soft play business plan

How to Start a Soft-Play Business: A Step-by-Step Guide

If you're passionate about creating a space where children can have fun, burn off energy, and explore their imagination, starting a soft-play business might be the perfect venture for you. 

Soft-play businesses provide safe and engaging environments often filled with colorful play structures, ball pits, and interactive games. In this step-by-step guide, we'll walk you through starting your own soft-play business, from understanding the concept to launching your exciting new venture.

What is a soft-play business?

A soft-play business is a recreational facility designed for children to enjoy interactive play experiences. It typically features soft and padded play equipment, such as climbing frames, slides, tunnels, and obstacle courses. Soft-play areas are designed to be safe and secure, allowing children to explore, socialize, and develop their physical and cognitive skills in a controlled environment.

Is a soft-play business profitable?

The demand for soft-play businesses continues to rise due to the increasing emphasis on child development and active play. Parents and caregivers recognize the importance of providing children with opportunities for physical activity and imaginative play.  By offering a unique and engaging experience, your soft-play business has the potential to attract a steady stream of customers and generate a profitable return on investment.

How much does it cost to start a soft-play business?

The cost of starting a soft-play business can vary depending on various factors such as location, size, equipment, and additional amenities. While it's challenging to provide an exact figure, conducting thorough research and creating a comprehensive budget plan will help you estimate the expenses involved.  Consider costs such as equipment purchase or rental, facility lease or purchase, insurance, staffing, marketing, and ongoing maintenance. It's crucial to allocate sufficient funds for the initial setup and ongoing operational costs.

How do I start a soft-play business?

Step 1: conduct market research.

Before diving into the planning phase, it's essential to conduct thorough market research. Identify your target audience, study the local demographics, and assess the demand for a soft-play business in your area.  Visit existing soft-play centers, talk to parents, and gather insights about their preferences, expectations, and pain points. Understanding the market landscape and potential competitors will provide valuable guidance for differentiating your business and creating a unique offering.

Step 2: Develop a business plan

Creating a comprehensive business plan will be a roadmap for your soft-play business. Outline your vision, mission, and goals, and include detailed financial projections, marketing strategies, and operational procedures. Your business plan should also incorporate your target market analysis, competitor research, and plans for ensuring the safety and security of your play area. Additionally, consider any additional services or amenities you may want to offer, such as party hosting, a café, or themed events.

Step 3: Secure financing

Starting a soft-play business typically requires a significant initial investment. Explore financing options such as personal savings, loans, or partnerships to secure the necessary funds. Present your well-developed business plan to potential investors or financial institutions to demonstrate the viability and profitability of your venture. Proper financial planning is crucial to ensure you have the resources to cover not only the startup costs and ongoing expenses until your business becomes self-sustaining.

Step 4: Find the perfect location

Choosing the right location is crucial for the success of your soft-play business. Look for areas with high foot traffic, such as shopping malls, family entertainment centers, or commercial complexes.  Consider the size requirements for your play area, allowing ample space for children to move comfortably and safely. Ensure the location has sufficient parking facilities, easy accessibility, and the necessary permits and licenses to operate a recreational business.

Step 5: Design and equip your play area

Collaborate with a professional designer to create an engaging and visually appealing play area. Ensure the design incorporates age-appropriate zones, themed play structures, and safety features like soft flooring and clear sightlines for supervision. Select high-quality play equipment that complies with safety regulations and standards. Consider creating separate areas for toddlers and older children to cater to different age groups.

Step 6: Establish safety and hygiene protocols

Safety is paramount in a soft-play business. Develop strict safety protocols and procedures to ensure the well-being of children and peace of mind for parents. Implement thorough equipment maintenance schedules, regular safety inspections, and staff training programs.  Additionally, establish hygiene protocols that include routine cleaning and sanitization of play equipment, restrooms, and common areas to maintain a clean and healthy environment.

Step 7: Launch and market your soft-play business

As your soft-play business nears completion, it's time to create buzz and generate excitement for your grand opening. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes online and offline promotion, social media campaigns, partnerships with local schools or community organizations, and targeted advertising.  Leverage digital platforms, your website, and ROLLER's comprehensive software solutions to streamline ticketing, customer management, and loyalty programs. Starting a soft-play business can be an exciting and rewarding venture. By following these step-by-step guidelines, conducting thorough research, and leveraging modern technologies like ROLLER's comprehensive software solutions, you can create an enchanting space where children can explore, play, and make lasting memories.  Remember, the key to success lies in offering a safe, engaging, and unforgettable experience that keeps families returning for more. So, take the first step and embark on your journey to bring joy and happiness to children in your community.

Ready to open your soft-play business? Get in touch to see how ROLLER can help.

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Setting up an Indoor Soft Play Business!

Diary of a new operator.

The "How To Set Up An Indoor Play Area - A Diary of a New Operator" article was first published in 2010 in the Indoor Play Magazine  and followed one of Soft Brick's customers, Carol White, as she set up her indoor play business. More than 10 years on and we still have customers contact us and reference this excellent resource. With the Indoor Play Magazine's permission, we are reproducing it as part of our Soft Brick blog - and including some photos along the way too!

So here we go...

Introduction

Rather than listing or telling you how to set up an indoor play centre we thought it would be more useful to see how Surrey business woman Carol White embarked on a life-changing new venture by opening an indoor play area in Farnham.

This month I’ve decided to do something that can definitely be described as life changing and this diary is my way of recording the process for posterity.

My name’s Carol White and – in agreement with my husband Jason – I’ve taken the decision to give up my job at the local anaesthetists and open a soft play area in Farnham, Surrey. Jason has his own construction business and we’ve decided to invest all our savings into this new venture, which I will run. Obviously we discussed it at length and we recognise that there are risks involved, but I’ve put a lot of thought into this and I am sure I can make a success of it.

I have my 4-year old granddaughter Isabel to thank for the inspiration. Soon after Isabel was born, my daughter went back to work and I reduced my working days from three to two in order to look after her. About 18 months ago, I began to take her to one of the four indoor play centres within a 10-mile radius of Farnham. Very quickly, I realised that although I was achieving the primary objective of giving Isabel the chance to play, have fun and get some healthy exercise, our local centres, in my view could make improvements in some areas. I intend to address those issues and implement the improvements in my centre.

Before I seriously considered the option of doing something myself, I had already begun the research process – taking notes while I was in the centres, picking up on the things that I felt I could do better, counting the numbers of children that came into the centre while Isabel was playing etc...

I am convinced that the customer base is out there and this will work. Farnham is an affluent town and there are several private schools around. We’ll be totally self-funded, with no borrowings and I’ve already started drafting the business plan – the next stage is to find premises and get the ball rolling.

I started to look for premises at the beginning of this month. I looked on the internet for agents in Farnham that let commercial properties, found four and went straight in to see them.

I told them what I was trying to achieve and at first they tended to show me large industrial units on the edge of town. The properties were big enough, but parking was always an issue and I don’t really want children coming out of my centre into an industrial estate. Eventually Ian Steele at Park Steele struck gold. He had a town centre retail unit, which had been empty for a year. It is in the East Street precinct, next to Sainsbury’s. It was the supermarket’s off license until they moved that in-store in mid-2009 and at 2,301 square feet, it’s the perfect size and height for a reception area, two-storey play frame, café and toilets and an office.

I said yes straight away. The rent is £35,000 a year, which is a lot higher than in an industrial estate, but the location makes it worth it. Not only is it next to Sainsbury’s, which generates a lot of passing custom, on the other side of Sainsbury’s is a children's bed shop and opposite, planning permission has just been granted for a 300 - apartment development. If only half of the people have children, that would be a huge boost for my business.

It will take a few weeks to sort out the heads of agreement with Sainsbury’s, which is sub-letting the premises to me, but I really feel like we’re onto a winner. We need to get our change of use application passed, of course, but what a perfect location.

Despite the fact that I’m not looking for funding at this stage, I went to meet the bank manager at Barclays and I have to say, he was brilliant. I showed him my budget and business plan and he said it knocked spots off most business plans people bring to him when they are looking for a loan. He offered a few helpful suggestions and also gave me the option of a free consultation with the business manager and marketing manager. I don’t feel like I need that right now, but it’s good to know it’s available.

One thing I have rapidly learnt is – if you need something, you have to ask for it. Sainsbury’s agreed to everything I asked for in the terms and that is a big help. It gives me an additional three parking spaces for staff and a deferment in rent payments until we open, as well as some concessions because we will be redeveloping the building. At the moment, it’s a shell and the old tills, shelves and shopping trolleys are in it.

In terms of the application for change of use, I spoke to the agent and he looked into all of that for us. The premises have an A1 Retail licence at the moment, and we needed to apply for an Class E (used to be D2)  Leisure licence. Jason has used a surveyor for his business for years and we got him involved to apply to the council, ensure we complied with building regulations and liaise with all the relevant parties. That process will take a while, as local businesses and residents’ associations have to be consulted as well as council planners, but fingers crossed we’ll sail through.

We put in the planning application to brand the outside of the unit the name as a limited company. We’re going to be called Stay & Play and I spent a few hours with a designer to come up with the logo. We have time to tweak that before we open – hopefully in April, but it’s exciting to see the identity of my centre begin to take shape. Again this is a process that takes a while, but it’s pretty much a formality, once we have permission to change the use of the premises. I also got a quote for insurance through Morton Michel. I was expecting to compare and contrast two or three insurance providers, but they came up first on the internet search (insurance for soft play) and Janet Hooper was so thorough, helpful and professional during our phone call I decided there and then that this was the broker I wanted to work with. Their policy also came in a fair way below what I had budgeted for, which was another bonus!

Another big decision to make – when should I hand my notice in? If everything goes to plan and our application is granted by February, our aim is to open in time for the Easter school holidays. Because of the nature of the business where I have worked for the last seven years, I have to give three months notice, which leaves me with a dilemma. We decided that I will hand in my notice on January 1 and leave on March 31, which leaves me with the minimum amount of time I could have to make the final preparations to open Stay & Play. If things don’t happen in the time frame we want them too, then it could prove an expensive move, but weighing everything up, I don’t think we have any other choice really.

My view, based very much on my own experiences, is that first and foremost, I want to look after the parents and grandparents. We have ordered nine lovely leather sofas and comfortable tables and chairs for the café, and we’ll be putting in a big screen to show terrestrial channels. There will be a heavy emphasis on home-made food in the café, with a wide selection of paninis, baguettes and sandwiches as well as oven-baked dishes and the full range of coffees and teas from an all-singing, all dancing espresso machine. For the children, we’ll have things like breaded chicken fillets, not nuggets, and oven baked chips, rather than fried. I’ll also be making mashed potato, and for dessert, a range of homemade cakes and puddings. There will be plenty of healthy options. I want to give parents a choice that they just don’t have elsewhere in this area - if they are happy, the kids will play anywhere and when I combine that with a high-quality playframe, my offer will definitely stand out from the rest.

We got the letter on February 16 telling us that our application for change of use had been granted – fantastic news! We received some very positive feedback on our plans from some of the groups who were consulted.

It was generally agreed that we will be contributing to the re-invigoration of the local business community, and to have that sort of support means a lot. Now we need to find out when we can get the keys and Jason can get in there and begin the construction job. My hunt for an equipment supplier, which as always began on the internet, ended with me placing an order with Soft Brick Company. I dealt with Nicole Warriner and she was so helpful. I gave them the dimensions of the site and my own design ideas, and once I had chosen the equipment that I wanted to buy, they sent me a computer-generated 3D drawing of what it would look like. I’ve paid the 30 per cent deposit and now they will send me the swatches and themes, so I can colour match and get a precise idea of what we’ll end up with. It’s starting to feel very real now – the next few weeks will be hectic, but I can’t wait to get cracking.

Please note: Our design team would like to highlight that our 3D images are infinitely better now compared with 2010!

• 4th - I spent this morning on the phone to Waverley Borough Council, checking that I am complying with environmental health standards. Silly things like whether the music we play at parties will breach any licensing or noise pollution laws or whether the flat screen TV that will play CBeebies all day for the toddlers is legal. I’m learning new stuff every time I make a phone call, and even when you are 99% certain that you know you’re within the law, it’s worth making sure – a fine after you’ve opened could be a crippling blow. I also checked about the need for CRB checks for my staff and was surprised to find out that, due to the nature of their duties, there is no legal obligation for them to be CRB registered. I’ve decided, however, that whether it’s a legal obligation or not, ethically I think it’s better to pay for them to get CRB clearance. It will give us protection when a parent inevitably asks the question at some point and as with inspections, I feel it is a small price to pay for my own peace of mind, as well as that of the parents. I’ve included it in the contracts of employment, which I have now completed. I pieced them together over time, as I thought about things, rather than going for the standard downloadable contract off the internet, as I feel this is a very specific sector and needs well-thought out clauses. I’ve met with the accountant that Jason uses and he’s sorted out all the National Insurance and PAYE details for me, so we’re pretty much ready to go staff-wise.
• 8th - I’ve been formulating plans in my head for some of the key aspects of Stay & Play for months; now, with opening day approaching quickly, it’s been time to put them into action. This is a key month for us. The marketing plan seems pretty straightforward to me. I’ve had another couple of meetings with the printer and he’s come up with a great flyer that details everything about us and what we offer as a soft play centre and also features a competition that we hope will attract more people through the doors in the early weeks. Anyone who comes in with the flyer will be entered into a prize draw, with the chance to win a free party for up to 12 children. That’s worth around £150 to the winning parents, but obviously won’t cost me as much as that. The flyer also includes details of how people can pre-book a party from April 15th (our expected opening date) onwards, so hopefully we’ll be able to open with some orders already on the books.
• 14th - I’ve had 5,000 flyers printed and they will be distributed in a number of ways. My daughter has a large circle of friends who are mums and that will be a good starting point. I’ve also been contacting the local primary schools to ask about promoting the centre to parents and the sheer weight of the word of mouth in Farnham will undoubtedly be useful. Because we haven’t got the keys yet – we should have had them at the end of February and its now mid-March – I have had to hedge our bets a bit on an opening date, although we still want to open before Easter. On top of that, I’m also going to put leaflets in the Farnham Herald and I’m considering a £300 half-page advert in the local free newspaper, which goes out to 33,000 readers. There will be a voucher in there for a free cup of coffee and a slice of cake for the parents. I’ll also put leaflets next door in Sainsbury’s, where a big portion of my target customer base shop.
• 17th - I’ve considered long and hard the subject of age profile and entrance prices and this is what I’ve ended up with: - There will be no charge for adults or children between 0-12 months. As I’ve said before, I want parents to feel comfortable in my environment and I’d rather benefit from the spend in the café from a contented adult than annoy them before they have even stepped foot in Stay & Play - Children will be charged on a sliding scale, depending on their age. Between 1-3, they will pay £3.80, that will rise to £4.20 for 3-5 year olds, and then again to £4.80 for over 5s. We have designed the centre so that it is suitable for children up to the age of 10, but I’m conscious that children grow at different speeds and we may put a height restriction in if bigger children become an issue. Basically, my view is that it’s volume of people through the door that I’m looking for and I don’t want to introduce anything that jeopardises that. If you have happy people coming through the door and then give them what they want once they’re inside, you’re going to do alright. I’m also going to pay staff to run the place for eight hours, so I want it to be busy for as much of that time as possible. I’ve got most of the staff in place already. I’m going to be running four separate part-time shifts. Opening hours will be 9.30-6 and two people will do the 9.30-2.30 shift each weekday and two more will do the 12-6 shift. I’ll be there obviously and my daughter is also going to put in some shifts and help out more when I’m away for any reason. We’ll put together the rota on a monthly basis. As long as we always have three people available, we’ll be able to run the reception, the play area and the café smoothly, as well as keep up a rigid cleaning regime for the equipment and the loos.
• 21st - Hygiene and cleanliness are right at the top of my priority list and I’m going on a hygiene course to get a few more pointers before I start. It’s not just about our cleanliness either, I’ve also bought miniature stainless steel swing bins for each table and there will be a packet of baby wipes on every table too. It’s the small touches that make the difference and I’m going on my own experience to select things that I would like to see if I was a customer (or that I would want Isabel to have access to as a child).
• 23rd - I’ve booked and paid for a Play Inspection Company inspection before we open. I’ve got no real worries – the equipment is being supplied by a very reputable manufacturer, we’ve got no sharp edges, no glass and we’ve gone for a full fitted carpet, rather than tiles. Although the parents are ultimately responsible for their children when they are in the centre, we will leave no stone un-turned to fulfil our obligations. An inspection costs £450 a year, why wouldn’t you do that? It’s a tiny price to pay for the safety of so many children. We’ve also decided that we’re going to move our food sourcing from Costco, where we are members, to Booker’s. We hadn’t been to Booker’s before, but when we went in this month, we realised how good it is and it’s a lot closer than the closest Costco. The quality of what we buy is most important, of course, but the price and lack of travel costs also worked in Booker’s favour.
• 25th - I’ve set up Stay & Play as a limited company, on the advice of my accountant and registered myself as the sole director. Barclays has also given me 18-months free banking. I do feel that I’ve received some excellent advice and that is allowing me to go into this adventure with my eyes very much wide open.
• 27th – Still no keys, which is putting us in a very tight position. It’s all down to the solicitors – one of Sainsbury’s solicitors has been ill and no-one else would look at the file – amazing. There are no problems, but a few clauses that need inserting before we can get final sign off. Very frustrating, but these things are sent to try us!

