodations like doggy day cares or cat clubs. Families that can’t or don’t want to leave their pets alone for prolonged periods can use this accommodation to enjoy a stress-free shopping experience. Promising to keep a family pet safe can give parents and kids peace of mind to enjoy longer shopping experiences. With the option to visit their pet at any time during the day, families can also feel like their pet is part of the shopping experience.

5. Offer Family-Centric Services

Another way to attract families to your shopping center is by offering family-centric services and promotions. Advertising promotions or activities specifically for families can encourage longer shopping center visits and repeat business. There are many family-centric services you can implement that go above traditional shopping and dining, including:

• Mommy-and-me makeovers: Invite mothers to bring their kids for a self-care day. Offer discount pricing on manicures and pedicures, makeup services or hair styling classes.
• Family yoga: Partner with local fitness organizations to host family yoga sessions. Promote health and wellness with group discounts or exclusive classes.
• Story and craft times: Encourage creativity and socialization with story times and craft workshops. Host a story reading and encourage families to create a themed craft afterward.
• Family photos: Capture memories and draw visitors with family photo opportunities. Offer seasonal photo shoots with Santa or the Easter Bunny, or get creative with seasonal props or themed backgrounds.

6. Add Entertainment for Everyone

Attracting families means offering something for everyone. Vibrant entertainment is enjoyable for people of all ages, including parents and kids. From live performances to interactive play opportunities, adding entertainment can transform the shopping experience into enjoyable family outings. Integrating entertainment can also boost your sense of community and enhance your overall appeal.

Run an Influencer Campaign

Investing in influencer marketing is an excellent strategy to showcase your family-friendly offerings and reach broader audiences. Reach out to local influencers first, like parent bloggers or kid-focused content creators. If there are few influencer options in your area, consider well-known groups or sports teams. For example, if your local high school baseball team recently won a title, you could find ways to make them become celebrities for a day.

You can also reach out to large influencers for increased buzz. Perhaps you could have a celebrity create a unique advertisement or giveaway for your location, or you could invite a well-known guest to host a live event. For example, authors could host a book signing, or a performer could conduct a question-and-answer event.

Whether you invite local influencers or renowned celebrities to your location, this approach can maximize your community outreach. New families may discover your location, or you may be able to reinforce your spot as the best place for family time in your area for faithful shoppers.

Invite Live Entertainers

Live entertainment is a great way to draw crowds, and this strategy can help you stand out from competitors. Creating dynamic experiences with live music, magicians or theater groups is a great way to foster community and encourage family time.

Embrace seasonal events with holiday-themed performances, character meet-and-greets or cultural celebrations. Host a summer festival with face painting and live music, or welcome kids to participate in a Thanksgiving-themed feast and storytelling session.

Encourage families to have a direct part in their entertainment by hosting talent shows, dance competitions and open mic nights. Promote your family-friendly entertainment on social media and offer new forms of entertainment regularly to become a go-to destination for family fun.

Schedule a Design Consultation With Soft Play®

If you’re looking for engaging ways to attract more families to your business, consider implementing play equipment. Soft Play has more than four decades of experience providing durable indoor and outdoor playground products that inspire creativity and create immersive environments for family entertainment. Our team can help you design a play area to suit any size and budget, ensuring your solution fits your unique needs.

Ready to bring more families to your doors? Request a quote for an interactive Soft Play project to get started.