Starting an indoor playground as a business is an excellent way to attract customers and boost business, engage your local community, build customer loyalty, and create a welcoming environment that sets you apart from competitors.

As the negative effects of excess screen time become more understood, more parents are leaning toward screen-free entertainment for their kids, which can include activities like playgrounds, coloring activities and toys. Having an establishment with screen-free entertainment allows families to feel like they’re having an engaging experience kids love.

This guide highlights how to open an indoor playground and includes aspects of market research, budgeting, design and maintenance. It also explores the benefits of indoor playgrounds for your business and families and the advantages of professional installation for a quality play area that lasts.

Who Should Start an Indoor Playground Business?

Whether you run or would like to establish a family-friendly restaurant, family entertainment center, museum or retail center, adding indoor play attractions will satisfy a need families have for wholesome fun and convenience — which can help your business grow. Soft Play® playgrounds can be designed to fit any size or budget.

A comfortable and enticing play area encourages families to take their time browsing, shopping, dining or socializing. You might consider adding indoor playground equipment to your business if you own or manage a:

• Museum
• Store
• Restaurant
• Family entertainment center
• Church
• Trampoline park
• Any amusement area that you want to make kid-friendly

When kids are happy, parents are happy too. A playground helps keep customers relaxed and content no matter where they are.

Why Should You Start an Indoor Playground?

Indoor playgrounds have become more popular, as they provide a secure, comfortable and engaging place for families to visit. With the increase in information on childhood health and development, parents are also realizing the importance of physical activity starting early in life.

According to the American Heart Association, obesity is the number one concern of parents today, and the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than tripled since the 1970s. Indoor play areas encourage physical activity in a way that is fun. Kids are more motivated to burn calories and stay fit when they are busy laughing and playing. It is also vital that kids regularly play to relieve stress, make friends and develop important cognitive skills.

Parents also want to get their kids away from TV and computer screens. The average American kid spends five to eight hours a day in front of a screen. Too much screen time makes it hard to sleep at night, increases the risk of attention problems and limits physical activity. With the demand to help kids get healthy and away from the screen, it’s the perfect time to open indoor playgrounds.

An indoor playground can also be a profitable component of your business. Playgrounds may be more profitable in areas with a larger demographic of young families with disposable income, but they’re also a great attraction for families on the road, like during vacations. Indoor playgrounds are also popular attractions in regions that experience frequent inclement weather, as they give families a way to get out of the house and engage in screen-free activities.

Indoor playgrounds offer many other advantages, whether you’re an existing establishment wanting to boost business or a startup establishment considering opening an entirely new indoor play area:

• Customer attraction and retention: An indoor playground is a great attraction for young families. Playgrounds provide a space where the whole family’s needs are met — parents get a break and a chance to catch up, and kids can play and explore. Play areas also help create a fun, memorable experience that will have families returning to your establishment.
• Gain a competitive edge: For any business, offering unique features and services sets you apart from the competition. A gym, community center, shopping mall, restaurant or church with a playground offers more value to young families than establishments without engaging and convenient facilities.
• Build customer loyalty: A custom playground is an easy way to advertise your brand and is an excellent way to earn customer loyalty. It creates a family-friendly image for your brand that shows customers you’re committed to investing in their experience. Happy customers will also help generate positive word-of-mouth.
• Make families feel welcome: Adding an indoor playground to your business will make families feel seen, engaged and comfortable. A kid-friendly environment that promotes play will encourage customers to come back time and time again.

Ready to take a leap and start building an indoor playground? Contact our team of experts at Soft Play and get your custom indoor playground project started.

How to Start an Indoor Playground Business: Market Research, Marketing, Location and Budget

Before starting an indoor playground business, you need to create a business plan. Your indoor playground business plan should include your budget, marketing techniques, a mission statement and operation procedures such as cleaning and maintenance. You will also need to research competitors to learn how to offer something new and interesting at a reasonable price.