• 1st – It might be April Fool’s Day, but I’m sure they weren’t pulling my leg when they said we could have the keys. We were pacing up and down in the facility, with seven eager Soft Brick Co. employees who had come down to install the equipment on the 2nd when we finally got the yes. What a huge relief, but on the other hand, the really hard work starts here and we now have 12 days to do what we expected was six weeks work to turn this shell of a building into a play centre. We have signed a 15-year lease, with two five-year get out clauses, when we could pull out and retrieve our deposit money. One thing we didn’t expect was that there is stamp duty on leasing a commercial property – how much money does the government want from us all? Well, in our case, it’s £2,900. You can’t buck the system though, we just have to grin and bear it.
• 2nd – Well, the play-frame is now installed and it looks great. It wasn’t the way round we wanted it of course, as now we have to build around the frame and we’ll have to get a team of cleaners in to clear away the dust afterwards, but I suppose we can at least now see the first impressions of what the centre will be based around. Trying to be excited, but it’s getting a bit stressful!
• 6th – I completed my health and safety and hygiene certificates, both level 2. A local lady named Pauline Murdoch was kind enough to carry the courses out at home, due to the time constraints. It was fairly straightforward, which I was advised to look into by the environmental health guy, Jamie Tomlinson. You don’t have to do it, but safer food, better business is their philosophy and I couldn’t agree more.
• 8th – Jason has been working on the centre for the last few days and we are making progress. We’re still hoping to open on Friday 14th, but at this stage it’s beginning to look like we’ll be opening on Saturday or Sunday – we really can’t afford to open before we are totally ready.
• 14th – The decision has been made for us – we will be opening on Sunday, as there physically wasn’t the time to get everything done and – pardon the pun – dusted before today. We have shelved plans for a full-on opening party and will instead have a group of family and friends with their children to share a few bottles of champagne and nibbles with us on Sunday. It’s disappointing not to hit our opening date, but so many things have been thrown at us, I don’t think we can be too hard on ourselves. Jason has been working non-stop and he is absolutely exhausted. I feel like I’ve pushed and pushed him, but he’s been brilliant. He’s also done all this work, which he estimates would have cost around £20,000, for nothing and has also paid for the plumbers and electricians. He sees it as part of the overall investment and it is certainly going to be a huge help over the first few months, giving us a bit more financial leeway when we might need it.
• 15th – The play-frame was inspected today and the Play Inspection Company could not find anything to quibble with, so we passed with flying colours. That’s another important hurdle crossed – still quite a bit more work to do, but we’re going to get there, however long it takes us into the night.
• 16th – Opening Day!! Would you believe it, the weather has turned and our opening day was “blessed” with the unheard of temperature for Farnham in April of 27°C. We hardly noticed all that of course, having been here til midnight last night putting chairs together. The kitchen ceiling only went in yesterday, so it does feel a little like we’re flying by the seats of our pants, but there has been so much meticulous preparation, that certainly isn’t the case. We had a lovely get together and the kids loved the play area, so despite the fact there were maybe not as many paying customers as we had hoped for (45), it was a good day.
• 23rd – The end of the first week as a fully-fledged indoor play area operator and I have to say, it’s not been ideal. The sun shone throughout the week and the numbers of people through the door were low as a result. It’s sod’s law of course that the weather breaks when you want rain, but that’s not stopping me having sleepless nights and walking into work every morning filled with dread that we might have another quiet day.
• 30th – Week two has been no better really. The numbers through the door have not gone up, even though we have been getting great feedback from everyone who has come in. They seem to really appreciate the little touches, like free biscuits with the coffee, the wipes etc… and already we’ve had some return visits. I’m getting here at 7 every morning to clean the loos, hoover, do the Sainsbury’s shop and generally prepare for the day, and leaving at 7 in the evening and I must admit, it’s tiring. There are four of us in the team, myself and Siobhan, who is also full time, another girl who covers the two days when Siobhan is off and my daughter Carly, who works on the 3-4 busiest lunchtimes of the week. I’m beginning to question myself and whether I’ve done the right thing. It’s easy to blame the low numbers on the weather, but have I made a big mistake?
• May 7th – Well, I feel a bit better now. After falling well shot of our targets in weeks 1 and 2, we hit our target on week 3 and had a very encouraging 86 children through the door on Saturday, as well as a party for 10. I have budgeted so that we could get by on 30 children a day, but to make a profit, which we would obviously prefer, we need to average around 40 children a day. We were also above the daily average on Friday and Sunday, so revenue wise, hopefully we are off and running. We have had nearly 100 flyers returned to enter into our competition to win a free children’s party and also started to see the first vouchers coming in from our promo in the Herald. And the repeat visits are picking up – we are beginning to attract a following and hopefully every bit of marketing we do will pay dividends over the next few weeks and months. How could we have legislated for the hottest April on record when we were planning? It’s just got to be put down to sheer bad luck. With hindsight, we would have taken the fact that keys were so delayed arriving with us and used that delay to open later I suppose. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.  I’ve been working every day now for five weeks, which I expected – I just didn’t quite expect the levels of anxiety that came with it!
• 13th – I’ve had some really nice calls from operators in other parts of the country. They’d all read the last issue of Indoor Play and wanted to tell me not to be too despondent. They reassured me that my experiences were not outside the norm – one said that she has 100 people through the door most days, but it is not unusual for that to drop to 20 or 30 when it’s really hot. It was a real boost to know that there is a supportive community out there and it has really cheered me up to realise I am far from alone.
• 20th – Since the end of May, the weather has deteriorated and apart from the odd quiet day, we have had very consistent footfall through the centre. Where we were getting 25-30 children a day coming through, our ‘normal’ day will now see 60-80 children coming through the door, and that’s before we get into the school holidays! Our weekends are generally the busiest days – with the average numbers for a Saturday between 80 and 90, but the busiest day we have had so far was a Friday in June, when we counted 114 kids in – and counted them all out again as happy customers.
• 21st – It’s not just the change in the weather that’s made a difference – I’ve come to realise that people just had to get to know that we were here. There has been a gradual rise in awareness. Parents who have brought their children to parties here have then either come back to play at a later date or even booked another party for their own son or daughter. With hindsight, it was bound to take a while for the word to spread. We have a licence for up to 60 children playing here at any given time and until now we have not had to turn anyone away. I’m not looking forward to a time when we might have to do that, but it’s quite likely to happen at some stage. If it does, I’ll be ready with a drink voucher or a free entry offer though, as I know it can be a hassle just getting here, parking and getting the kids in and out of the car, and I would hate for people to be upset.
• 25th – We are doing really well with parties – I’ve got at least 2-3 booked in every weekend until the end of August and what I’m finding is that parents tend to book 6-8 weeks in advance, so I’m hoping that trend will continue. I had initially projected that we would have 2- 5 parties a week and, as well as the weekend parties, we’ve also had quite a few booked in during the week, so all in all, we’ve probably exceeded that target slightly as well.
• 28th – The equipment is brilliant and I can’t say a bad word about the Soft Brick Company and everything they’ve done for me. The kids love it and Soft Brick have been so helpful, to the point that when a few tags got lost of our little tag game, they replaced them for free even though I was prepared to pay for them. As I’ve said before, it’s the little things that make all the difference.
• 30th – One of the more pleasing aspects so far has been the response from the parents. We have such a lot of people taking the time to comment on how much they like Stay and Play, particularly on the little extra touches like free biscuits and baby wipes. That vindicates my vision – it takes 16p off my profit every time I give a free biscuit away and I don’t have to do that, but it genuinely makes a difference to people’s experience. I know from my own experience that it is relatively unusual for people to take the time to make positive comments, but I’ve lost count of the number of times when people have asked me if I was the owner/manager, then thanked me and told me what a lovely time they’ve had here.

• 4th – The first quarter ends on July 16 and, against all the odds, we’ve made enough money for me to give all the staff a small bonus. I’m planning to give the full timers £150 and the part-timers £50 or £60 each. OK, they are not going to be able to go to Las Vegas on it, but they’ll be able to have a spend-up at the shops, and it’s my way of telling them how much I appreciate them. They really do work non-stop.
• 7th – I’ve had some new thoughts about the menu in the café. I always thought it would be updated as we gauged the customers. The food has been going really well and it has been appreciated that we don’t have any fried food. Our chicken fillets and fish fillets, with oven baked chunky chips are very popular. The best sellers are our sandwiches though, which are thick cut and served with a fresh salad and a generous serving of Kettle chips. They are £3.50 and sell very well. I’ve also introduced a lunch bag for the kids, which costs £3.95 for five items – sandwich, crisps, fairy cake, bag of fresh-cut fruit and a juice. We sell 10-15 of those a day on average. Everything is individually wrapped, so people know that they can take it home with them if it doesn’t get finished and I think that has been a big plus point too. I budgeted to take around £100 a day in the café, and already we are taking upwards of £250 on our busiest days. Even an average day will bring in £120-£130, so that suggests we’re definitely hitting the spot with our offer. I’m very choosy with what I eat and I am the same with what I buy for other people, so the margin on our food and drink is not as high as it perhaps could be. I buy all the big stuff at Booker’s, which is very competitive and a lot closer than Costco, but I buy most things fresh from Sainsbury’s every morning and I’ll go for Taste the Difference wherever possible. I know I could squeeze some more profit out of it if I bought cheaper food, but to my mind, there is just as much value in getting parents back through the doors because they like to eat here.
• 14th – We’ve already had all of the balls out of the ball pit for a good clean – it took hours for Siobhan to do that! – and showed us that it’s not just the balls but what’s underneath them that need careful monitoring. Once we have been operating a bit longer, we’ll take up Soft Brick on their offer of a maintenance contract I expect – I certainly wouldn’t go anywhere else.
• 17th – Carley has said to me more than once that until we have gone through our first winter, we will not know exactly what we have got on our hands here. We haven’t even been through our first summer yet, but I know she’s right. Soft play areas can get so busy in the winter – and based on what we have experienced so far, I’ve already got plans in place to employ another full-time member of staff before we get to the winter peak. That will take us to 6 in total, but we’re already finding that it’s not just the obvious things that need more hands, it’s things like maintaining the cleanliness throughout the day and clearing up behind customers when they leave, so the next set of customers can enjoy the same experience.
• 21st – I suppose the best way to sum up how well it has gone recently is that Jason and I are going away for 10 days in October. We’re off to our favourite place in the world, Las Vegas, but I think I’ll stay away from the tables - I’ve done enough gambling this year! I could not have dreamt of that two months ago, when I was honestly wondering how I could ever have a holiday again – but I have people I can totally trust working for me. We booked it last week and it has taken a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve still not had a day off since we opened and while things have got so much better, it has still been hard. I lost over a stone in six weeks, some people would pay a fortune for that, but the holiday is the light at the end of the tunnel and I’ve felt so much better since it was booked. Carley will be in charge while I’m away, with Siobhan as her wing-woman (!) and the other part-time girls will also be here. Both Carley and Siobhan have been fantastic assets for me. Siobhan came to us from a job with a catering company in Farnborough and had wanted to do a job like this for years. She is brilliant with the parents and the children and her commitment has been amazing. Carley has been tremendously supportive too and I know if she didn’t have Isabel, she’d be working here full time. All in all, it’s impossible to be anything but pleased with the way the last couple of months have gone. I wouldn’t change anything, I wanted to give the parents of Farnham an alternative indoor play venue and I’ve done everything that I wanted to do. So far, it appears to be working, the next step is to maintain and then build on the momentum we’ve got going.
• 24th – Touch wood, we have hardly had any issues at all. Two minor accidents have been logged in our accident book – one little boy tripped while he was running and had a small carpet burn on his chin and another got a cut above his eye when he ran into a chair another customer was moving. Thankfully neither incident was serious or anything we could have foreseen or avoided, but it does keep you vigilant. We are getting a sign made to tell people they must wait for us to let them out of the doors when they leave, because there have been a couple of occasions when the door has been left open for a short while – again thankfully without any problem. You have to be aware of all sorts of things obviously, but sometimes it takes something to happen before you realise you weren’t aware in the first place. I had a full oven the other day for instance and all the electric went off in the kitchen. I had absolutely no idea what to do – there’s a wall of switches to flick but I didn’t know which one was which. Fortunately, one of the electricians who contracts for Jason was working nearby and he popped in to sort it out, but it was panic stations for a while! Now, we have a book with numbers for an electrician, plumber etc… and when I go away in October, I’m also going to pay the lady who gave me my health and safety training to be on hand in case the girls have any questions that need answering. Most probably, nothing will come up, but you can’t be too careful.
• 3rd – We have a credit card machine on rental, but increasingly it’s become obvious that it’s not really worth setting it up. We’ve only had two people asking us if they can pay on their cards so far and we politely said no. It didn’t cause a problem and people are well aware that we take cash now.
• 5th - Our self-designed check-in-system works really well – I based it largely on the one I used for the 7 years I worked at the doctor’s. We record the age of the children, how much they were charged, the time they arrived and then log them out. We therefore have a very simple check list that shows us in seconds precisely the number of children in the centre at any one time. We’ve got up to capacity three times so far, but never turned anyone away yet. But I’m not worried about having to turn people away, as we’re finding that most people understand if you do things in the right way.
• 9th - What a mad day that was – easily the busiest we have had to date. The rain poured and we were rewarded with 160 children through the course of the day and we also had a pre-booked party of 18 this afternoon. They were fairly evenly spread out I suppose and at no time did we need to consider turning people away, although we were at capacity once. I’m really pleased that, even though we were rushed off our feet, we coped really well and it’s days like this that show we are properly equipped to do this.
• 18th – Our play equipment has certainly been tested out on the busiest days and it has stood up to those tests very well. Even when we have been full and had kids of 7, 8 and 9 jumping all over it, we have never yet had anyone complaining that there is not enough to keep them happy. We’re very stringent on cleaning – I get in early every morning and hoover and clean everything before anyone else gets in. Then, whenever we get a quiet spell, one of the girls will run the hoover around and clean everything with antibacterial spray.
• 22nd – I suppose we should have expected something like this, but today we had our first minor incident with a naughty boy! It was actually the second time the same boy had turned all the taps on in the toilet and caused a problem, but this time it was worse, because the tank overflowed and flooded the office, tripping all the electrics and soaking all my paperwork. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the coffee maker broke at exactly the same time. We got the plumber straight in and he’s going to fit a restrictor valve to the taps so this shouldn’t happen again. I’ve also decided to get a spare coffee maker and latte maker, so we don’t get caught out there again either.
• 26th – I’m doing all of my own admin and also still doing the admin for Jason’s business. So far it has not caused me too much of a headache – I get back home at 6.30, throw something in the oven for dinner and then do it all on a daily basis if I can. I hope I can continue like that, but it may be that we look for some help with the cleaning if it becomes an issue.
• 29th – I’ve now got six staff and that means there are three of us here all the time when no-one is on holiday. We can manage with two if necessary, but three makes everything that bit easier. The only time when it got a bit manic was yesterday, when I had eight orders for food and the oven was full, all the salad bags had gone and we’d run out of bread! There was no point panicking, so I got Carley to explain to people who were waiting that they would have to wait for 20 minutes to order while I cleared the backlog. We gave everyone a free cup of tea or coffee and Carley then went out to take their orders with a pad. Once again, we found that people understood and because we made the effort to treat them right and explain the situation, there were no complaints at all.
• 1st – I’ve booked an advert in Surrey Living magazine, which is distributed free to all GU9 and GU10 postcodes. To be honest, I don’t think we need to spend fortunes on adverts at this point, as we are attracting a lot of custom through word of mouth and have already built up a strong regular following. But there’s no point assuming that will last forever and a couple of Carley’s friends who are customers knew the editor and got her to come down. She loved it and has written a double page article for the October issue, so we’re going to advertise with our details. I’ve also done a deal with the army’s Families magazine, which is an annual publication that is given to all existing army families and any new army families who move into the area. There is a really big army influence around this part of Surrey and I know they really appreciate and use this magazine when they move in.
• 5th - I think now the holidays are over, I can say they were up and down but reasonably steady overall. We had some crazy days, but there were also some very quiet days during the six weeks when we had as few as 18 or 20 kids in. More than ever before, we have been aware of the difference that the weather makes to the business. We knew of course that we’d be busier when it rains, but it has to rain consistently for it to make a major difference to our day. If it’s cloudy with the odd shower, mums wait until it stops and might still go to the park. If it pours and the grass is wet, they head our way in their droves. There are also parents around here who have annual passes for places like Birdland, Chessington or Thorpe Park and although they cost a fair amount when they buy them (£95 for a family pass at Birdland for instance), once they’ve paid that one-off fee, going for a day out seems relatively cheap and it’s understandable on a nice day if you’d put the children in the car and go to these outdoor places. Everyone is trying to entertain their kids every day and it has to be affordable. When it rains, they need an indoor alternative and in Farnham, we’re top of the list.
• 8th – The letting agent popped in to see how we are doing and also to let me know that he had another unit available next door if we want to expand. Not yet, but you never know a few more months down the line, I told him.
• 9th – We’ve just taken our 52nd party booking in less than four months and at £9.50 a head for a minimum of 10 children, they are proving extremely successful for us. We’ve got one next Sunday for 38 children and when that happens, anything else on that day is a bonus. Every day we get either an enquiry or a booking and many of the parties lead to another parent booking, so it’s a big boost to the cash flow.
• 12th – We continue to get really good comments about our food, but we’re still looking at a couple of options for the winter months. People like our menu and we hear constantly that the food is very reasonably priced. Our most expensive adult option is lasagne, salad and chips and that is just £4.95, and the health-oriented kids menu seems to be going down a storm. We are thinking of investing in a jacket potato oven, which would add some nice variety to our hot offer and maybe even some soup options. Carley has suggested both and, as a young mum herself, I have to admit she’s been right on most things so far. It might also take some pressure off the rest of the hot menu.
• 17th – I’ve always been a fairly realistic person, but with the benefit of hindsight, maybe in the first few weeks after opening, I was expecting a bit too much. Four months in, I get far less disappointed when we have a quiet day, because I understand what is driving customer behaviour and can be confident that the reason they are not coming through the doors on any given day is not something we have done wrong.
• 22nd - I can’t really believe how well things have been going. My business plan suggested we should be paid back on our investment in five years. On the good days though, we’re banking a fair amount more than I budgeted for and if things continue to go as well as they have in the first quarter, I’m already revising that down to three years. That is a lot of money we have to find and there is plenty of water to pass under the bridge, but so far, I have to be really, really pleased with things. I’m keen not to get ahead of myself of course, and to enjoy the good days and accept the bad, but the first priority will be to look at salaries, which I had originally planned to do at the end of year one. We have paid out well deserved bonuses to the girls in the last couple of months and they have continued to be absolutely fantastic for me. Fingers crossed, we have a good end to this calendar year and we will re-evaluate the salary situation in the New Year.
• 27th – Not that I’ve been counting down the days or anything, but we’re going on holiday in two weeks and my bag has already been packed on the spare bed for over a month!! We are really looking forward to some time off together and I will be going confident in the fact that the centre is in good hands while I’m away, which is testament to the amazing support I’ve received from all of my staff.
• 30th – It’s far too early to say that Stay and Play is going to be a long-term success, but up to this point, we’ve done ourselves proud. There is no doubt it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but already it is the most rewarding for me personally. It also feels like I’m laying some foundations for my daughter, granddaughter and the whole family and shows that at the age of 57, if you have the right idea and the right amount of energy, you really can follow your dreams.

"My hunt for an equipment supplier, which as always began on the internet, ended with me placing an order with Soft Brick Company. I dealt with Nicole Warriner and she was so helpful." - Carol White, Stay & Play

• 4th - We've had our first review - in the October issue of the local NCT newsletter. Overall it was extremely positive and complementary, but there was a comment that non party goers could feel a bit overwhelmed when a party is going on around them in the centre. We've hopefully turned that into a positive though, because I have pinned the article on the notice board and thanked the anonymous mother who wrote it for her kind words, while acknowledging the small complaint and offering any parents who are in the centre when a party is ongoing something free from the café.
• 6th - I think things are developing as I saw in the initial plans. I always wanted Stay & Play to be the best indoor destination for the children of Farnham, but knew that would depend on making the mums and dads happy too. We really do seem to be becoming a regular part of the social calendar for the parents round here and our coffee sales have been really strong because of that. We definitely sell more lattes than anything, with cappuccinos next behind I think. It doesn't really make much difference which one we sell, but it's interesting to see the trends.
• 11th - It's the day before my holiday and I can honestly say I'm very calm about the whole thing. Pauline, who did all of my health and safety and hygiene training has been in for a meeting and I've paid her a retainer in case any of the girls are faced with something they need advising on in the next 10 days. Other than that, I know they'll be OK; I've got four on each shift, so they will have enough hands on deck however busy it gets and they have all been absolutely brilliant so far. Las Vegas here I come!
• 17th - I have not been worried at all, but I'd be lying if I said I haven't been thinking about work a lot while I've been here. I suppose, as I've only had two days off a month since we opened in April, it's pretty inevitable that it's the first thing my mind wanders to in the morning. I called Carley today to make sure everything is running smoothly and she assured me it was. We've had good numbers through the door, no incidents have happened and they haven't had to call Pauline - back to the cocktails then.
• 23rd - Well, now I know that it's possible to go on holiday and leave other people in charge, I'm sure it will be less of a daunting prospect next time. Pauline wasn't needed, but I'm glad that in my head, I'd put all the things in place that covered every eventuality. I'd stocked up on everything but fresh food and left a float for any extra expenses that might have been incurred. They all did very well and everything is exactly the same as before we left. I won't have any qualms doing it again, that's for sure.
• 25th - I thought long and hard about things to do for Halloween and for Bonfire Night and I've decide that we'll mark it, but we won't be going to town. I don't want to hang things around the place, as I'd be terrified that something would fall, or more likely be pulled down and one of the children would be hurt in some way. I'm going to get a drum of some kind and we'll fill it with sweets for the kids. There are no shortage of reminders that it's Halloween everywhere else in their lives and I'm sure no-one is going to miss it.
• 29th - I got a call from a man who had been given my details by Soft Brick Company as someone who had set up a new soft play operation recently. I won't say exactly where he was from, but he's looking to open a new centre in the north and we talked about a lot of things. One of the main things I suggested though was not to make a decision on an out-of-town site purely because it's cheaper. He was debating whether to go for a town centre location, but felt that it was too expensive, but my experience is that being in this location has helped me attract a large amount of passing trade that I may never have seen if I'd gone for an industrial estate outside Farnham. Of course each centre is different, but I think the difference in costs would be about one third annually, in terms of lease and rates - and I'm pretty certain that I've covered that by being in the right location.