Market Research

Market research is an essential part of learning how to start an indoor playground business, as it allows you to understand how viable it would be to add one to your existing business model. While your research strategies will be unique to your establishment, you can add elements of the following aspects to your brainstorming sessions:

• Discover vital customer information and demographics, including the number of parents and young kids in the area. Having the option to share demographic information on customer surveys and polls is an excellent way to explore this information and gauge the demand for an indoor playground.
• In your demographic research, it’s also helpful to discover the primary age group of kids 0 to 12 in the community so that you can design and implement age-appropriate play equipment.
• Conducting research to understand potential competition can help you find gaps in the market and explore ways to set your business apart.

Exploring your competition more deeply is crucial. You can look at companies that are relatively the same size as yours and serve the same geographic location. Visit your competitors’ social networks and websites to learn what they are doing. Also, visit their customers’ social media pages and read their reviews and comments about competing businesses.

You can also expand your market research by learning what competitors charge for their products or services and consider how you can offer something different. The goal is to determine how you can stand out from the competition and offer customers something exciting and unique at a price they can afford.

Social Media

Social media has become a standard tool for marketing, so you likely want to put it to good use. Nearly half of all parents in the United States use Instagram, and 79% use Facebook, making these — and other socials — essential marketing platforms.

Posting quality photos of various play components is valuable — but don’t stop there! To effectively use social media for marketing your indoor playground, consider posting consistent long- and short-form video content, which 66% of survey participants believe is the most engaging content type.

Location

Another crucial part of planning is considering the best location for your indoor play area. If you have an established business, this step will involve assessing your layout. If you’re just starting out, considering the following is beneficial:

• Will the build sites you’re exploring attract attention and high foot traffic?
• Is the site a hub for tourists?
• What nearby amenities would attract more parents?
• Is the building spacious enough? Does it have the right dimensions for your indoor play area requirements?

Consider working with an indoor playground expert to help with these technical planning stages.

Budget

How much you need to start an indoor playground largely depends on the size and type of playground equipment you will purchase. A large, elaborate play center will cost more than a single piece of playground equipment. The price is up to you and your business goals. Note that stand-alone play equipment can be a great option if you are limited on space or budget.

Your budget should include:

• A comprehensive breakdown of startup costs like rent and business insurance.
• Costs to operate the indoor playground, such as utilities and salaries.
• Marketing expenses.
• Estimated or expected profits.

Considerations for Indoor Playground Designs

If you’re wondering how to start your own playground business and make it successful, you want to design an indoor playground that is innovative, engaging and fun for all ages to keep families coming back. The option to design a custom playground allows you to set your imagination free and create an exciting environment that will differentiate from competitor options while also engaging kids.

A thoughtfully designed playground will keep kids entertained for hours and show them something unexpected. Keep the following elements in mind when it’s time to design:

• Space: Consider the layout of the site to ensure you have sufficient space and can plan well for amenities like seating, restrooms and food areas.
• Color and theme: You can explore using primary colors to create a simple but captivating design that naturally stimulates kids’ imaginations. You can also consider a themed playground that immediately captures a kid’s attention and imagination. Kids gravitate to castles, wildlife and pirates — so choosing these themes for a playground makes sense!
• Toys: Include activities and toys that kids enjoy, such as trampolines, swings, bright and interactive activities, playhouses, climbing structures and educational and fun musical instruments and equipment.
• Brand: When you design your playground, keep your brand’s design standards in mind and explore ways to reflect that in your play areas. You can use your logos and colors or themes to bring your brand to life in your playground design.

At Soft Play, our design consultants know what works best for businesses, kids and parents. They will help you design a playground that attracts customers and keeps them coming back. Once you are satisfied with the design, we manufacture equipment at our state-of-the-art facility in Monett, MO, to get your playground delivered on time and within budget.

Business Licensing and Compliance

Indoor playground businesses require the correct licenses according to specific state laws. You may also require additional permits for childcare compliance. If you’re starting a business, you’ll also need to register your company and get a tax identification, liability insurance and any other business permits required by your state laws.

Two basic but fundamental licenses you need for an indoor playground include the Doing Business As license and a general business license that allows you to register your business and comply with tax laws.