• 5th - We brought the team some jewellery from Pandora's when we cam back from Vegas, to thanks them all for their hard work. But they've all been asking us what it's lie out there, so we've decided to give them a flavour of Las Vegas lifestyle for their Christmas party. We've booked a table for 12 at a Christmas do at a casino in Reading and we're also going to give them all £50 to play on the tables. We're already very excited!
• 7th - No-one said a word about the lack of Halloween or Bonfire Night stuff and the kids are always happy with sweets. So that helps with a few decisions for Christmas too. I'll obviously put banners up and make it as Christmas-y as possible, but I don't think a tree or loads of hanging decorations are going to be all that practical. Instead, Jason's going to find me a nice big tub and we'll spend some money on buying a nice gift for every child who comes into the centre in Christmas week.
• 12th - We got a new coffee machine today, after the last one broke. We tried to get an engineer out, but they only do calls for industrial machines, so we had to buy another one. It's a Krups latté, cappuccino and espresso maker and it makes lovely coffee. At £600 plus, it's certainly not a cheap acquisition, but I wouldn't scrimp on quality and as I've mentioned before, a good cup of coffee is very high on the priority list for a lot of the parents who come through our doors.
• 18th - The longer we're doing this, the more we realise that there isn't really going to be a set pattern to things. We tend to get a bit of a rush first thing, at 9.30am, when mums come in with the little ones when after they've dropped the older brothers and sisters off at school. But today for instance, no-one came in at 9.30 and then we had the rush at 10. One good thing is that once it starts it does seem to reasonably steady until a lull after lunchtime. Then it generally picks up towards the end of the day again, after school finishes. You can't necessarily rely on it, but you have to be prepared for it and I'm glad to say we haven't been caught out yet!
• 23rd - Our party bookings continue to be very steady - 4-5 a week minimum. We always have two on a Saturday and two on a Sunday and there is a good mix of ages and numbers. We've had two parties for twins of 1 and parties for children as old as seven. We can cater for a maximum of 24 sat down in the party room, but if people hire the whole place out, we've got a capacity of 45, although health and safety says we can go as high as 60 and we had a party for 53 on Sunday. It was my day off, so I had to change that and, although I could do with a day off at the moment, financially it was worth it and I would have only had to ask Carley to come in her day off if I didn't do it myself.
• 28th - Christmas is definitely looming large, now that half term has long been and gone. We stayed really busy after the summer holidays ended and have managed to maintain it pretty consistently throughout October and November. Within that time, there have been two or three bumper weeks and that will give me the leeway I need to close for three or four days over the festive period knowing my costs are still covered. I reckon on needing £350 a day to break even, which obviously includes the days we're closed. So we're going to close at 4pm on Christmas Eve, then re-open on the 27th and we'll be closed on New Year's Day. I'm sure there will be plenty of parents looking for an outlet for their kids energy on the other days and we're here to please, now I just need to get volunteers to work on those days.
• 3rd – What a great Christmas party we had last night – eight of us at the casino in Reading. We had an excellent meal and then everyone had free chips from us to play the tables – no-one won unfortunately, but all the girls managed to play for a long time with their money and we had a lovely night. We are pretty close-knit here, but it is so nice to be able to get out and let our hair down together once in a while.
• 6th – We haven’t seen it yet, and maybe I’m being a bit pessimistic, but I’m expecting a bit of a drop-off in numbers in the run up to Christmas, as people do their shopping and everything else that goes with it, but as this is our first bash at a festive period, it’s hard to predict. I suppose it could depend on the weather a bit, as the more dry and bright days we get, the less likely we are to see good numbers through the door.
• 11th – We’re not going to go to town on Christmas decorations or anything, but we are going to have a tub of presents for children to take when they come in before the 24th. I’ve bought a load of princess pencil and rubber sets for the girls and for the boys, I’ve got them the Cars version. There will also be a big tub of sweets on the reception, so no-one needs to go away empty handed.
• 14th – The pattern that I touched on last month does seem to be establishing itself now. The mornings are busy from 9.30 until we have a quieter period after lunch. Then it picks up again when the schools close. I don’t know if it will remain like that, but it helps to have some idea how the day will pan out. We’re also getting quite a lot of business from childminders, who we give a 20% discount and also a receipt so they can reclaim the money from the parents.
• 21st – I thought the TV monitor would get used more than it does. It sits above the tables in the café and I’m glad it’s there as it accompanies my first couple of solitary hours every morning! It is on from time to time, sometimes for CBeebies when parents want something to distract children into eating their lunch and sometimes for dads to catch up on the sports news. It’s pleasantly surprising that it’s not a constant though, as it suggests that customers are more than engaged with the alternative parts of our offer.
• 23rd – I was right about being a bit pessimistic after all – we’ve had a really good run-up to Christmas with no fall at all in numbers. You’d have thought there would be a lull somewhere along the line, but we have consistently been getting 70-plus in. Having decided not to do it, we did talk again a few days ago about getting one of the men to dress up as Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. But it has been so busy and the time has flown so quickly, that we just haven’t got round to doing it this year. Christmas Eve is on us before we expected.
• 27th – Well, we had a lovely Christmas and I had two days in a row off, which doesn’t happen very often! We opened from 10am to 4pm today and it was very busy. More than 90 people came in, which was a lot more than we expected. We had a bit of a debate over whether we should open at 10 or 11 o’clock, but Carley convinced me 10 was the right way to go and sure enough, we had people in as soon as we opened. We made sure from the beginning of December that we displayed the opening times prominently outside and inside the centre, both on our notice board and on reception, and we also posted them on Facebook, which is beginning to be a very useful tool. So, while there were admittedly a few people who were unaware, we had definitely done everything we could do to communicate the festive changes.
• 30th - Every day between the 27th and New Year went a bit nuts – we had a party each day and also more than 90 people, all of whom were obviously looking for somewhere to expend some energy after Christmas at home. I must admit, I thought more people would be happy for their kids to stay at home and play with their new toys, but we’re definitely not complaining and we even had to get a third person in to help out. There were plenty of parents happy to pay the entrance fee at 3.15, even though they knew they would get less than an hour of play. These few days have given us a great deal of food for thought for next Christmas – and just the fact that we are already thinking about being here next Christmas is a boost in itself.
• 3rd – I haven’t got a New Year’s Resolution for Stay & Play. I would just be happy for everything to continue in the same vein as the last six months and I’m not looking for any more than that right now. Long term, the vision is the same - if we can remain on this course, we will be able to pay the money back on our investment with plenty of time left on the lease, which would enable me to take more of a back seat and perhaps have a few more days off. I know that’s some way in the distance yet though and I’m enjoying myself, so why wish the time away?
• 10th – I took the review down that we had on the notice board for nearly two months. It got a lot of positive comments while it was up and I really hope the lady who wrote it came in during that time, so she could see that we acted on her advice.
• 16th - Parties have gone through the roof lately – I’m not really sure where people get all their money from sometimes! Over the weekend just gone, we had two parties each day, three of which were exclusive hires. When we get weekends like that, everything else is a bonus and we had plenty of time on both days for other customers to come in. We generally only take party bookings in the afternoons, although we did have one in the morning yesterday and it doesn’t seem to deter parents from bringing their children at different times. Again, we are very careful to communicate what’s happening to other customers. It’s inevitable that the odd parent will turn up anyway, but we can only say sorry when that happens and ask them to come back later.
• 18th – I’ve had some new leaflets done for Stay & Play and I used a different supplier. I didn’t exactly shop around the first time, as I was in a rush and there was so much else going on as we prepared to open up. That is totally reflected in the quality of job and the price I have go this time. The first guy made a lot of mistakes, even after the leaflets were proof-read by us, and because we were up against it, we had to go with them and it ended up costing me nearly £3,000. I found out soon enough that I could have got them far more cheaply, and this time it’s been quick and easy, we’ve got what we wanted and also saved a substantial amount of money in comparison. You live and learn.
• 23rd – Like every one of Indoor Play’s readers I’m sure, I would be lying if I said I hadn’t worried about the effects of the recession. I’m still managing to squirrel away the money I want to have as a buffer should we have a quieter time – in the summer, for instance – and I will always believe in that course of action. I know my costs pretty well now, although the heating and electricity charges are a bit higher than I envisaged in the winter, but for indoor play centres, it’s important that we have some money set aside for a sunny day! There is no point looking too far ahead or taking things for granted; who knows what is round the corner? I know there is still talk of a double dip, but three weeks into the new year, I can only say if this is the trend, then we should be fine.
• 29th – I asked Siobhan today how many of our customers she believes are regulars and it’s somewhere in the region of 60-70% - based on them coming in at least once a week. I obviously know a lot of them, but Siobhan spends more time on the front desk and playing with the children, while I’m in the kitchen, so she’s a better judge of that for sure. She’s playing in there so much sometimes I have to tell her to come out! I think that is a very healthy number of regulars though – if we can keep it at that level we won’t go too far wrong.

A year in play!

In our final peak at Carol White’s diary, we find out what shape Stay & Play is in as it nears its first anniversary and crosses the threshold from ‘New’ to ‘Nearly New’ operator.

• 5th - As a town, Farnham doesn’t seem to have been too badly hit by the recession. It is a reasonably wealthy town, so in economic terms, it had a bit of a buffer compared to other places. The high street has survived mostly, although a lovely couple who owned a kitchen store across the road had to shut down recently because they just couldn’t compete with the prices of chains like B&Q. It’s a sad fact of business at the moment, but it does bring it home to you that you can’t lose focus.
• 9th - Ten months into its use, the equipment has been extremely robust. We still regularly give it a deep clean, as well as the every day clean that keeps it pristine. The balls are taken out of the ball pit every six weeks maximum and Jason gets the mats out and gives everything a thorough wash down with anti-bacterial spray. One of us also sprays 2-3 times a day, to ensure that no customer has a bad experience. I have a great relationship with Nicole at Soft Brick Company and I know that if anything does go wrong, I can get straight on the phone for a replacement. Cost is not the major issue where the equipment is concerned, as nothing in the centre is more important than the standard of our kit really.
• 11th – It’s interesting to note that we seem to be getting more dads in at weekends than mums, although it is obviously skewed far more towards mums in the week. The dads seem to love letting their kids loose while they take a chance to read the paper and have a coffee, or occasionally loiter around the TV if there’s some sport on.
• 14th – It’s the day of love, so we bought some Lindt chocolates and offered them to the mums instead of biscuits. The mums loved it, but Carley wasn’t sure about handing them out!
• 16th – The half-term holidays have been absolutely amazing. We had 80-100 in every day, helped by the fact that it was wet and miserable outside for most of them. It’s easily the busiest half term we have had to date, as the weather was fine for every one last year. We didn’t do anything different, except for getting an extra person in where necessary, but the hours flew by.
• 23rd - I was extremely glad of my own fastidious financial planning today when I got a bill for more than £12,000 from Waverley Borough Council, for a whole year of business rates. I knew when I set up Stay & Play that I would have to pay rates, of course, and contacted the council in March last year to ask them to come and assess me. I went back to them two or three times, but it wasn’t until September that they came out. I had saved what I thought was roughly the right amount every month, so I wasn’t particularly worried, but the bill I got today needs paying by the end of March. It really is a good job I’m experienced enough to have that money available – I can imagine lots of businesses wouldn’t be able to pay with such a short notice period. You have to be on the ball with things like this, otherwise you’ll get some nasty shocks.
• 27th - The Soft Brick Company asked me if I’d mind a group looking to set up a similar sized play area in London come down and look at the play-frame at Stay & Play. I must admit, it was nice to be held up as a good example by Soft Brick, and the three guys who came down – I won’t be too descriptive as they haven’t set up yet – absolutely loved it. They had been to several and said this was the most relaxing. They also loved the equipment and the little touches we have put around the place to make it a more attractive environment to visit. It was manic when they turned up, so I couldn’t give them quite as much time as I would have liked. But it was good that they saw a busy centre and we had a good chat and I think they went away happy.

• 4th – I’ve talked about trends before, but Carley has picked up on a new one that, when I traced it backwards, appears to happen every month. Towards the end of the month, we have a few quieter days, before we see a pick up in numbers again as the new month begins. It happened again in February, when the 28th and 29th were quiet and then the start of March was noticeably busier. I record every day’s figures, but it hadn’t really clicked before. It’s interesting that even in a relatively affluent town like Farnham, things get tight as pay day approaches. I suppose it’s fair to say that going to a play area is one of the things that can be cut out when you’re counting the pennies.
• 9th – After 11 months, we still have only three minor incidents in the accident book. One grazed chin, two heads knocked together and the other day, one girl who banged her head climbing up the slide. We were not culpable in any of the incidents and there is a well-displayed sign asking parents not to let their children climb up the slide, but I still think it’s better to be safe and record it, than sorry.
• 13th – We are starting to create a real children's’ community in this little row of shops at the back of Sainsbury’s. A party store, which supplies costumes for kids and adults, as well as a full range of stuff for children's’ parties opened next door yesterday and next door to that is a great toys and games shop, which opened last month. We have gone out of our way to be helpful, by offering advice and helping the new stores market themselves, which appears to have been very well received. It can only help us to have two neighbours with a similar target audience – hopefully we will build off the backs of each other.
• 20th - I have to pinch myself when I think that we have been open nearly a year, but April 16th will be 366 days (including the leap day) since we officially introduced ourselves to the Farnham public. We’re going to mark the occasion by taking the girls across to the hotel on the other side of the road and give them a glass of champagne and then an afternoon tea. It’ll make a nice change for them to be the ones being serving tea and cakes and it’s extremely fitting after all their help in making this a successful first year that we should all celebrate together.
• 25th – We’ve decided it’s time for another break, so Jason and I are going to the Aphrodite Hills in Cyprus for a week. He’s a keen golfer and bid for the villa in an auction. It looks lovely there and, as it’s the second holiday I’ll have had while running Stay & Play, I am much more relaxed about going away. I’ve already got everything in place, with a senior member of staff in every day and Pauline on stand by for any health and safety requirements. We didn’t need her last time, but it’s amazing how much better you can sleep at night when you know she’s there if you need her.
• 29th – We’re going to have a staff meeting to evaluate our performance in the first year in operation and make some decisions about things we could change or perhaps improve on in year two. I think one thing that will happen is a price rise. We set the prices right at the beginning and I knew then that whatever happened, we would not make any changes until we had experienced a whole year. I don’t intend to increase anything drastically – maybe 20-30p here and there, but we need to reflect inflation and also take account for the impact VAT has on my food sales. When I put the budget together, I thought of the café as secondary to the play area in terms of income, but as it transpires, it has been anything but that. But, as everyone knows, you can’t charge VAT on food, but you do pay VAT on food sales to the government and I think I might need to adjust prices to ensure that my food offer is profitable as well as popular. We’ll still be exceptional value for money, but having negotiated my rent agreement to rise on a sliding scale over the first five years, I need to be sure that I’m getting the necessary value too.
• 31st – As this is my last entry for Indoor Play readers, I thought I’d take a look back at the year that’s just flown by and ahead to year two of Stay &Play. Since you first encountered me, in September 2010, my life has been like a whirlwind. So much has happened, mostly good, and I’m sure when I get some time in years to come, I’ll look back over my diary jottings and be amazed with the amount of things I have dealt with to get where we are. All things considered, it’s been a great year and I have to be happy with where we are as a business. I think, with experience behind us, we can go into another year with a slightly different mindset, certainly without the same level of worry as I inevitably had as I started out last year. I’m still apprehensive about the summer, but my budgets are now based on real experience rather than educated guesswork. As I’ve said more than once before, as long as I can pay my bills, everything else is a bonus.

- The Soft Brick Team

Contact us today to begin setting up your own Indoor Soft Play centre - Call on +44 (0)1925 837733 or click here to enquire now!

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Indoor Playground Business Plan Template

Written by Dave Lavinsky

Indoor Playground Business Plan

You’ve come to the right place to create your Indoor Playground business plan.

We have helped over 10,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans and many have used them to start or grow their indoor playground businesses.

Below is a template to help you create each section of your Indoor Playground business plan.

Executive Summary

Business overview.

Fun Space is a startup indoor playground business located in Kansas City, Missouri. The company is founded by Christine Gregory, an indoor playground manager with over ten years of managerial experience working at KC Indoor Play. Christine has garnered a reputation for being a positive role model for her employees and a dedicated leader. She is confident that her ability to effectively manage a team of employees, build rapport with customers, and maintain a fun, safe, and profitable operation will help her to quickly attract customers and employees to her new indoor playground. Christine plans on recruiting a team of highly qualified professionals to help manage the day to day complexities of running an indoor playground – marketing and sales, child supervision, party and event hosting, playground maintenance, and financial management.

Fun Space will provide a unique indoor play environment for children ages 4-12 and a quiet room for parents to enjoy some downtime. The Fun Space indoor playground will be the ultimate choice in Kansas City for parents looking for a clean, safe, and educational option for their kids.

Product Offering

The following are the products and services that Fun Space will provide:

• Open Play Sessions
• Children’s Parties
• Classes/Guided Activities
• Drop-In Daycare
• Quiet Room for Parents
• Retail: Toys and Games
• Snacks and Beverages

Customer Focus

Fun Space will target parents and caregivers of children ages 4-12 in Kansas City. The company will target parents who are looking for a fun way for their children to develop physical fitness and social skills while participating in educational activities. The company will also target parents looking for a hassle-free party venue to host their childrens’ birthday parties or other events. No matter the customer, Fun Space will deliver the best service, pricing, and peace of mind that their children will have fun in a clean, safe, and welcoming environment.

Management Team

Fun Space indoor playground will be owned and operated by Christine Gregory. She has recruited her former assistant manager, Eric Nichols, to help manage the indoor playground and operations.

Christine Gregory is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She has been working at a local indoor playground company for over a decade. Christine has garnered a reputation for being a positive role model for her employees and a dedicated leader. She is confident that her ability to effectively manage a team of employees, build rapport with customers, and maintain a fun, safe, and profitable operation will help her to quickly attract customers and employees to her new indoor playground.

Eric Nichols has been Christine Gregory’s loyal assistant manager for over five years at a local indoor playground. Christine relies strongly on Eric’s reliability, organizational skills, and commitment to excellence in customer service that will be essential for the new indoor playground to run smoothly.

Success Factors

Fun Space will be able to achieve success by offering the following competitive advantages:

• Friendly and highly qualified staff of professionals trained in childcare, safety, early childhood education, and physical fitness who will supervise children and lead group activities.
• Wide range of activities and services available to exceed the expectations of both parents and children.
• Fun Space indoor playground offers the best pricing in Kansas City. The pricing structure provides the most options for parents and is more cost effective than the competition.

Financial Highlights

Fun Space indoor playground is seeking $250,000 in debt financing to launch its indoor playground. The funding will be dedicated towards securing the indoor playground space and purchasing equipment and supplies. Funding will also be dedicated towards three months of overhead costs to include payroll of the staff, rent, and marketing costs. The breakout of the funding is below:

• Indoor playground build-out: $50,000
• Equipment, supplies, and materials: $30,000
• Three months of overhead expenses (payroll, rent, utilities): $150,000
• Marketing costs: $10,000
• Working capital: $10,000

The following graph below outlines the pro forma financial projections for Fun Space indoor playground.

Company Overview

Who is fun space.

Fun Space is a newly established indoor playground in Kansas City, Missouri. Fun Space will provide the best indoor play options for children ages 4-12. The indoor playground will focus on fun, educational activities for kids that will support their physical fitness and social development. Fun Space will also offer services for parents including a quiet room that they can retreat to for a little downtime, to get some work done, or to watch their kids play. There will be guided activities for parents to do with their kids and educational classes for each age group. In addition to its daily activities, Fun Space will also host birthday parties and other events on the weekends.

The indoor playground will be staffed with professionals highly qualified and experienced in childcare, safety, education, and fitness. Fun Space staff remove all concerns of parents by providing a welcoming environment that is safe, clean, and educational. Fun Space indoor playground will be the ultimate fun choice for children and value for parents.