Contacting a state official’s office can be helpful in determining exactly what you need to operate your indoor playground in a way that complies with your regional laws. For example, if you plan to serve food at your indoor playground, you may need a specific license for food handling. Indoor play area requirements are important and need to be acquired.

Installing and Promoting Your Indoor Playground

Once you have all the necessary licenses and your location picked out, it’s time to install your playground. Soft Play takes care of the installation for you, so you do not need to worry about hiring a construction crew for your playground. Our installation professionals are trained and certified to ensure proper installation and care with every playground.

With your new playground in place, it’s time to enjoy your hard work and reap the benefits of fun. First, you’ll need to promote your playground and get families excited to check it out. Here are ways to spread the word and generate buzz in your community:

• Have a grand opening: Invite families to stop in and play during your grand opening. Make sure to have special offers like party discounts or free samples during the grand opening.
• Set up a website: If you already have a business website, don’t forget to add information about your playground. If you need a site, make it a priority to set one up. Also, join social media groups to promote your brand and connect with customers. Share family-friendly tips on social media to build trust and appeal to your target audience.
• Sign up for an email service: Make sure you can send newsletters, updates, and special offers to current and potential customers by gathering their email addresses on your site. Email is one of the top ways to keep customers engaged at a low cost.
• Get involved: Get involved in your community to promote the benefits of playgrounds for kids. Become an expert on the subject of Soft Play and share your knowledge with others. Join local parent organizations and let it be known that you are not just another business owner but also care about the community as a whole.
• Advertise in print and online: Place ads and coupons in local papers and magazines, as well as via online sources, to make sure you reach as many people as you can.

The goal of advertising is to raise awareness among your target audience about the exciting new product or experience you have to offer. You also want to educate customers about the benefits of your product. Once families experience how fun and convenient your playground is, they will continue to return and share their positive experiences with friends and other family members.

Ongoing Maintenance for Your Playground

Soft Play playground equipment is designed to be low-maintenance, so you can spend less time worrying and more time focusing on your customers and business goals. Each playground component is made to last thanks to high-quality materials and a commitment to quality control at a state-of-the-art facility in Monett, MO. Our customer service team knows our equipment inside and out and is available to answer questions or identify parts if you need to maintain, repair or update your equipment.

Contact Soft Play to Learn More About Opening an Indoor Playground Business

Are you excited to attract customers to your business with the best playground you can find? Are you ready to launch an indoor playground? Starting an indoor play center might feel overwhelming, but Soft Play is eager to help you through every step of how to open a kids’ play place, from financing to installation.

Since 1984, Soft Play has been the global leader in contained playground equipment and has installations in more than 60 countries. We are committed to providing excellent service and unique custom playgrounds so everyone can have fun. We are proud to say we are experts at bringing families back to businesses again and again. At Soft Play, we understand the importance of getting kids back to play and offer expert solutions and design options to fit your needs.

Why choose Soft Play? Here are a few reasons:

• Finance solutions: We offer competitive playground equipment prices and financing options, so you do not have to wait to invest in your business. We are happy to walk you through every step and pick an option that is best for you.
• Design consultation: We work with you to design custom playgrounds that fit your budget, space and audience. Whether you want a large themed playground for your new retail space or a smaller play area to draw families to your restaurant, we can’t wait to help make your vision a reality. We will make sure your playground is fun, exciting, innovative and encourages active play.
• Sales support: Our customer service professionals are experts when it comes to our equipment. They are ready to answer any of your questions and help you decide when it is time to repair or update equipment. Our sales representatives are pleased to guide you from design to installation to make sure the equipment will be fun and all-inclusive for your audience.
• Expert installation: We make sure certified professionals install every piece of your custom playground so you can rest assured that your playground is ready for use.

With Soft Play, you have the tools, expertise and insights of the indoor playground industry at your fingertips. Our team of experts designs and creates quality indoor playground areas that are ADA-compliant and inclusive. We also specialize in outdoor and aquatic products and services. Contact us today to explore how we can help you with opening an indoor playground and our full range of services!