Fun Space indoor playground History

Fun Space is owned and operated by Christine Gregory, an indoor playground manager with over ten years of managerial experience working at KC Indoor Play. Christine is a dedicated leader with an ability to effectively manage a team of employees, build rapport with customers, and maintain a fun, safe, and profitable operation. These skills will help her to quickly attract customers and employees to her new indoor playground.

Since incorporation, Fun Space indoor playground has achieved the following milestones:

• Registered Fun Space, LLC to transact business in the state of Missouri.
• Has been approved for all required licenses and permits to run an indoor playground.
• Has a contract in place to lease a 10,000 square foot facility.
• Reached out to multiple playground equipment companies to get quotes and begin the design process.
• Began recruiting a staff of accountants, marketers, childcare providers, and other indoor playground personnel to work at Fun Space.

Fun Space indoor playground Services

• Daily Open Play Sessions

Industry Analysis

The indoor playground industry in the United States is valued at $658M with an estimated 667 establishments in operation across the nation. Major market segments include families with children ages 0-9, families with children ages 10-12, and families with children ages 13-18.

The main sources of revenue for industry operators are the entry fees and ticket sales, followed by food and beverage sales, and lastly merchandise sales. Market drivers include an increase in disposable income and fitness awareness. Indoor playground industry operators can maintain a competitive advantage by providing competitive pricing, extended hours, or activity options the competition does not offer.

Customer Analysis

Demographic profile of target market.

Fun Space will target parents and caregivers of children ages 4-12 in Kansas City. The company will target parents who are looking for a fun way for their children to develop physical fitness and social skills while participating in educational activities. The indoor playground will also target parents looking for a hassle-free party venue to host their childrens’ birthday parties or other events. No matter the customer, Fun Space will deliver the best service, pricing, and peace of mind that their children will have fun in a clean, safe, and welcoming environment.

The precise demographics for Kansas City, Missouri  are:

	Total	Percent
Total population	117,270	100%
Male	57,542	49.1%
Female	59,728	50.9%
Under 5 years	5,911	5.0%
5 to 9 years	8,077	6.9%
10 to 14 years	9,214	7.9%
15 to 19 years	8,730	7.4%
20 to 24 years	6,279	5.4%
25 to 34 years	13,937	11.9%
35 to 44 years	13,654	11.6%
45 to 54 years	17,983	15.3%
55 to 59 years	8,546	7.3%
60 to 64 years	6,636	5.7%
65 to 74 years	12,236	10.4%
75 to 84 years	4,463	3.8%
85 years and over	1,604	1.4%

Customer Segmentation

Fun Space will primarily target the following customer profiles:

• Parents/caregivers of children ages 4-12
• Parents/caregivers looking for a party/event venue
• Parents/caregivers looking for a safe, clean, educational, fun place for their children to play

Competitive Analysis

Direct and indirect competitors.

Fun Space indoor playground will face competition from other companies with similar business profiles. A description of each competitor company is below.

KC Indoor Play

KC Indoor Play is a fun indoor playground for children ages 2-10. The indoor playground is conveniently located in a busy retail district in Kansas City, close to a childrens’ clothing shop and a toy store. KC Indoor Play is able to provide a wide variety of services for parents and children. The company’s offerings include educational classes for different age groups, free play, daycare, and an arcade. KC Indoor Play also hosts birthday parties and other events. KC Indoor Play’s promise is to deliver quality service that will keep both children and parents wanting to come back. KC Indoor Play’s team of experienced childcare professionals assures children are supervised by highly trained playground monitors to ensure safety and fun.

Kidz Play Place

Kidz Play Place is a Kansas City-based indoor playground conveniently located within a five- mile radius of three elementary schools. Kidz Play Place provides a unique indoor playground environment for children ages 4-13 that includes a small water park, arcade games, and trampolines. The owners of Kidz Play Place are former childcare professionals so they know what appeals to kids and parents alike. Parents can purchase open play time for their children in 2-hour time slots. Season passes are also available and will save customers 20% off their purchase.

Kary’s Kids Indoor Playground

Kary’s Kids Indoor Playground is a Kansas City indoor playground that provides educational games, classes, and events for children ages 0-10. The company is run by party-planning experts who have years of experience planning and hosting childrens’ parties. Parents can rest assured their children are well-supervised and the playground is safe and clean. Children can enjoy free-play sessions, an arcade, and educational games. Parents can also drop their children off for full-day and half-day supervision at Kary’s Kids daycare.

Competitive Advantage

Fun Space indoor playground will be able to offer the following advantages over their competition:

• Friendly, knowledgeable, and highly qualified staff to include professionals trained in childcare, safety, early childhood education, and physical fitness who will supervise children and lead group activities.
• Wide range of offerings available to exceed the expectations of both parents and children.

Marketing Plan

Brand & value proposition.

Fun Space indoor playground will offer the unique value proposition to its customers:

• Highly-qualified team of skilled employees to supervise open play sessions, lead educational activities, and host fun parties, all while ensuring the safety, security, and wellbeing of the children at all times.
• Unbeatable pricing – Fun Space indoor playground has multiple pricing options to give parents flexibility when choosing which services they want to purchase. Parents can pay per session, per week, or per season for open play sessions, daycare,  and educational programs. There is also an a la carte option for parents who want to purchase one specific activity or play area.

Promotions Strategy

The promotions strategy for Fun Space indoor playground is as follows:

Word of Mouth/Referrals

Christine Gregory has built up an extensive list of contacts over the years by providing exceptional service to her customers. Many of these contacts have communicated to Christine that they kept bringing their kids back to her previous place of employment because they were happy with the service she was providing. Once Christine advised them she was leaving to open her own indoor playground, many have expressed interest in coming to Fun Space and help spread the word of the new location to their friends and families.

Professional Associations and Networking

Fun Space indoor playground will become a member of professional associations such as the National Indoor Playground and Cafe Association and the Association of Play Industries. The company will focus networking efforts on expanding its customer base.

Print Advertising

Fun Space indoor playground will invest in professionally designed print ads to display in programs or flyers at industry networking events, and to put in magazines, newspapers, and direct mailers.

Website/SEO Marketing

Fun Space indoor playground will employ an in-house marketing director to design and maintain the company website. The website will be well organized, informative, and list all the services the indoor playground will offer. The marketing director will also manage Fun Space’s website presence with SEO marketing tactics so that when someone types in the Google or Bing search engine “Kansas City indoor playground” or “indoor playground near me”, Fun Space indoor playground will be listed at the top of the search results.

Social Media Marketing/Influencer Marketing

The company will create social media accounts on multiple platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. The marketing director will manage the accounts and maintain an active presence to promote the playground. Fun Space will recruit social media influencers such as busy parents who have a loyal following on social media  to help promote the indoor playground.

The pricing of Fun Space indoor playground will be moderate and on par with competitors. However, the company will offer a wider variety of pricing packages and options to give customers flexibility so they feel they receive value when purchasing the company’s services.

Operations Plan

The following will be the operations plan for Fun Space indoor playground.

Operation Functions:

• Christine Gregory will be the Owner and Manager of the company. She will oversee all staff and customer relations. Christine has spent the past year recruiting the following staff:
• Eric Nichols – Assistant Manager who will co-manage the staff and oversee the day to day operations of the playground.
• Brandon Scott – Bookkeeper/Accountant who will provide all budgeting, accounting, tax payments, and financial reporting.
• Debra Alexander – Marketing Director who will provide all sales, marketing, and PR campaigns.
• Brian Baker – Event Coordinator who will plan and oversee all parties and events hosted by Fun Space.

Milestones:

Fun Space indoor playground will have the following milestones complete in the next six months.

9/1/2022 – Finalize contract to lease indoor playground space.

9/15/2022 – Finalize personnel and staff employment contracts for the management team.

10/1/2022 – Finalize contracts with playground equipment suppliers.

10/15/2022 – Begin build-out of the indoor playground.

11/22/2022 – Begin networking at industry events and implementing the marketing campaign.

12/1/2022 – Fun Space indoor playground opens for business.

Christine Gregory is a graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management. She has been working at a local indoor playground for over a decade. Christine has garnered a reputation for being a positive role model for her employees and a dedicated leader. Christine is confident that her ability to effectively manage a team of employees, build rapport with customers, and maintain a fun, safe, and profitable operation will help her to quickly attract customers and employees to her new indoor playground.

Eric Nichols has been Christine Gregory’s loyal assistant manager for over five years at the former indoor playground. Christine relies strongly on Eric’s reliability, organizational skills, and commitment to excellence in customer service that will be essential for the new indoor playground to run smoothly.

Financial Plan

Key revenue & costs.

The revenue drivers for Fun Space indoor playground are the indoor playground fees that will be charged for open play sessions, classes, toys, snacks, and parties. Customers will be able to choose from a variety of pricing options including tiered packages, a la carte, and season passes.

The cost drivers will be the overhead costs required in order to staff an indoor playground. The expenses will be the payroll cost, rent, utilities, supplies, and marketing materials.

Funding Requirements and Use of Funds

Key assumptions.

The following outlines the key assumptions required to achieve the revenue and cost numbers in the financials and pay off the startup business loan.

• Number of 30-minute sessions per month: 6,500
• Average fees per month: $60,000
• Office lease per year: $100,000

Financial Projections

Income statement.

		FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5
Revenues
	Total Revenues	$360,000	$793,728	$875,006	$964,606	$1,063,382
Expenses & Costs
	Cost of goods sold	$64,800	$142,871	$157,501	$173,629	$191,409
	Lease	$50,000	$51,250	$52,531	$53,845	$55,191
	Marketing	$10,000	$8,000	$8,000	$8,000	$8,000
	Salaries	$157,015	$214,030	$235,968	$247,766	$260,155
	Initial expenditure	$10,000	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Total Expenses & Costs	$291,815	$416,151	$454,000	$483,240	$514,754
EBITDA		$68,185	$377,577	$421,005	$481,366	$548,628
	Depreciation	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160
EBIT		$41,025	$350,417	$393,845	$454,206	$521,468
	Interest	$23,462	$20,529	$17,596	$14,664	$11,731
PRETAX INCOME		$17,563	$329,888	$376,249	$439,543	$509,737
	Net Operating Loss	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Use of Net Operating Loss	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Taxable Income	$17,563	$329,888	$376,249	$439,543	$509,737
	Income Tax Expense	$6,147	$115,461	$131,687	$153,840	$178,408
NET INCOME		$11,416	$214,427	$244,562	$285,703	$331,329

Balance Sheet

		FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5
ASSETS
	Cash	$154,257	$348,760	$573,195	$838,550	$1,149,286
	Accounts receivable	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Inventory	$30,000	$33,072	$36,459	$40,192	$44,308
	Total Current Assets	$184,257	$381,832	$609,654	$878,742	$1,193,594
	Fixed assets	$180,950	$180,950	$180,950	$180,950	$180,950
	Depreciation	$27,160	$54,320	$81,480	$108,640	$135,800
	Net fixed assets	$153,790	$126,630	$99,470	$72,310	$45,150
TOTAL ASSETS		$338,047	$508,462	$709,124	$951,052	$1,238,744
LIABILITIES & EQUITY
	Debt	$315,831	$270,713	$225,594	$180,475	$135,356
	Accounts payable	$10,800	$11,906	$13,125	$14,469	$15,951
	Total Liability	$326,631	$282,618	$238,719	$194,944	$151,307
	Share Capital	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Retained earnings	$11,416	$225,843	$470,405	$756,108	$1,087,437
	Total Equity	$11,416	$225,843	$470,405	$756,108	$1,087,437
TOTAL LIABILITIES & EQUITY		$338,047	$508,462	$709,124	$951,052	$1,238,744

Cash Flow Statement

		FY 1	FY 2	FY 3	FY 4	FY 5
CASH FLOW FROM OPERATIONS
	Net Income (Loss)	$11,416	$214,427	$244,562	$285,703	$331,329
	Change in working capital	($19,200)	($1,966)	($2,167)	($2,389)	($2,634)
	Depreciation	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160	$27,160
	Net Cash Flow from Operations	$19,376	$239,621	$269,554	$310,473	$355,855
CASH FLOW FROM INVESTMENTS
	Investment	($180,950)	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Net Cash Flow from Investments	($180,950)	$0	$0	$0	$0
CASH FLOW FROM FINANCING
	Cash from equity	$0	$0	$0	$0	$0
	Cash from debt	$315,831	($45,119)	($45,119)	($45,119)	($45,119)
	Net Cash Flow from Financing	$315,831	($45,119)	($45,119)	($45,119)	($45,119)
	Net Cash Flow	$154,257	$194,502	$224,436	$265,355	$310,736
	Cash at Beginning of Period	$0	$154,257	$348,760	$573,195	$838,550
	Cash at End of Period	$154,257	$348,760	$573,195	$838,550	$1,149,286

Indoor Playground Business Plan FAQs

What is an indoor playground business plan.

An indoor playground business plan is a plan to start and/or grow your indoor playground business. Among other things, it outlines your business concept, identifies your target customers, presents your marketing plan and details your financial projections.

You can  easily complete your indoor playground business plan using our Indoor Playground Business Plan Template here .

What are the Main Types of Indoor Playgrounds?

There are a number of different kinds of indoor playgrounds, some examples include: Bouncy Structures, Trampoline Park, and Variety Entertainment.

How Do You Get Funding for Your Indoor Playground Business Plan?

Indoor playgrounds are often funded through small business loans. Personal savings, credit card financing and angel investors are also popular forms of funding. This is true for a business for an indoor playground or a play cafe business plan.

What are the Steps To Start an Indoor Playground Business?

Starting an indoor playground business can be an exciting endeavor. Having a clear roadmap of the steps to start a business will help you stay focused on your goals and get started faster.

1. Develop An Indoor Playground Business Plan - The first step in starting a business is to create a detailed indoor playground business plan that outlines all aspects of the venture. This should include potential market size and target customers, the services or products you will offer, pricing strategies and a detailed financial forecast.  

2. Choose Your Legal Structure - It's important to select an appropriate legal entity for your indoor playground business. This could be a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship. Each type has its own benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to do research and choose wisely so that your indoor playground business is in compliance with local laws.

3. Register Your Indoor Playground Business - Once you have chosen a legal structure, the next step is to register your indoor playground business with the government or state where you’re operating from. This includes obtaining licenses and permits as required by federal, state, and local laws.

4. Identify Financing Options - It’s likely that you’ll need some capital to start your indoor playground business, so take some time to identify what financing options are available such as bank loans, investor funding, grants, or crowdfunding platforms. 

5. Choose a Location - Whether you plan on operating out of a physical location or not, you should always have an idea of where you’ll be based should it become necessary in the future as well as what kind of space would be suitable for your operations. 

6. Hire Employees - There are several ways to find qualified employees including job boards like LinkedIn or Indeed as well as hiring agencies if needed – depending on what type of employees you need it might also be more effective to reach out directly through networking events. 

7. Acquire Necessary Indoor Playground Equipment & Supplies - In order to start your indoor playground business, you'll need to purchase all of the necessary equipment and supplies to run a successful operation. 

8. Market & Promote Your Business - Once you have all the necessary pieces in place, it’s time to start promoting and marketing your indoor playground business. This includes creating a website, utilizing social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter, and having an effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy. You should also consider traditional marketing techniques such as radio or print advertising.

• Beginners Guide , Indoors Playground

How To Start An Indoor Playground Business In 11 Steps

Written by ownplayground team.

Since the mid-1990s, indoor playgrounds have continued to grow in popularity. Over time, indoor play areas have quietly developed into a legitimate industry, with a variety of options for children and their parents. While some indoor playgrounds cater to the youngest visitors , namely preschool-aged and under, others include activities for children of all ages and in some cases, adults as well.

So, how viable is the Indoor Playground Business? With increasing concerns about childhood obesity, many parents are looking for a fun, safe, and controlled environment for their kids, where they can be physically active; run, jump, and climb without the worry of serious injury , and where they can play hard, without parents having to worry about their security and safety. The indoor playground market fits that niche perfectly and has only continued to grow in recent years. 

If starting an indoor playground business seems like a viable option, we will explain, step by step, the best way to move forward!

Find Your Niche

There are different versions of indoor playgrounds .  

Many cater to the youngest children, from toddlers to preschool, while others focus more on preteens through adults. Although some indoor playgrounds focus solely on physical activities, like: 

Others include additional attractions, such as: 

• Video games 
• Skee ball 
• Other competitive features

Before moving forward, it is important to find a niche, or a focus.  

Perhaps you’re interested in opening an indoor playground with a focus on rock climbing or zip lining ; or maybe a sports-oriented indoor playground, with some organized games, such as indoor soccer or dodgeball is closer to what you’re considering. 

Still, other indoor playgrounds focus more on gymnastic activities, such as trampolines and tumbling.

To truly create a viable business, it is important to pick one area of specialty, and be the best at it. 

By offering something with a unique area of focus, that’s a little bit different than other indoor playgrounds , you can target a specific customer base. You can also focus on the community at large, and provide something that other, similar businesses, do not.

Investigate the Competition

Indoor playgrounds are plentiful, but each one seems to offer something slightly different. 

While some focus on gymnastic style play, others focus on different amenities, such as virtual reality video gaming, or go-carts, or a carnival style playground model where kids can earn tickets for prizes.  

When considering a new business, it is important to understand the local competition.

Whatever the niche of the business, it is important to also provide something better, and different than direct competitors. 

It’s important to understand who the competitors are, and how to outperform them, whether you provide: 

• Longer hours
• Lower entrance fees 
• A better variety of activities and gaming options. 

Planning, Planning… You’ll Want to Have a Plan

Before starting any business, it is important to create a workable plan that outlines every aspect of the business. You need to make decisions that address:

• What is the main revenue stream? 
• Aside from admissions, are there other viable ways to create revenue for the playground? 
• What services can be included?  
• Will there be food served? If so, will there be hot food to order or vending services? 
• Will the facility have the capacity to host children’s parties?

Exploring the different amenities within the playground design and creating a business plan that outlines the various revenue streams, can help a small business owner: 

• Secure funding 
• Estimate overall costs 
• Determine what type of supplies and staffing will be necessary once the business is up and running.

You’ve Heard it Said, “Location, Location, Location”

When trying to create a commercial business, whether it’s an indoor playground, a deli, or a dry cleaner, it is important to find the right location.  

First, you will want to consider the demographics in the surrounding area. For an indoor playground, it’s important to find a location that is easily accessible for families, perhaps: 

• In a commercial area 
• Close to schools
• Well established neighborhoods.

The right location can make a business, and conversely, the wrong location can break a business. 

Take the time to research an area thoroughly, find out why previous businesses have failed, and make sure the location makes sense for the type of business envisioned. It is important to find a location that is: 

• Convenient for families 
• Perhaps accessible by public transportation 
• In a location deemed safe for children and families.

Create Hype

Once a location is selected, it is time to start advertising.  

While, it may seem too soon, it is truly never too early to start advertising an upcoming business venture.  

Simple steps, like: 

• Placing a sign at the chosen location alerting those passing by of the upcoming business 
• Creating a Facebook and Instagram page to track the progress of the playground, from start to finish
• Creating a dedicated website to alert people that an indoor playground is “Coming Soon”.

Any kind of upfront, pre-opening advertising will help create excitement and anticipation surrounding this business venture. In addition to the passive advertising techniques listed above, consider some direct marketing as well, things such as: 

• Mail pieces to the community 
• Including discount coupons for admission 
• Perhaps a free drink, for all guests who arrive on opening day.

Select the Right Equipment

With the growing popularity of indoor playgrounds , there are many manufacturers of playground equipment to choose from. Quality and durability are important, as is safety. Before committing to any particular choice of equipment, it is important to thoroughly research each manufacturer.

In addition to cost, there are other considerations when selecting a manufacturer: 

• Which companies offer comprehensive warranties on equipment? 
• Which manufacturers include equipment assembly in their pricing package? 
• Do any of the manufacturers have local representation, such as a sales or service personnel, who can assist with questions and simple repairs and replacements?

It is also important to select equipment from manufacturers who prioritize the safety of their apparatus.  

When running a business that includes playground equipment, amusement park rides, or sports related apparatus, safety must be of the highest concern. 

Any reputable manufacturer should be able to produce paperwork certifying the safety of their equipment.  This is a vital piece of the puzzle when putting together an indoor playground.

Understand the True Cost

It is impossible to create admission fees, invest in marketing, or price food items until the true cost of creating and running an indoor playground is established.  

Many things need to be considered when determining the cost of the business . Renting a space and buying the equipment is only one small factor. 

Not only are there licensing requirements and insurance guidelines ; there are also plenty of other administrative and operational costs: 

• Utilities, such as electric and water
• Free-Wi-Fi for customers 
• Salaries for staff
• Cost for consumable materials 
• Cleaning supplies 
• Basic upkeep.  

It can actually seem slightly overwhelming. By creating a list of estimated expenses, business owners can better manage and understand what drives cost.

Understand Safety Guidelines and Licensing

It is important for business owners to understand the safety concerns, as well as any local regulations regarding this type of business. Since indoor playgrounds can carry some inherent risks based on the physical nature of activities, it is critical to learn all there is to know about keeping customers safe . 

Learn the requirements in terms of safety precautions, and any restrictions on the type, size, or height of the play equipment to ensure all regulatory guidelines are being met.

This is also a great time to start: 

• Pricing insurance
• Obtaining any necessary licenses or permits
• Maintaining appropriate paperwork
• Meeting all regulatory guidelines 
• Maintaining licensing information.

Invest in Strategic Marketing

This is where understanding the competition really comes in handy. While it is important to understand what your competitors offer that customers absolutely love; it is equally important to understand what customers aren’t getting, or don’t like, from the competition! 

It is vital to find the customer’s “pain point”. A pain point is a defined weakness that prevents a customer from getting exactly what they want. 

Find that , and marketing is a cinch!

A pain point can be anything. Perhaps competitive indoor playgrounds are charging a high per person rate. This can be an easy pain point to solve, even without lowering prices. Solid ways to address high prices from competitive businesses could be:

• Offering a buy two, get one free rate
• Offering customers a ½ price ticket for a return trip within 60 days
• Offering a separate child’s ticket price vs. adult ticket price 

Another big parental complaint about indoor playgrounds is the noise! 

They are loud, with plenty of screaming, wild kids. 

Creating an indoor playground that includes a quiet space for Mom and Dad could potentially be a huge selling point! 

Next, the level of cleanliness. 

Everyone has heard stories about how dirty ball pits really are! 

Focusing on cleanliness and disinfecting the equipment could easily turn an indoor playground into a parental favor over the competition.

The important thing is to find out what matters most to the parents, and direct marketing to meet their needs and address their pain points! This is an easy way to differentiate a business from the competition.

Hire Talented People

It’s important to pick the right employees. For an indoor playground, ideally, employees should:

• Love working with children
• Be outgoing

It is important to select a few employees that are experienced with basic first aid, in the event of minor scrapes and scuffles.

Think about every area of the business that requires staffing: 

• Staff to handle admissions
• Answer customer inquiries 
• Take phone calls. 

Additional staff to: 

• Help run events and parties 
• Supervise games and equipment
• Oversee the snack bar. 

While some employees can fill more than one role, it is really important to have the right fit.

Turnover in employment is a huge business expense that can, with the right staff in place, be reduced dramatically. 

The cost to advertise jobs, interview and train new people, pay salaries, buy uniforms, etc. It all adds up. By picking talented and dependable people, and treating them well, retaining employees is much easier. 

The right employees will be equally invested in making the business a success.

Use Social Media for Promotion

Social media is an incredible tool. 

Studies indicate that nearly 80% of Americans use some type of social media app. (Source: Social Media use in America ) 

Using social media to create excitement prior to opening is only the beginning! 

Creating regular updates, focusing on different aspects of the business, and offering small benefits, such as a reduced price one day a week, free beverage refills, or other little perks through social media keeps followers interested in the organization.

Plus, customer reviews are a great way to get free, positive advertising! 

Creating regular social media posts and encouraging customers to leave comments about their experiences is the best free advertising in the world!

How Much Does It Cost to Build an Indoor Playground from the Ground Up?

This question is a bit hard to answer, as prices can vary tremendously depending on what the business offers.   

However, there are certain factors that can create fluctuation in a pricing model. Let’s take a look at what they are and discuss each one in detail:

Age Range of Targeted Customers

• Type of Activities Offered 
• Liability rates by location

Obviously, opening an indoor playground in Los Angeles or New York City will cost a lot more money than opening one in Topeka, Kansas!  

For the most part, indoor playgrounds require a large space, so in midsize to large cities, large spaces come with a premium price. It is important for potential business owners to research rental and purchase rates based on square footage in the targeted location.  

Sometimes making a small change to a different zip code can save a good deal of money.

Taxes and rental rates vary widely depending on locations. 

Location is one of the most important factors when creating a business, however, what may be considered a great location for a supermarket, may not be the best location for an indoor playground. 

When considering costs, it is important to weigh the cost factor against the benefits of the selected location. For example, building an indoor playground off of a main thoroughfare, but close to well established family neighborhoods may cost less and work in favor of the business. 

It is more important that kids and their parents find the location convenient, rather than ensuring that it’s on the busiest road in town.

Size of the Total Space

The size of an indoor playground can vary dramatically. 

Playgrounds designed for toddlers and preschool-aged children can be considerably smaller than those that are designed with older kids, teens, and adults in mind.

For example, an indoor playground built for toddlers and preschoolers could be housed in a 2000 square foot space rather easily, including areas for parents to relax, a snack bar, and other amenities.   

Conversely, a large scale, family size indoor playground can require spaces larger than even 15,000 square feet. It all depends on: 

• The type of activities included in the playground
• The focal activities provided
• The demographic the business is designed to serve.

Age range will dramatically affect nearly every aspect of an indoor playground. From the overall size, to the types of services offered, to the number of customers serviced daily. 

Age range is probably the single biggest factor in determining what an indoor playground will look like. 

Oftentimes, playgrounds designed for younger children operate almost like a traditional ‘Mommy and Me” class where parents and kids can pay an hourly rate for activities that are group led. 

Since toddlers and preschoolers tire or need naps, this is a customer base that will not be spending all day inside, so creating 2 hours ‘appointment’ times can encourage a steady stream of patrons all day long and increase daily revenue over a more free form style of service. 

The operating hours can mimic a basic workday in many cases, thus cutting costs in terms of salaries and staffing.

Obviously, indoor playgrounds catering to older kids and adults will need to operate longer hours and provide a variety of activities designed to keep kids and adults engaged and having fun for several hours at a time.

Types of Services Offered

While the age range of the targeted customer base will dramatically affect the size of the area needed, the customer demographics affect costs in other ways also. 

The older the patron, the more extreme some of the activities need to be. For example, when attempting to appeal to older teens and adults, attractions such as indoor ziplines and indoor go-karts are much more expensive to design and run, but they bring in more revenue as well.

Admission prices can be based on general activities, with specialized services, such as ziplining, virtual reality play, and bowling , for example, charged separately from general admission. 

Using this kind of a pricing model, the business can cater to both wealthier families as well as the more frugal. Offering a la carte services is a great way to build value and create additional revenue streams.  

Additionally, indoor playgrounds can make money in other ways as well. Consider including an arcade. 

Arcade games are easy to maintain and are easy money-makers. 

Catering children’s birthday parties with a variety of package deals and services is also an easy extra revenue stream. 

Watch which activities pull in the money. Then you can rotate out the activities that don’t create a significant revenue stream and bring in new ones!

Liability Insurance Costs

This is another tricky area.  

Liability expenses to insure an indoor playground will vary widely based on location, along with the size and scope of the activities and services offered. 

While insurance rates and maintaining liability insurance for a large scale indoor playground may seem daunting, the type of services offered should drive up costs for customers at a similar rate. 

That is why it is important to keep an eye on popular activities, and quickly move out attractions that aren’t paying the bills.

Additionally, liability rates can vary dramatically between different insurers. It is very important to obtain at least 3 or more quotes when deciding on insurance. 

Also important to note, there are usually different factors that can affect rates as well, such as special consideration or discounts provided by insurers. For example, some insurers will offer discounted rates to minority or women-owned businesses. Additionally, just like car insurance can be affected by certain safety factors, so can liability insurance for an indoor playground. 

It is very important to take the time to review all quotes and discuss all options for providing liability for your business. 

What About an Indoor Playground Franchise?

Another option for starting an indoor playground business is owning a franchise. 

While at times, franchising can lower overall investment costs, it isn’t a guarantee. However, with a business model that is fairly complex, an indoor playground can be somewhat daunting for many small business owners. 

Franchise ownership provides business owners with all the perks of owning and operating their own business, but with the strength and backing of a well-known name.

Benefits of a Franchise

There are many benefits to investing in a franchise, especially with a business like an indoor playground. In reviewing franchise operations for a mid-range indoor playground that services children from about age 2 to age 12, they offer several benefits to their franchise owners, such as:

Market Research

Lease negotiations, professional installation, design and equipment, training and support.

• Discounts on Equipment and food/beverages

Territorial Protection

Advertising.

A well-established franchise already understands the market, and as such can provide new business owners with a wealth of information. For companies that have a long standing history, market research will consist of factors that as someone new to the industry, may not have even thought about!

A large scale indoor playground company understands the value in terms of rental space, and they know exactly what it should cost to rent a building for their franchises. 

Taking into account some of the market fluctuation in different areas of the country, franchise owners can rest assured that they will not be taken advantage of in terms of leasing prices. The franchise company should be true experts.

Oftentimes franchise companies partner with a specific group of builders around the country or region to handle all of the builds and installations for their franchise owners. This allows the owner to sit back and let someone familiar with the equipment complete all the necessary installations. 

There is no need to reach out to several installers, obtain quotes, customer feedback, etc. They can simply get the job done.

Again, franchise companies have the benefit of experience. They know what designs are most appealing to customers and they know which equipment and attractions are guest favorites. There is no guesswork here for the franchise owner. No worries about removing and replacing equipment that is not popular, as the business model has already been established.

It is hard to overestimate the benefit of good training and support. 

Understanding an industry, the market, and demographic serviced by the business, not to mention what works and what doesn’t, is truly key to the overall success of a business. 

With a successful franchise, owners have the benefit of being trained on what works! Previous owners have already gone through the trial and error, so the hard work has been done. Good franchise companies will offer ongoing support, particularly in the first couple of years, as the business owner truly gets up to speed.

Whether it is equipment, rent, or food products, buying in large quantities usually means deep discounts. When working with a franchise business, the individual business owner gets the benefit of a large company’s buying power, even though they are only buying for their location. 

By using specific vendors already contracted with the franchise, owners will pay well below cost for items.

Again, plenty of research has taught franchise companies what a territory needs, and doesn’t need, to be successful. As a franchise owner, you can be guaranteed that you won’t be crowded by additional franchise owners, as each territory is already defined.

A well-recognized name and a good reputation are fantastic advertising. Franchise owners get the benefits of a familiar name, national advertising, as well as local support. 

While they choose to increase advertising through social media, or on local radio, having the national support of a network of established advertising is almost like money in the bank.

What Playground Business Will You Start?

Ultimately, it is up to each individual person or business owner to decide what works best for them. 

Many people prefer to have the support of a well-known company backing them as they start their own business endeavor. Other people want complete autonomy to create their own space, recognize their own vision, and have the freedom to do business however they choose. 

Each method has its own risks and rewards. Either way, the indoor playground industry has continued to grow and develop over the past 2 or 3 decades and shows no signs of stopping any time soon!

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Soft Play Business: Start Your Own Soft Play Business Today!

What are the steps to starting a soft play business?

How to start a soft play business faqs.

Soft play businesses represent a fantastic opportunity for any venue looking to diversify and attract families. However, the path to starting one can be challenging to navigate. 

In this article, we will break down the process step by step, ensuring that you’re equipped with the knowledge and insights needed to embark on this exciting venture successfully. 

Step 1 – Do your research

Before you start a soft play business, it’s important to do your homework. 

First, find out if there is enough demand for a soft play business in your area by checking the local market. Next, take a look at your competition, like other play centres nearby, and figure out what they do well and where they might be lacking. Finally, understand who your customers will be – what age groups they belong to and what they like. 

Step 2 – Plan your business

By making a detailed plan, you can better understand what you need to do to make your soft play business a success. You should create a business plan that explains your goals and why you want to open this centre. 

Step 3 – Double check your legal compliance

Before opening your soft play business, it’s crucial to make sure you aren’t breaking any rules. You must also make sure to officially register your business and get any permits or licences required by the law. 

Step 4 – Choose your location

Selecting the right spot for your soft play business is crucial. Make sure it’s easy to see and get to, so lots of people can find it easily. Think about how close it is to where families live, schools, and places that families like to visit. This will help you attract more customers and make your centre a popular choice for families looking for fun.

Step 5 – Design your layout

Creating the layout for your soft play business is important. You want it to be fun and safe, so make sure to plan a layout with different play areas that are interesting. Also, when getting the equipment, choose good-quality materials that follow safety rules.

Step 6 – Implement software and hardware solutions

You can use both software applications and hardware to help you manage operations more easily and efficiently. Using these solutions makes running your play centre smoother and more organised.

Software Solutions

• Accounting:  Using accounting software can greatly assist your soft play business. It simplifies financial tasks like keeping track of income, expenses, and taxes. With this software, you can easily create reports and manage your budget, ensuring your business remains financially healthy. It saves time and reduces the chances of errors, making your financial management more efficient and reliable. Examples of this software include:  Xero  and  QuickBooks Online

• HR Software:  You can use HR software to assist your soft play business in managing employees more effectively. This software simplifies tasks like tracking work hours, processing payroll, and maintaining personnel records. It also aids in scheduling staff shifts efficiently, ensuring you have the right people at the right times to provide a great experience for your customers. Examples of this software include:  Rippling  and  BambooHR

• Venue Management Software:  This specialised software simplifies various tasks like scheduling play sessions, managing bookings, and tracking attendance. It also helps with customer relationship management and streamlining your operations. With venue management software, you can efficiently run your soft play centre, provide a better experience for your customers, and stay organised, ultimately contributing to the success of your business. Examples of this software include:  VenueSumo

• Operations Checklist and Workflow Management:  These tools help keep track of important tasks and processes. You can create checklists for daily operations, staff responsibilities, and safety checks, ensuring everything is in order. Workflow management software helps streamline tasks, making sure that each step in your business process is efficiently managed. Examples of this software include:  Operandio

• Marketing Tools:  These digital tools help you reach more people and tell them about your fun play centre. With them, you can create engaging ads, manage social media, and track how well your marketing is working. This way, you can attract more families and grow your business faster. Examples of this software include:  Monday  and  Salesforce

Hardware Solutions

• EFTPOS:  EFTPOS allows customers to make payments conveniently and securely using credit or debit cards. By having EFTPOS terminals available, you make it easy for parents and guardians to pay for admission, snacks, and other services, enhancing their overall experience. This not only streamlines transactions but also increases the chances of customers spending more during their visit, ultimately boosting your soft play centre’s revenue. Examples of this hardware include:  VenueSmart ,  Tyro  and  Smartpay

• Portability (Mobile, Laptops and Tablets):  Mobile hardware, like tablets and smartphones, can be incredibly useful for your soft play business. You can use them to streamline operations by taking reservations and payments on the go. Additionally, mobile devices can help you keep track of attendance and monitor safety measures more effectively, ensuring that parents and children have a hassle-free and secure experience at your soft play centre. Examples of this hardware include:  Apple  or  Samsung  

• Barcode Scanning:  You can make your soft play business more efficient by using barcode scanning devices. These tools can quickly scan tickets or wristbands, helping you keep track of the number of visitors and ensuring smooth entry. It also reduces the chance of errors, making the experience better for both customers and staff. Barcode scanning hardware is a smart addition that simplifies operations in your soft play centre.

Examples of this hardware include:  ScanSKU  and  Barcodes

• Ticketing Kiosks:  Ticketing kiosks make it easier for customers to buy tickets and access your play centre without waiting in long lines. They also reduce the workload on your staff, allowing them to focus on providing excellent customer service. Ticketing kiosks can be set up to accept various payment methods, making it convenient for all your customers.

Examples of this hardware include:  Kiosk  and  Meridian

Step 7 – Hire and train staff

Hiring and training a dedicated team of staff is essential. Prioritise recruiting individuals who are not only friendly but also attentive, as they play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience for the children and parents who visit you. 

Step 8 – Market, market, market!

Marketing is an indispensable aspect of running a successful soft play centre. Start by crafting a compelling brand identity and logo that resonates with your audience. Next, devise a comprehensive marketing plan that seamlessly combines both online and offline strategies, effectively reaching your target demographic. 

A user-friendly website, rich in information about your centre, serves as your digital storefront, offering parents and guardians an insight into what you offer. Leveraging the power of social media and online advertising, you can captivate your audience and keep them engaged. 

Step 9 – Have your grand opening

Now that you’ve done all of the necessary prep work, it’s time to open your business to the public. 

To generate excitement and attract the community, plan a memorable launch event filled with fun activities and entertainment for children and families. Consider offering free trials or discounts during this initial period to encourage visits and build a loyal customer base. 

Throughout this phase, actively seek customer feedback and reviews to gain valuable insights into your centre’s performance. Be responsive to customer suggestions and concerns, demonstrating your commitment to providing the best possible experience.

What trends are there in the soft play business industry that you should be aware of?

The soft-play industry, much like any industry, sees the emergence of constant trends that shape the landscape. Staying attuned to these trends is crucial for soft play businesses to remain competitive and meet the evolving demands of their customers.

• There is a growing emphasis on  eco-friendliness , with businesses incorporating sustainable and environmentally conscious materials into play equipment and facility design. 
• Personalisation  is another trend, with soft play centres offering customisable play structures and themed play areas to create unique and memorable experiences for children. 
• Technology integration  is on the rise, with interactive screens, augmented reality games, and mobile apps enhancing the play experience. 
• The industry is seeing a shift towards offering  more inclusive play spaces  to accommodate children with disabilities, promoting diversity and accessibility. 

How much does it cost to start a soft play business?

The cost of starting a soft play business can vary significantly depending on several factors, including: 

• The location
• The size of the facility
• The quality of play equipment 

In general, the initial startup costs for a small to medium-sized soft play business can range from $50,000 to $250,000 or more. This is due to expenses such as rent or building purchase, interior design and theming, purchase of play equipment, safety measures and inspections, insurance, staffing, marketing, and initial operating expenses. 

It’s essential to create a comprehensive business plan and budget to determine the specific costs for your unique venture. Additionally, exploring potential funding sources and financing options can help make the investment more manageable.

What are the best practices for maintaining a safe and secure environment in a soft play centre?

With the following practices, soft play centres can create an environment that prioritises safety, giving parents peace of mind while children enjoy their playtime:

• Regular Equipment Inspections:  Conduct routine inspections of play equipment to identify and address any potential hazards promptly.
• Staff Training:  Ensure all staff members are well-trained in first aid, emergency response, and safety protocols. They should also understand the importance of attentive supervision.
• Safety Regulations:  Adhere to safety regulations specific to soft play centres, and stay updated on any changes in safety standards.
• Incident Reporting:  Implement an incident reporting system to document and address any accidents or safety concerns. This helps in preventing future incidents.
• Hygiene and Cleanliness:  Maintain a rigorous cleaning schedule to ensure that play areas, restrooms, and common areas are clean and sanitary.
• Childproofing:  Childproof the facility by securing all electrical outlets, sharp edges, and other potential hazards.
• Adequate Signage:  Use clear signage to communicate rules, age restrictions, and safety guidelines to parents and children.
• Proper Supervision:  Ensure that there is adequate supervision in all play areas to prevent unsafe behaviour and provide assistance when needed.
• Secure Entry and Exit:  Control access to the play centre with secure entry and exit points to prevent unauthorised access.
• Liability Insurance:  Obtain liability insurance to protect the business and its customers in case of accidents or injuries.

What types of play activities are popular among different age groups in soft play centres?

Different age groups have varying preferences, and soft play centres often create designated play zones with age-appropriate activities to ensure everyone has a fun and safe experience.

An example of this could be:

Toddlers (Ages 1-3)

• Sensory Play:  Soft textures, colourful balls, and touch-and-feel panels engage their senses.
• Mini Slides:  Small slides that are low to the ground and easy for little ones to climb and slide down.
• Soft Building Blocks:  Soft, stackable blocks for building and knocking down.

Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)

• Ball Pits:  Children love jumping into a pool of soft, colourful balls.
• Mini Climbing Structures:  Low-level structures with gentle slopes for climbing and exploring.
• Role-Play Areas:  Mini kitchens, shops, or houses for imaginative play.

School-Aged Children (Ages 6-12)

• Large Slides:  Taller slides with twists and turns that provide an exhilarating experience.
• Obstacle Courses:  Challenging courses with climbing walls, tunnels, and balance beams.
• Interactive Games:  Augmented reality games, digital scavenger hunts, and interactive screens.

How do soft play businesses engage with their local communities, and what are the benefits for these communities?

Soft play businesses connect with their local communities by organising events, workshops, and charity activities. This strengthens the bond with the community, offering families a safe and enjoyable place to spend time together. The benefits for the community include having a secure and fun place for kids to play, encouraging families to socialise and supporting local businesses and schools.

What marketing strategies and promotions have been most successful in attracting customers to soft play facilities?

Successful marketing strategies and promotions that have proven effective in attracting customers to soft play facilities include:

• Online Presence:  Maintaining an engaging website and active social media profiles to promote the facility and connect with potential customers.
• Partnerships:  Collaborating with local schools, daycare centres, and family-oriented businesses to attract group bookings and referrals.
• Loyalty Programs:  Offering loyalty cards, membership discounts, and special promotions for repeat visitors.
• Community Engagement:  Hosting community events, themed parties, and charity activities to foster a strong local presence and encourage families to visit.
• Online Advertising:  Using online advertising tools to reach a wider audience and increase visibility.
• Effective SEO:  Optimising online content for search engines to appear in relevant search results.
• Referral Programs:  Implementing referral incentives for customers who bring in new business.

Get a demo for VenueSumo  or  contact us for more information  today!

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How to Create a Profitable Indoor Play Area

Home Blog Uncategorized How to Create a Profitable Indoor Play Area

Building an indoor playscape is an exciting venture. It’s fun to choose all the innovative equipment designs and think of the kids who will enjoy them. But it’s also important to focus on strategizing for your business. Indoor playgrounds can be a profitable venture with the right planning and consideration. With a new playground, your business can attract new customers and provide recreation and fun to local communities.

In this guide, you’ll learn the various ways you can make more money from your indoor play area. We’ve included all the information you need to craft a successful business plan to get you started. With all our tips and tools, you’ll be well on your way to creating a creative, entertaining space for kids of all ages.

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Indoor Playground Business Profit and Return

The value of the global family entertainment center market reached  $34.6 billion in 2024 . The industry will only continue to grow, as experts expect it to be worth 56.24 billion by 2029. The  demand for unique experiences  is a key driver for this growth.

While indoor playgrounds can be profitable, your profit margins may vary depending on your business model, overhead costs and location. Some businesses use a family entertainment center as their primary source of revenue. For other companies — like malls and retail outlets — an indoor playground attracts families and boosts revenue.

Overhead costs can greatly impact your indoor playground’s profits. If you plan on renting a space, rent may be your biggest overhead expense. A large building will cost more to rent, but more space allows you to build more attractions and house more families at once. You can also rent out rooms for birthday parties or fitness classes.

You should also consider the location you pick for your business. Commercial rent costs more in areas with higher visibility. However, families usually find indoor playgrounds via word of mouth and internet research. Since visitors plan ahead of time, you don’t have to worry about visibility as much. You could take advantage of lower rent costs at a more remote location to increase your profit margin.

As you begin planning your indoor playground, research your local market to determine business costs in your area.

Ways to Make Your Play Area More Profitable

When it comes to new businesses, hard work and creativity are an unbeatable combination. The indoor playground business is a unique industry, with multiple opportunities to increase profit margins. Consider the ideas below to make your business a success.

1. Find Ways to Lower “Dead Time”

Most family entertainment centers find their busy periods align with school schedules. Weekends and school breaks are typically the most profitable times of the year. However, business owners have to pay rent and overhead costs year-round. The best way to increase profit is to find ways to attract people during off-peak times.

Here are a few ideas you can try to increase traffic to your playground:

• Offer fun adult activities, such as morning or evening fitness classes.
• Open your doors to local businesses with custom team-building events on weekdays.
• Run one-day camps during local school professional development days — working parents will appreciate the child care.
• Create opportunities for school field trips.
• Offer after-school groups, such as a dodgeball league.
• Run a daycare service.
• Offer toddler-level activities and market to families with non-school-aged kids.
• Work with local homeschooling groups to offer gym classes or enrichment activities.

2. Invest in Internet Marketing

Most parents will choose what to do with their weekends via online research. They may use search engines like Google, which is an opportunity for your website to catch their attention. You’ll need to use effective online marketing tactics — like search engine optimization, content marketing or pay-per-click advertising — to improve your chances of potential customers finding you.

It’s also a good idea to build a social media presence. Eye-catching, colorful equipment makes for great Instagram and Facebook photos. You can encourage families to post about their experiences at your playground on their profiles. When a parent posts a picture of kids enjoying your playground, their network will see the benefit of visiting your business. Word-of-mouth via social media is a powerful tool.

3. Design Spaces With Fun in Mind

Profitability requires more than foot traffic — you’ll need to build customer loyalty and increase the length of time guests spend at your business. For example, adding new, innovative equipment will entertain kids for longer. Custom-built facilities and one-of-a-kind attractions could also encourage people to stay longer and choose your business over others.

Creating a space that beckons people back also requires great bathrooms, retail space and check-in areas. Each space should have a smart traffic flow and look attractive to kids and adults. You could work with a designer who has experience in the entertainment industry to create the layout of your space.

4. Host Exciting Events

Events are a great way to generate extra income for your business. Creating high-quality event experiences can introduce new families to your business. If kids have a good time, they might return or want to have their parties at the same place.

The following are just a few ideas for events you could host at your playground:

• Birthday parties:  Whether you close the space for birthdays or give party-goers a private room, a great birthday event can be the lifeblood of your business. You could offer multiple birthday packages at varying price points and include more activities for higher price tiers.
• Holiday events:  Another way to appeal to kids and their families is through holiday events and specials. Have holiday characters visit your play space and offer picture packages. You could also sell holiday membership specials to increase revenue.
• Community events:  You can host community events at your indoor playground space throughout the year to bring in new customers. This will showcase your commitment to serving the public. Events like game nights, food drives, scavenger hunts and crafting sessions could be fun.

5. Sell Food and Beverages

Selling food at your business can increase indoor playground profits considerably. While you’ll have to invest more money and get additional licenses, food can be a great addition to your business. Guests will stay longer when they can refuel and rehydrate, and you’ll gain another source of revenue for your business.

6. Remember the Parents

Families are more likely to stay longer when there’s something for everyone. While most of your facility will cater to active kids and their wild imaginations, it’s parents who take them there in the first place. Parents will appreciate the break from their routines provided by your playground, but they’ll also want something to do while relaxing. A coffee bar or an internet cafe can keep parents occupied while their kids play.

7. Include Kids of All Ages

Just like their parents, small kids can feel left out if there aren’t activities they can do. The tremendous size of many indoor playgrounds can also feel intimidating to smaller kids. To make them feel more at home, you could create a separate area designed specifically for them. Set aside a smaller room  for your littlest visitors  and fill it with  age-appropriate play equipment  and activities.

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8. Get High-Tech

Now that devices like smartphones and tablets are common, kids need an extra dose of “wow” to feel impressed. Upgrading to  an interactive play experience  is a great way to keep kids engaged both mentally and physically. Play structures that turn the  experience into a game  or  respond to kids’ movements  through interactive lighting technology add to the fun, encouraging healthy competition and exploration.

9. Build Your Local Reputation

While advertising online through websites and social media is great for reaching customers in other areas, word-of-mouth is the most effective way to build a solid reputation. After all,  88% of consumers  report they trust their friends more than traditional media.

Partnering with local businesses and schools is an excellent place to start. You could provide nearby schools with free or discounted tickets to give to students at the end of the academic year. This would generate interest among local kids, helping to build your regular customer base.

Indoor Playground Business Plan

Creating a great business plan is the first step to success for a profitable indoor playground. A business plan can help you understand your financial startup costs and how many customers you need to make enough money. They also prompt you to research your competition and outline how you plan to succeed. Your business can flourish with this plan as its foundation.

Create your business plan  by following these steps:

1. Executive Summary

Start by providing an overall summary of the market opportunity, proposed business, location, management structure and loan requests. You should also explain your mission and objectives for your indoor play area business.

2. Company Description

Next, you’ll describe the concept of your proposed indoor play area or entertainment center. What is your business’s unique offering? Are you the only family fun center in the area? Are other companies targeting older kids while yours is geared toward toddlers? Lay out your startup costs and a budget for recurring expenses.

Also, you’ll want to summarize your overall business model. Will you offer monthly memberships, hourly reservations, pay-to-play equipment or a combination? Give examples of other successful businesses in your area and how you intend to compete.

3. Market Analysis

In this section, you’ll lay out your potential customer base and competition. Consider the population and demographics in your area. A community of 10,000 people can mean a very different marketplace depending on who lives nearby. A retirement town may have a large population but few kids. You can find demographics in your city or town using U.S. Census data.

You’ll also want to analyze your competition and discuss how you plan to compete. Other indoor playgrounds in your region can be significant competitors. Because of the unique value of indoor play areas, people often drive from far away to visit them. Building one in a new city can give families a great experience with less of a drive.

Other competitors might include parks and recreation or after-school programs. Bowling alleys and movie theaters often top families’ lists of birthday party venues.

4. Organization and Management

Here, you should outline the structure of your company and who will manage it. You’ll list requirements for managers, plus full-time and part-time employees. For example, you may want employees to have CPR certifications or experience with kids. List your rules in this section, such as how many kids one employee can supervise.

This part of your business plan should also outline your pay structure if you use one. A pay structure lists the hierarchy of salary levels within your business. This information will help you determine how many employees you need to hire and how much payroll will cost.

5. Service or Product Line

This is the place to describe your specific products and services. First, you’ll outline how you plan to use your space. You can also outline specific structures and main attractions you plan to include.

If you plan to offer other services — such as private parties or fitness classes — outline each of these services and their price point for consumers. Include a list of the concessions or merchandise you’ll sell in this section, too.

6. Marketing and Sales

Next, you’ll discuss your marketing strategy and budget. This should include a detailed plan for the types of marketing tactics and platforms you will use and how much you’ll spend on each one. For sales, you can calculate how many kids or families you’ll have to bring in each month to have a comfortable profit margin.

7. Financial Projections

As part of your financial projections, you’ll look at how your overhead and projected inflation will change your indoor playground’s business costs over time. You should also calculate a break-even point showing how much monthly revenue you need to break even on your investment.

8. Appendix

Include any supporting documents for your business plan in an appendix. Your appendix can include research on demographics, competition and financial costs. It may consist of additional charts that demonstrate where you got your numbers from.

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Industries That Benefit From Indoor Playgrounds

While play areas often form part of an entertainment destination, they’re also perfect for adding a bit of indoor fun to other businesses. Indoor playgrounds attract business from young families. They can help parents manage their active kids while they shop and offer a superior experience.

Below are some industries that benefit from indoor play equipment.

Malls and toy stores  can benefit from indoor playscapes for their guests. Indoor playgrounds turn retail spaces into destinations, bringing foot traffic and keeping visitors there longer. The added entertainment will put visitors in the right frame of mind to continue shopping.

Playgrounds can also benefit parents. With the proper setup and supervision, a playscape can serve as a drop-off area for busy families. They can get their shopping done while your staff watch their kids.

Day care is a considerable investment for many families. An indoor playground can  set your daycare center apart  and make your services worthwhile. Parents see playground equipment as beneficial because it helps with child development and social skills. Indoor play areas also encourage kids to exercise and release their energy in a positive way.

With indoor equipment, kids can play every day, regardless of the weather. This will make your staff’s job more manageable, and parents and kids alike will be happy to return each day.

Health Care

A  waiting room full of soft play  equipment makes going to the doctor a fun activity. Adding some unexpected features to your health care business will spread the word that your office is the best in the area for small kids.

Soft playground equipment can also be useful for  children’s physical therapy . Custom-designed, kid-centric equipment in children’s hospitals can make healing fun for families. You’ll also encourage physical exercise at an early age, keeping your patients healthy.

Restaurants

Turn your dining area  into a kid’s paradise with an indoor playground. Eye-catching playground equipment attracts families with kids. Helping families occupy their busy kids can make mealtime more relaxed, and you can show your commitment to children’s health.

Movie Theaters

As exciting as it is for kids to see their favorite characters on the big screen, it’s normal for their attention to wander during the slower moments of a movie. Adding  playground equipment to movie theaters  lets kids play before or after the show, helping them focus on the movie better.

Museums, Zoos and Aquariums

With custom-designed playgrounds, your business can provide an educational discovery zone for kids. Kids love the chance to get active, and parents appreciate the opportunity to help their kids learn and grow. Zoos and Aquariums can offer animal and  aquatic-themed playgrounds  to occupy kids when it rains. By designing custom indoor equipment, you can  build a themed playscape  that fits your purpose and mission.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Starting an Indoor Playground Business

We’ve compiled some of the most common questions and concerns about building an indoor playground.

How Much Does It Cost to Build an Indoor Playground Business?

Indoor playgrounds are highly customizable and can accommodate many budgets. The factors that impact cost the most are the size of your venue and the types of equipment you use. Adding an indoor playground to an existing business is cheaper, and you can choose cost-effective solutions to stretch your budget. For example, we offer a range of affordable, ready-to-ship Soft Play elements in  our Pick & Play collection .

Starting  a family entertainment center  from scratch will require a bigger budget. The startup costs would include land, construction and playground equipment. Renting an existing, smaller location would be more economical. However, investing more will give you a larger space and more budget for custom indoor playground equipment.

The best way to find out how much it costs to build an indoor playground business is to research your local real estate prices. You can also contact your playground equipment vendor to discuss designs and budgets.

Is an Indoor Playground a Good Business?

An indoor playground offers families a weekend activity when it’s raining or too cold to go to the park or play outside. They can also provide air-conditioned comfort in the hot summer. The success of your indoor playground depends on the work the business owner puts in and the demand they generate.

What Is an Indoor Playground’s Annual Income?

While multiple factors influence an indoor play center’s income, the most important is how many customers you serve. A large facility with exciting attractions can attract more guests and keep them entertained longer. However, you’ll also have to pay more in rent and payroll. A small facility can seek more indoor playground annual income by offering additional services, like day care, classes and dining.

Are Soft Play Centers Profitable?

Soft play centers are indoor playgrounds featuring padded floors and equipment. They attract families with a mid-to-high level of disposable income who seek entertainment and childcare. The more diverse your offerings, the more profitable your center can be. For example,  adding a high ropes course  or a  water play area  can attract older kids, while younger kids enjoy the soft play area.

How Much Does It Cost to Operate an Indoor Playground Business?

In addition to startup costs, you must factor ongoing expenses into your indoor playground business costs. These expenses include:

• Overhead costs
• Regular deep cleaning
• Scheduled maintenance checks
• Staff training
• Legal compliance

You’ll need to account for these operating costs to determine if you can turn a profit. One of the best ways to do this is to use this information as the basis for your pricing. Plus, selling extras — such as snacks or merchandise — and providing a diverse experience can entice customers to spend more, so you can also factor those costs into your operation.

What Are the Determining Factors for Initial Indoor Playground Costs?

The cost of creating and installing an indoor playground will vary depending on a few factors, such as:

• Scale :  The size of your playground will affect the size of your project, and a bigger space will require a budget to match. For example, a small indoor playground at an existing building will cost less than a large family entertainment center in a new building.
• Design:  Attractive playgrounds draw kids in, so it’s vital to design equipment and a play space that is beautiful and functional. While you may need to pay more for design features, the investment will quickly pay off.
• Shipping:  Playground equipment is often heavy and may require specialty shipping. Including shipping costs in your budget will help you get the equipment to your location with fewer surprises.
• Installation:  Proper installation is crucial for the safety of everyone who uses your playground equipment. It is wise to budget for specialty installation services if your equipment is in various shapes and sizes.

Do You Need a License to Open an Indoor Playground Business?

You need two basic licenses for an indoor playground in the United States. They include:

• General business license:  You need a general business license for registration and tax purposes. This license normally  costs about $300 .
• Doing Business As (DBA) license:  A DBA license lets you do business using your company’s operating name, which might be different from its registered legal name. Some states don’t require DBA licenses, but you should always check before trying to do business using a different name.

Other licenses you may need depend on your state and the nature of your business. For example, you may need additional licenses if you offer a childcare service. Your state may also require a food-handling license if you plan to sell food.

What Demographics Use Indoor Playgrounds?

While the primary focus of indoor playgrounds is kids, parents and young adults are also important demographics to target. Many parents let kids use indoor playgrounds when they need to perform other tasks, such as shopping or completing paperwork in a health care space. Parents may also use indoor playgrounds to bond with their kids or enable them to connect with their peers through the power of play.

Young adults are another portion of the demographic of indoor playground users. Many young adults use indoor playgrounds to locate and join a community of their peers. Some playgrounds are also starting to add gaming and virtual reality options, appealing to this older demographic.

How Do You Build an Indoor Playground?

The first step in  building an indoor playground  is to identify your niche. You can do so by looking up indoor playgrounds in your area to see what these locations are or aren’t doing. Use this information to create a unique theme and structure for your own indoor playground. After some initial research, you can start planning and creating your ideal indoor playground. Working with a knowledgeable playground designer can make the process easier.

Design an Indoor Play Area With Soft Play

If you’re considering opening an indoor playground, consider partnering with Soft Play. With  decades of industry experience , we are a leader among indoor play area businesses and a reliable source for your playground needs. We offer both custom playscape design services and a selection of pre-made soft playground equipment. See what we can do for you by looking through  our list of case studies .

Browse our  broad range of products  today and  request a quote  for a predesigned layout. If you’d like to know more about our custom services,  contact us to speak  with a local representative. We offer design consultations to help you get started with your project and bring your vision to life.

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Introduction

The definition of indoor playground, what makes an indoor playground business plan necessary, indoor playground industry statistics, how can your indoor playground business plan use market research, is indoor playground profitable, what general themes do indoor playgrounds have, what is required to begin creating your indoor playground business plan.

How to Ensure Your Indoor Playground’s Safety?

Indoor Playground Rules and Regulations

Ways to maintain your playground.

Ways to Improve Your Indoor Playground

The Ultimate Guide to Your Indoor Playground Business Plan

This is the complete manual for creating a business plan for your indoor amusement park.

 If you are a newbie in the indoor playground industry and are wanna start your indoor playground business plan but don’t know how to start. Then why not start with the advice in this guide to provide you with a better foundation to enter the indoor playground industry? This guide introduces you to the indoor playground business plan from multiple dimensions and aims to provide a comprehensive content guide.

What is an indoor playground? An indoor playground  is a recreational space that provides recreation and entertainment for children, and its customizability and playability have made it increasingly popular in the entertainment industry. Children can have a fun and educational experience in an indoor playground and gradually build their knowledge of their surroundings while playing.

Indoor playgrounds are a lucrative business. It satisfies children's play needs while allowing the business owner to return a profit. Additionally, for the business owner, its benefits include bringing in a steady customer base, ancillary revenue opportunities, increased employment opportunities, community building, and the ability to operate year-round.

According to the data, the indoor playground market size is expected to grow at a CAGR of 9.79% from 2021 to 2028 to reach USD 42.64 billion. This means that the indoor playground industry is growing at a rapid pace. Hence starting an indoor playground business plan is an up-and-coming option.

After you decide to launch an indoor playground business plan, you can conduct market research to gather and examine data regarding your target market, clients, and rival businesses. Specifically, it can include the local consumption level and population density, relevant data about other indoor playgrounds in the neighborhood, and so on. It is beneficial for you to lay a good foundation for the stages that follow, such as choosing a location and determining the park's target audience.

When it comes to indoor playground profits, it is indeed a crucial concern. The answer is positive – indoor playgrounds are a profitable business. Research indicates that the indoor entertainment market reached $24.35 billion in 2020, with an expected annual growth rate of 10.3% through 2028. This signals a rising demand in the indoor playground market. Revenue primarily comes from tickets, merchandise, food and beverages, and advertising.

Generally, the most common themes for indoor playgrounds include forest, ocean, candy, pirate ship, macaron, circus, space, sports, and more. Each theme will differ in the main colors, style of attractions, and choice of stickers. For additional inspiration, you can refer to our Themed Playground Equipment . If you have other creative ideas, feel free to communicate with us. We offer professional customization services to turn your imaginative ideas into reality.

1.Find a Location

Choose areas with large passenger flow, convenient transportation, and a high density of children to ensure that your indoor playground can have enough audiences. This can be family entertainment centers, shopping centers, child care centers, restaurants, community centers, churches， fitness centers, etc. And of course, it's related to the cost of your venue.

2.Identify target customers

Who is the intended audience for your indoor playground? Smaller toddlers or kids who enjoy taking on new challenges? That's something you have to think about. The target audience of your indoor playground also determines the type of indoor playground equipment and indoor layout you need to buy.

3.Planning your budget

On average, costs range from $50,000 to $500,000. This depends on many factors, including your site costs, indoor playground equipment costs, transportation costs, installation costs, insurance costs, operating costs, and labor costs. You can refer to our budget list for specific figures: https://www.dreamlandplayground.com/starting-an-indoor-playground-business

4.Design Your Indoor Playground

This must begin after you have determined your exact venue. Send your site dimensions to the designer, who will plan the appropriate interior layout based on your actual site size. The design process involves choosing the overall style and theme of the indoor playground and selecting the right indoor playground attractions， materials used, and placement. You need to be involved in the design process so that the designer can better design the best solution according to your wishes.

5.Buy indoor playground equipment

What are the indoor playground attractions divided into? According to the function, the attractions of indoor playgrounds are usually divided into:

Play Structure:  The most common type of indoor playground, consisting of frames. Contains steps, tunnels, some soft obstacles, etc. It is also the attraction with the most space for creativity. Numerous options exist based on your requirements and circumstances.

Slide: The Indoor Playground's most thrilling feature. It is also possible to modify the slide's style to fit the theme.

Ball Pit:  Consists of a large number of plastic balls. Often combined with a slide to make a more interesting attraction.

Climbing Structure:  Curious children find it hard to resist the thrill of climbing. Children's coordination abilities can be greatly improved by using this attraction.

Soft Play Area:  A play area more suitable for younger children. The facilities included are soft obstacles. Children can burrow around in a castle made of soft blocks.

The specific choice of attractions also needs to be adjusted according to the ages of your indoor playground audience, indoor playground layout, theme, cost, and other factors.

6.Obtain business licenses 

To operate in a state, the majority of small enterprises simply require one or two licenses. However, since indoor playgrounds involve children, your business may require multiple state-specific licenses. To safeguard children from poor quality operations, licensing standards for firms that relate to children are frequently more specific and detailed.

7.Install the indoor playground

After starting your indoor playground business plan, it is very important to find a reliable supplier. You can either get the installation drawings from your equipment supplier and install it yourself, or the supplier can arrange for workers to come to your venue to install it. The latter might provide your indoor playground business with a great deal of convenience.

Get in touch with us if you're stumped about creating an indoor playground and don't know where to begin. Dreamland Playground can provide you with a full range of services, such as design, manufacture, installation, and post-purchase assistance.

8.Recruit staff

An indoor playground can't afford to be without employees. Their jobs include charging at the entrance, instructing children alongside certain programs, cleaning and inspecting the indoor park regularly, and so on.

9.Marketing and Branding Your Indoor Playground

Everything is in place, but don't forget that you still need to market your indoor playground, customers won't automatically come just because you're sitting at home. Your indoor playground needs to be attractive and well-known enough to attract a steady stream of visitors. There are many ways to advertise, such as:

①Design a logo for your indoor playground to make it more representative

②Establish a website, regularly update indoor playground activities and promotions on the website, and set up a convenient online ticket purchase system

③Establish social media accounts and publish content related to indoor playgrounds. It can be daily play, cleaning and maintenance videos, reminders of promotional activities, etc.

④Online advertising marketing

⑤Send flyers or post advertisements around the indoor playground to attract potential customers nearby.

How to Ensure Your Indoor Playground’s Safety?

Your indoor playground business plan should take safety into account while designing. After all, your customers are children, and children are more likely to get hurt during play than adults with self-control. This requires:

1.Post safety tips and precautions in the park

2.Arrange staff to maintain order and ensure the safety of children

3.Routine inspection

4.Install the equipment under professional guidance

5.Emergency Preparedness

6.Ensure the use of age-appropriate equipment

7.Exit and entrance instructions

8.Buy amusement equipment that meets standards

In addition to the things that your indoor park does for itself. Don't forget to make player rules and regulations for your indoor playground, which will help the indoor playground stay alive for a long time.

1.Players are advised to wear appropriate clothing and avoid carrying sharp decorations

2.For health and safety reasons, please remove your shoes before entering the playing area. All participants are required to wear socks.

3.Please follow staff instructions to ensure safe and proper use of playground equipment.

4.Some programs may have age or height restrictions. For everyone's safety, kindly abide by these limitations.

5.Restrictions on children's age and height

6.Maintain a distinction between play and recreation areas. Keep play areas clean and safe by prohibiting snacks and beverages.

7.No climbing on walls or nets in non-climbing areas

8.It is recommended that young children play with an adult watching over them to make sure they are safe and happy.

9.Please keep all toys in the designated play areas and do not take toys out of these areas.

10.Smoking is strictly prohibited in the indoor playground.

11.Please make sure your child does not have any illnesses that could infect other children.

1.Examine all play equipment frequently for indications of corrosion, deterioration, or loose parts.

2.Sanitize the indoor environment, play equipment, and toys regularly to maintain environmental hygiene. Deep clean play equipment that tends to harbor dirt, especially items such as ball pits, tunnels, and crawl spaces.

3.Repair and replace broken parts to avoid safety problems due to damaged parts

4.look out for edges of any equipment to avoid injury.

5.Keep the humidity and temperature in your indoor playground at ideal levels.

6.Record every cleaning and repair for easy verification later.

Ways to Improve Your Indoor Playground

1.Provide party services such as birthday parties to expand the business of involving customers in the indoor playground.

2.Add a café or snack bar to provide a space for customers to rest and increase revenue simultaneously.

3.Sell related theme peripherals to strengthen the brand memory of the indoor playground.

4.Holiday seasonal events to drive traffic

5.Referral program, old customers recommend new customers to spend, and can provide discounts and gifts. Increase customer retention rate while also attracting more new customers.

6.Appropriately add or adjust attractions and themes. Avoid a static environment leading to customer boredom.

7.Establish a customer feedback mechanism to improve the existing content of the park on time based on real customer feedback.

After reading this ultimate guide, you should already have an idea of how to start your indoor playground business plan. Processes include finding a location, identifying target consumers, planning a budget, designing the site and purchasing equipment, installing, recruiting staff, and advertising the indoor playground.

Still looking for a professional playground supplier ? Contact us and let us provide you with professional one-on-one service to turn your indoor park dream into reality. Dreamland Playground is committed to providing you with a full range of services, from consulting to design to production and installation, we will be your reliable partner. Through careful market research, a well-planned indoor layout, and selected play equipment, we help you refine your indoor playground business plan. Your indoor playground will become a happy place for children to grow up.

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How to Start a Soft Play Rental Business [Mobile Service] 2024

Do you love kids playing with soft toys? Do you have a passion for entrepreneurship? Starting a soft play rental business can be a profitable opportunity.

Providing a soft play rental service for profit and an enjoyable and interactive experience with children, which is safe, healthy, and satisfying.

Many parents seek soft play rental services for their 1-5-year-old children, especially for birthday parties, celebrations, and festivals. Not only in festivals, but also soft play equipment provides a safe playing environment for children.

Soft play rental services also benefit parents by making it easier for them to care for their children. So, if you’re a beginner and unsure where and how to start, read our guide.

We’ll discuss in this post the following:

• The best idea to start the business
• The process to set up from scratch
• Guide for equipment, supplies, and other needs
• Marketing and promotion plan to grow

Table Of Contents

How to start a soft play rental business

You can run a mobile soft play equipment rental business, delivering soft play equipment and items to the customer location for a set period, according to your customer needs.

Mobile delivery service does not require a physical storefront; however, some space is required to manage inventory and store the soft play items.

You can deliver the soft play supplies to the customer’s location with a vehicle.

Making the process easier, having a small team can be helpful.

Here, we discuss the fundamental process (mobile soft play rental business) :

• Buy different soft play equipment for different age groups, focusing on style, colors, shape, material, and size. For example, climbers, slides, ball pits, mats, tunnels, and sensory toys.
• Inventory setup: Choose a suitable space for storing those supplies; depending on the scale of your business, you need a warehouse or dedicated storage facility. Focus on cleaning the equipment or items regularly for safety and hygiene. Important is – to develop a transportation facility (buying a vehicle and a small team).
• Develop a package: Prepare a rental package focusing on different party sizes, age groups, and event duration. Then, set the pricing, fees, rental agreement, and service terms accordingly.
• Booking setup: Develop a user-friendly online booking system for customers to reserve equipment and choose preferred packages easily.
• Pick-up and cleaning: Prepare to collect and disassemble the equipment after the rental period. For the next use, cleaning is important.

Pros and cons of mobile soft play rental business :

• Lower overhead cost
• Unique selling point
• Higher profit margin
• Can attract more customer
• Greater flexibility
• No physical space needed
• Can sell additional play items
• Higher costs- invest in a vehicle
• Transportation challenges
• Storage and maintenance
• Weather dependence

Hopefully, you have understood the fundamentals of the soft play rental service.

So, let’s discuss the other essential steps.

1. Market research and analysis

Market research and consumer demand analysis are the most important steps.

Study your potential customers, competitors, and local market where you want to provide service, and primarily research the service facility (setup process).

Gather essential information on market trends and local market behavior to understand whether launching a rental service in this area is right.

To identify target customers, consider demographics and look for an area where people often celebrate parties, events celebrations, birthday parties, and weddings frequently.

You should conduct a SWOT and demographic analysis to understand potential customers better.

SWOT analysis:  A SWOT helps to determine the (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) of the business. Demographic research:  Demographic research is the primary step for studying according to (age, gender, income, education, occupation, ethnicity, location, lifestyle, interest, attitude), etc.

Identifying target customers:  Analyze the popularity and demand of potential customers; your target customers can be children (2-5 years), teenagers (10-15 years), young adults, etc.

Knowing market competition:  Understanding the market competition, analyzing competitors, pricing models, and service facilities.

Research on service:  Unique facility in your Soft Play accessories, marketing process.

You can check out online and offline sources to gather market-related information. 

Online sources include: 

Google Trends:  Google trends is a popular tool to find the trend of a specific search term, service, topic, and industry. Here is an example.

You can select a specific location, category, and time (years); as you can see, we have selected the United States for the last 5 years’ data, the growth trend in front of you.

It is constantly growing.

Social media: Social media is another great platform to analyze and track real-time data and trends; you can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Government data: Many government agencies often publish information related to markets, businesses, economic trends, industry performance, etc; you can also collect useful information from them.

Offline sources:

Only online reports, government data, and market trends are not enough to launch a business.

Consider offline sources (local businesses, trade shows, conferences, consumer surveys), which are more effective and can provide accurate information about the market situation.

So, talk with event planners, childcare centers, and preschools, and know their needs and preferences.

Try to survey some potential customers to understand what they want and how a soft play service can help them; ask everything.

2. Develop a soft play rental business plan.

Consider the market demand, customer intent, your thoughts, strategy, and business goals; by following them, create a comprehensive business plan to establish your Business.

Importance of a plan: it helps you reach goals and objectives and provides a roadmap for making strategies, plans, and other activities.

A thoroughly researched plan for your soft play business can help you achieve your intended goals and succeed.

A business plan should include:

• Business Summary:  A one-page overview of your entire plan you can include (target, goals, about your service, and establishment plan).
• Research:  Describe your researched information about Industry research, identifying target customers, competition, and competitive analysis.
• Define your Business : Include what type of services, facilities, infrastructure, and playing environment you want to provide.
• Business model:  Mobile rental service – deliver soft play items to customer locations.
• Marketing plan:  social media, word-of-mouth, paid promotion, local advertising, etc.
• Financial plan:  Initial startup cost (Leasing space, purchasing equipment, marketing cost), fund rising, pricing chart, balance sheets, cash flow, and ongoing expenses. 

This is just the overview of writing a business plan.

Search online for more useful information (Small business administration, Bplans, LivePlan, BizPlanBuilder) are the best sources to find pre-made templates. 

3. Name, registration, structure, and licensing

A business name is important for marketing, branding, and promotion for a company.

Choose a name by following a systematic approach to ensure that the name reflects the brand and resonates with your target audience.

Also, buy a domain name. A good domain name can help build credibility and increase your online visibility, making it easier for potential customers to discover your Business.

You can register domains at (Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Hover).

Select a user-friendly business name by considering the points:

• You can use a business name generator tool.
• Create a logo for your brand under the same name.
• Avoid using (numbers, underscores, hyphens, and symbols) in a name.
• The name should be (web-friendly, memorable, unique, and easy to spell or pronounce).
• A domain should be available (for creating a website).
• Research and follow the legal rules (don’t use copyrighted names).

Register your business

Establishing a clear business entity is very important for company registration.

Carefully choose a structure that aligns with your budget and goals.

You need to register as per the requirement of the state, local, and federal levels,

Choose a business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, partnership, or corporation), and decide what fits your business goals and needs.

Consult a legal advisor or attorney for guidance on completing the necessary legal formalities. Also, they guide you in selecting the best legal structure.

Get a license and permits.

Obtain the proper licenses and permits according to state and local regulations.

Research to identify and acquire the various legal requirements, including licenses, permits, and certifications.

However, some general permits and licenses, including business licenses, sales tax, fire department permits, child care licenses, safety regulations, etc.

Advise: Readers should research specific regulations in their area.

Resources to comply with those formalities: SBA, State and local website, IRS EIN assistant tool, and state secretary of state website.

Business Insurance

Business insurance is important for any liability losses or accidental injuries of your customers; it provides a facility to recover from every loss.

Business insurance is not necessarily expensive, but you need to invest a few hundred dollars per year, depending on the location, business size, and level of coverage you need.

Coverage included (General Liability, Equipment, and Workers’ compensation insurance).

Consult a local insurance agent for more detailed information; you can find more information here – Rental business insurance guide .

4. Procuring soft play equipment and supplies

The most important part of the soft play business is choosing the right equipment and suppliers and buying from a trusted supplier at an affordable price.

It would be best if you had safe, durable, and fun equipment for kids of all ages.

Estimate your budget – how much you want to invest- and research and compare different suppliers (their pricing, quality, terms).

Create a list of different types of soft play kits that are needed to provide a better service.

List of commercial soft play equipment :

• Indoor Play Structures :  Jungle Gyms, Adventure Playgrounds, Climbing Walls, Obstacle Courses, Play Tunnels, Ball Pits, Rope Bridges.
• Soft Play Shapes and Blocks:  Foam Building Blocks, Cubes, Mats, Foam Climbing Shapes, Balance Beams, Wedge Mats.
• Slides and Chutes:  Spiral Slides, Straight Slides, Wavy Slides, Tube Slides, Toddler Slides.
• Ball Pool Equipment:  Ball Pit Balls, Ball Pit Enclosures, Ball Pool Air Blowers, and Ball Pool Cleaning Equipment.
• Climbing Equipment :  Climbing Holds, Bouldering Walls, Climbing Mats, Climbing Nets.
• Toddler Play Equipment:  Soft Play Rockers, Toddler Swings, Cars, Toddler Play Houses, Sensory Equipment.
• Sensory Play Equipment:  Soft Play Mirrors, Tactile Panels, Sensory Play Mats, Fiber Optic Lights, Bubble Tubes.
• Themed Play Equipment:  Pirate Ship Playgrounds, Castle Play Structures, Underwater-themed Play Areas, Space Adventure Soft Play.
• Inflatable Play Equipment:  Inflatable Bounce Houses, Inflatable Slides, Obstacle Courses, Inflatable Ball Pits.
• Soft Play Accessories:  Padding, Safety Mats, Foam Pit Cubes, and Replacement Balls for Ball Pits.

This is only the basic list; depending on your target market, you can consider additional supplies; before buying anything, conduct proper research.

Climb Multipurpose

Soft play slide

 Foam Ball Pit

How much does soft play equipment cost?

The equipment cost depends on (material quality, size, manufacturer, quantity, company brand, and complexity). To learn about pricing, check out online stores.

The cost can vary anywhere from $100 to $1,000 per square foot or piece of items.

The best sources where you can buy soft play equipment:

• Online retailers: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Best Buy
• Brick-and-mortar stores,
• Find wholesalers and manufacturers.

Search on Google “soft play equipment supplier.” You can use words like “near me, wholesaler, manufacturer, retailer, etc.

For example, the results arrived when we searched for suppliers (the location, company name, website link, directories, rating, and offering).

5. Organize your finances and secure Funding

Soft play rental business requires a significant amount of investment, in which the cost of inventory, equipment, supplies, vehicle cost, ongoing expenses, legal, marketing, and other types of budget are Included.

Calculate the startup costs :

• A suitable space
• Legal and accounting fees
• Registration and licensing fees
• Insurance costs
• Staffing expenses
• Equipment, supplies, and inventory
• Website creation cost
• Marketing and advertising
• For buying new equipment (find the best supplier for discounts).
• Start from small and add more facilities as you grow.

The budget depends on various factors, so the thing is to calculate all properly.

Securing funding

Funds to launch your soft play business can be arranged through different channels.

But, having a detailed business plan to provide insights about your goals and strategy is important.

Explore different funding options:

• Self-funding
• Friends and Family
• Government Grants
• Crowdfunding

6. Marketing and promotion

Soft play is a great way to keep kids entertained and active, and for your Business to succeed, you need to make sure people know about your service.

This means you must invest your time, money, efforts, and dedication in marketing and promotion.

With a well-crafted marketing strategy, you can reach more potential customers and increase your profits.

Your strategy should include identifying and targeting new customers and attracting them with a strategic marketing plan: social media marketing, SEO, word-of-mouth, digital ads, influence marketing, etc.

This is the simple way to reach potential customers of your service.

Promote your service through effective online and offline marketing strategies, focusing on high-quality service, pricing, and safety.

Online: Social media, SEO, Email marketing, PPC advertising, Online directories. Offline: Networking, Partnerships, Direct mail, Print advertising

Create a safe and fun environment with high-quality soft play kits.

Final thought

The demand for soft play rental services continues to grow, and it is a popular rental service in most cities. However, with the increasing demand comes increased competition.

Entering this field requires a substantial investment, hard work, consistency, research, and planning to build trust with customers and establish a strong brand.

Hopefully, this post is helpful and provides in-depth information about the Business. If you have other doubts about the soft play business, let me know in the comments.

You might also like: Badminton court business. Start a flower wall business. Start a rug tufting business. Start a tumbler business.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some people’s questions, so the short answer is here.

Is Soft Play Rental A Good Business?

Yes, the Business is a profitable idea to start. Soft play rental is booming as parents increasingly look for safe and fun ways for their children to play.

Do I need insurance for soft play?

Yes, It is recommended to obtain insurance for your soft play business. Insurance protects against various risks, such as public liability claims, employer’s liability claims, product liability claims, and business interruption claims.

What is Soft Play?

Soft play equipment and gadgets are designed to be safe for children.

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Soft Play Rental Business?

Starting a soft play rental business requires a rough investment of $5,000-$20,000, depending on various factors. Potential costs (vehicle, inventory, insurance, marketing, etc.)

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Ultimate Guide To Starting A Soft Play Business

Opening a soft play business isn’t just about creating a fun space for children—it’s about tapping into a booming industry projected to reach $81.2 billion by 2025. Think back to the time when a simple indoor playground brought laughter and sheer joy to kids while offering parents a moment of respite. As an expert, you know the potential and impact such an establishment can have, not just on a community, but also on the businesses associated with it.

Soft play areas emerged in the late 20th century, evolving from the basic ball pits to sophisticated adventure zones. Understanding the importance of safety, durability, and creativity in equipment is paramount. Additionally, research shows a well-managed soft play business can achieve a return on investment within 18 months. Integrating modern safety standards and innovative play concepts will be key to your success.

Recognizing the Value of a Soft Play Business

The soft play business isn’t just a commercial venture; it’s a space filled with joy and learning for children. Parents appreciate these safe, engaging environments where their kids can spend quality time. As a business owner, you’re providing a service that has both social and economic benefits.

Growth of the Children’s Entertainment Industry

The children’s entertainment industry has shown significant growth over the years. Soft play areas have become incredibly popular, as they provide a necessary outlet for children’s energy and creativity. This expanding market offers ample opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Research indicates parents are willing to spend more on quality recreational time for their children. This willingness presents a lucrative opportunity for soft play business owners . As more families seek out safe play zones, your business can thrive.

Additionally, the integration of learning and development tools within soft play areas contributes to their rising popularity. Parents not only get peace of mind but also see their children benefit intellectually and socially. This multifaceted value adds to the charm of owning a soft play business.

Impact on Child Development

Soft play areas are excellent for child development, providing both physical and mental stimulation. They offer various activities that help in improving motor skills, problem-solving, and social interaction. These spaces essentially function as a playground and a learning center.

Children engage in different types of play, from climbing walls to ball pits, that challenge their motor skills. They learn how to navigate obstacles, enhancing their physical capabilities. Additionally, playing with others teaches them essential social skills, making them more adept at interaction.

Furthermore, soft play areas often include brain-stimulating games and activities. These help in cognitive development, encouraging children to think critically. All these benefits make soft play zones indispensable for early childhood development .

Community and Economic Benefits

A well-run soft play business can become a cornerstone of the community. It can host local events, birthday parties, and school outings, making it an essential part of the local area. This helps in building a loyal customer base and creating strong community ties.

In terms of economic benefits, soft play businesses offer job opportunities ranging from part-time attendants to managerial roles. These jobs can significantly impact the local economy by providing employment avenues. Additionally, partnerships with local suppliers for snacks, toys, and equipment can enhance your business network.

Having a soft play business also promotes local tourism . Families from neighboring areas might visit, adding to the local market’s vibrancy. This ripple effect helps other local businesses , making the community more prosperous as a whole.

Safety and Compliance

Safety is at the forefront of any successful soft play business. Strict adherence to safety standards ensures an environment where children can play without risk. From padded surfaces to regular equipment checks, every detail matters.

Compliance with local regulations is equally crucial to avoid potential fines and closures. Regular audits and updates to meet current standards show your commitment to safety. This reassures parents, making your soft play area their preferred choice.

Moreover, safety training for staff is indispensable. Well-trained employees can manage emergencies efficiently, ensuring peace of mind for both parents and children. Prioritizing safety builds trust and enhances your business reputation.

Selecting the Ideal Location for Your Soft Play Business

Choosing the right location for your soft play business can significantly affect its success. A good location maximizes visibility and attracts more visitors . It’s essential to consider various factors for an optimal choice.

Factors to Consider in Location Selection

Proximity to residential areas is crucial. Parents prefer nearby locations for convenience. Areas with high population density can provide a steady stream of customers.

Accessibility and parking also play significant roles. If your location is hard to reach or lacks sufficient parking, potential customers might look elsewhere. Ensure there’s ample and safe parking available.

The local competition should also be analyzed. Avoid areas saturated with similar businesses. Instead, find niches or underserved communities.

The Benefits of High Visibility and Easy Access

High visibility can naturally draw in walk-in traffic. Locations near shopping centers, schools, or parks are ideal. These placements can attract families already in the area .

Easy access is essential for attracting repeat customers. If your soft play business is difficult to find, parents might not return. Consider visibility from main roads and ease of entry.

Additionally, high-traffic areas can amplify your marketing efforts. Billboards, signs, and word-of-mouth are more effective where they can be easily seen by many. This boosts your business’s local presence.

Evaluating the Costs and Space Requirements

Rent or purchase costs will impact your budget. Consider whether the location justifies its price . High footfall areas might come with a heftier price tag.

Space requirements for a soft play area are different from typical retail spaces. You’ll need ample room for play areas, seating, and safe movement. Ensuring the space meets these needs is crucial.

Don’t forget about future expansion. Choose a location that allows you to expand as your business grows. Flexibility in space can accommodate the addition of new play sections or increased customer traffic.

Designing an Engaging and Safe Soft Play Area

Creating an engaging soft play area requires thoughtful design. Children need diverse activities that cater to different interests and age groups. This ensures that every visit is exciting and fun.

Incorporate colorful and dynamic elements to capture attention. Bright, multi-colored structures and interactive features can spark creativity and interest. These elements keep children eager to return.

Safety should be your top priority. Use non-toxic, durable materials and ensure all equipment meets safety standards. Regular maintenance and inspections are crucial to keep the play area hazard-free.

Consider the layout to ensure easy supervision. Open spaces and clear sightlines allow parents and staff to monitor all activities. This not only enhances safety but also gives parents peace of mind.

Sourcing and Choosing the Right Equipment for Your Soft Play Business

When starting a soft play business, the equipment you choose is critical to your success. High-quality and durable equipment ensures safety and longevity. It’s an investment in the reputation of your business.

• Climbing frames
• Soft play mats

Select equipment that is specifically designed for different age groups. Younger children need softer, lower structures. Older kids might enjoy climbing walls and obstacle courses.

Consider the material used in the equipment. Look for non-toxic and easy-to-clean materials. Safety certifications also play a vital role in choosing the right items.

Don’t overlook the importance of engaging designs and colors. Bright and fun colors attract children and keep them entertained. The aesthetic appeal can set your play area apart from competitors.

Lastly, establish a regular maintenance routine. Regular checks can prevent accidents and extend the life of your equipment. Well-maintained equipment ensures continuous safety and satisfaction for your customers.

Effective Marketing Strategies for Your Soft Play Business

To make your soft play business successful, you need effective marketing strategies. Utilize both traditional and digital marketing to reach a broader audience. A balanced approach will maximize your impact.

Social media is a powerful tool. Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to showcase your play area with photos and videos. Engaging content can attract more visitors.

Creating a user-friendly website is essential. Your site should include easy navigation, contact information, and booking options. Adding a blog with parenting tips and activity ideas can drive traffic.

Partnering with local businesses can amplify your reach. Collaborate with nearby schools, daycare centers, and pediatricians for cross-promotions. This localized approach builds community trust.

Email marketing remains effective. Send regular newsletters with updates, special offers, and events. Personalizing your messages can increase engagement rates.

• Special discount days
• Refer-a-friend programs
• Seasonal events and activities

Finally, consider gathering customer reviews and testimonials. Positive reviews can be displayed on your website and social media. Happy customers are your best advocates and help build credibility for your business.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re considering starting a soft play business, you likely have many questions. Here are some frequently asked questions that can help guide you through the process.

1. What is the initial investment needed for a soft play business?

The initial investment for a soft play business varies widely based on location and scale. Small indoor play areas might require an investment of $50,000 to $150,000. Larger, more complex setups could need upwards of $500,000. Consider including costs for rent, equipment, and marketing in your budget .

A detailed business plan can help break down these costs further. Financing options like loans or investor funding might be necessary to cover the initial investment. It’s crucial to have a comprehensive budget plan in place before moving forward with your venture.

2. How do I ensure safety in my soft play area?

Ensuring safety in your soft play area involves several key steps. First, invest in high-quality equipment that complies with safety standards and regularly inspect it for wear and tear. Second, implement a rigorous maintenance schedule to keep all play structures in top condition.

Adequate staff training is also essential for maintaining safety standards. Staff should be well-versed in emergency procedures and child supervision techniques. Providing a secure environment will earn parents’ trust and boost customer satisfaction.

3. What age groups should I target?

Soft play areas typically cater to children aged 1-10 years old. However, specific zones within your play area can address different developmental stages by offering age-appropriate activities and equipment.

This segmentation ensures that younger children are safe while older kids are challenged and entertained too. Having dedicated areas can maximize enjoyment for all age groups and minimize the risks associated with mixed-age activities.

4. What are effective marketing strategies for attracting customers?

Marketing your soft play business effectively requires using both online and offline tactics. Leverage social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to showcase vibrant photos and videos of your facility; engage with local parenting groups online too.

You can also collaborate with local schools, daycare centers, and pediatricians for co-promotional opportunities or events. Traditional marketing methods like flyers or advertising in community newspapers still hold value as well.

5.What amenities should complement the main soft play area?

Add extra amenities to make visits more enjoyable for families visiting your venue—these might include comfortable seating areas for parents or guardians along with free Wi-Fi access so they remain engaged while supervising their children at rest points throughout their visit session duration time slots accordingly planned between both parties involved positively impacting outcomes desired hugely overall demonstrating professional management competencies excellently without compromising quality services delivered efficiently cost-effectively each day running smoothly undeniably proving outstanding experiences consistently drawing more customers repeatedly patronizing venue promoting incremental revenue streams exponentially long-term sustainability achieved success duly justified entirely wholeheartedly commendably so much thoroughly ensured surely altogether adequately eventually forevermore indefinitely completely conclusively beyond mere words expressed comprehensively endlessly summarised precisely entirely understandably utterly nicely convincingly crafted rightly wonderfully finished perfectly fittingly genuinely.”

Final Thoughts

Starting a soft play business can be a highly rewarding venture. With careful planning, the right location, and engaging equipment, you set the stage for success. Don’t forget the power of effective marketing and strong community ties.

Always prioritize safety and customer satisfaction. Regular maintenance and staff training ensure a safe and welcoming environment. By following these steps, you’ll create a thriving business that brings joy to children and peace of mind to parents.

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How to Start a Soft Play Rental Business: A Complete Guide

Are you eager to learn how to start a soft play rental business? If you’ve ever dreamt of creating a space where children can have fun, expend their boundless energy, and let their imaginations run wild, then starting a soft play rental business could be your perfect venture. Soft play businesses offer children a safe and engaging environment with colorful play structures, ball pits, and interactive games.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of launching your soft play rental business , from understanding what soft play is to successfully launching your exciting new venture. So, let’s dive in and explore how to turn your dream into reality!

What is Soft Play?

Before delving into the steps on how to start a soft play rental business , let’s begin by understanding what “soft play” entails. Soft play is a recreational concept primarily designed for children to enjoy interactive play experiences. It typically features soft and padded play equipment, including climbing frames, slides, tunnels, and obstacle courses. These play areas are meticulously designed to be safe and secure, allowing children to explore, socialize, and develop their physical and cognitive skills in a controlled environment.

Now, let’s dive into the 15 crucial steps to embark on your journey of establishing a successful soft play rental business.

How to Start a Soft Play Rental Business in 15 Steps

Starting a soft play rental business requires careful planning and execution. Here are the essential steps to guide you on your journey:

Step 1: Conduct Comprehensive Market Research

The first step in starting any business is conducting thorough market research. This helps you understand the landscape and opportunities in your area. Identify your target audience, study local demographics, and assess the demand for a soft play business in your vicinity. Visit existing soft play centers, talk to parents, and gather insights about their preferences, expectations, and pain points. This information is invaluable for differentiating your business and creating a unique offering.

Step 2: Develop a Comprehensive Business Plan

Creating a well-structured business plan is your roadmap to success. Outline your vision, mission, and goals, and include detailed financial projections, marketing strategies, and operational procedures. Your business plan should also incorporate your target market analysis, competitor research, and plans for ensuring the safety and security of your play area. Additionally, consider any additional services or amenities you may want to offer, such as party hosting, a café, or themed events.

Step 3: Explore Financing Options

Starting a soft play rental business typically requires a significant initial investment. Explore various financing options, such as personal savings, loans, or partnerships, to secure the necessary funds. To attract potential investors or financial institutions, present your well-developed business plan to demonstrate the viability and profitability of your venture. Proper financial planning is crucial to ensure you have the resources to cover the startup costs and ongoing expenses until your business becomes self-sustaining.

Step 4: Find the Perfect Location

Choosing the right location is crucial for the success of your soft play rental business. Look for areas with high foot traffic, such as shopping malls, family entertainment centers, or commercial complexes. Ensure the location has sufficient space for your play area, allowing children to move comfortably and safely. Check for adequate parking facilities, easy accessibility, and the necessary permits and licenses to operate a recreational business.

Step 5: Collaborate with a Professional Designer

Creating an engaging and visually appealing play area is key to attracting customers. Collaborate with a professional designer who specializes in children’s play spaces. Ensure the design incorporates age-appropriate zones, themed play structures, and safety features like soft flooring and clear sightlines for supervision.

Step 6: Select High-Quality Soft Play Equipment

Invest in high-quality soft play equipment that complies with safety regulations and standards. The safety and durability of your equipment are paramount. Consider creating separate areas for toddlers and older children to cater to different age groups.

Step 7: Prioritize Safety

Safety is paramount in a soft play business. Develop strict safety protocols and procedures to ensure the well-being of children and peace of mind for parents. Implement thorough equipment maintenance schedules, regular safety inspections, and staff training programs.

Step 8: Maintain Hygiene Standards

In addition to safety, maintain high hygiene standards. Establish protocols that include routine cleaning and sanitization of play equipment, restrooms, and common areas to maintain a clean and healthy environment.

Step 9: Develop a Comprehensive Marketing Strategy

As your soft play business nears completion, it’s time to create buzz and generate excitement for your grand opening. Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes online and offline promotion, social media campaigns, partnerships with local schools or community organizations, and targeted advertising. Leverage digital platforms, your website, and comprehensive software solutions for ticketing, customer management, and loyalty programs.

Step 10: Determine Competitive Pricing

Determine competitive yet profitable pricing for your soft play rental business. Consider offering pricing tiers or packages to cater to various customer segments. Explore options for discounts or memberships to incentivize repeat customers. Continuously monitor pricing effectiveness and be ready to adjust as needed.

Step 11: Register and Obtain Licenses

Ensure your soft play rental business operates within legal boundaries. Register your business, obtain the necessary licenses and permits, and comply with safety and health regulations. Consider liability insurance to protect your business from unforeseen incidents.

Step 12: Source Reliable Suppliers

Build strong relationships with reliable suppliers of soft play equipment. Negotiate favorable terms and pricing, ensuring prompt and efficient equipment delivery. Establish ongoing supplier relationships to secure a steady supply of equipment.

Step 13: Recruit and Train Qualified Staff

Recruit and hire qualified staff who are passionate about child safety and enjoyment. Provide comprehensive training on safety and customer service. Clearly define roles and responsibilities and foster a positive and child-friendly work environment.

Step 14: Prioritize Excellent Customer Service

Prioritize excellent customer service to build trust and loyalty among your clients. Collect feedback from customers to gain insights into their experiences and expectations. Address any concerns promptly and consider creating a loyalty program or rewards system for repeat customers.

Step 15: Keep Detailed Financial Records

Effective financial management is crucial for your soft play rental business. Keep detailed financial records, track revenue and expenses, and manage cash flow effectively. Consider hiring an accountant or using accounting software to ensure financial stability.

By following these steps diligently, you’ll be well-prepared to launch your soft play rental business successfully. Remember that providing a safe, engaging, and memorable experience for children and families is key to your long-term success.

The Cost of Starting a Soft Play Rental Business

Starting a soft play rental business requires a minimum investment, with costs ranging from $10,000 to $20,000, although these expenses can fluctuate based on several factors. Let’s delve deeper into the specific costs associated with launching a soft play rental business:

1. Soft Play Equipment: The heart of your soft play rental business is the equipment itself. The cost of acquiring or renting soft play equipment varies significantly based on the type, quality, and quantity of equipment you decide to offer. High-quality and larger play structures will naturally incur higher expenses.

2. Transportation: You’ll need a suitable vehicle to transport the soft play equipment to and from events. The cost of this vehicle can range from purchasing a new one, which can be a substantial investment, to leasing a vehicle, which offers more flexibility in terms of budget.

3. Insurance: Ensuring your business is adequately covered in accidents or injuries is vital. Liability insurance is a must for soft play rental businesses. The insurance cost can vary significantly depending on your selected coverage level, business location, and other factors.

4. Marketing and Advertising: Promoting your soft play rental business is essential for attracting customers. Marketing expenses include advertising, website development, social media campaigns, and promotional materials. The costs associated with marketing can vary based on the channels and strategies you choose to employ.

5. Legal and Licensing Fees: Registering your business and obtaining the necessary licenses and permits are part of the legal requirements. Your business’s location influences the cost of these fees, the type of business structure you select (e.g., sole proprietorship, LLC), and local regulations.

Note that these costs are estimates and can fluctuate significantly based on your unique circumstances, such as your location, the specific equipment you choose, and your marketing strategy. Therefore, conducting thorough research and creating a detailed business plan is highly recommended to accurately assess the costs associated with starting your soft play rental business.

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Skills and Experience Need to Start a Soft Play Rental Business

Starting a soft play rental business requires a specific set of skills and experiences to ensure your venture’s success. While you don’t need a formal education, acquiring the right skills and knowledge will be crucial. Here’s a breakdown of the skills and experience you’ll need:

Creativity and Imagination: Soft play rental businesses are all about creating a magical and engaging experience for children. You need to have a creative mind to design fun and innovative play areas that captivate kids’ imaginations.

Knowledge of Child Development: Understanding child development milestones is essential. It helps you design play areas that promote physical, cognitive, and social development, ensuring that children have a valuable and enriching experience.

Safety Awareness: Safety is paramount in the soft play industry. You must have a strong commitment to safety standards and a keen eye for detail. Regular safety inspections, maintenance, and risk management should be part of your routine.

Business Management: Basic business management skills are vital. You’ll need to handle finances, marketing, customer service, and day-to-day operations efficiently. Consider taking a business management course or seeking guidance from mentors.

Customer Service: Excellent customer service is key to a successful soft play rental business. You should be friendly, approachable, and responsive to customer inquiries and concerns. Happy customers are more likely to become repeat clients and refer others.

Marketing and Promotion: Promoting your business effectively is essential to attract customers. You’ll need skills in online and offline marketing, including social media, SEO, and traditional advertising.

Event Planning: If you plan to offer services for parties and events, event planning skills can be valuable. This includes coordinating schedules, managing bookings, and ensuring a smooth event experience.

Financial Management: Managing your finances wisely is crucial. You’ll need to budget, handle income and expenses, and plan for long-term financial sustainability.

Networking: Building a network within the industry can help you learn from others’ experiences and potentially collaborate for mutual benefit. Attend industry events and join relevant associations.

Patience and Adaptability: Like any business, you’ll face challenges and setbacks. Patience and adaptability will help you navigate these obstacles and continuously improve your services.

Experience:

While you can learn many of these skills, having some relevant experience can be extremely beneficial. Consider gaining experience by:

• Volunteering or working at existing soft play centers or similar businesses.
• Organizing and hosting children’s events or parties.
• Participating in workshops or courses related to child development, safety, and business management.

Remember, your passion for providing children with a safe and enjoyable environment is a driving force. With the right skills and experiences, you can successfully start and manage a soft play rental business that delights both children and their parents.

The Future of the Soft Play Rental Industry

The future of the soft play rental industry is poised for exciting developments and transformations. Several key trends and changes are expected to shape the industry in the coming years:

Enhanced Safety Measures: Safety will continue to be a top priority in the soft play rental industry. Businesses will invest in advanced safety features and practices to ensure children’s well-being, giving parents peace of mind.

Technological Integration: The industry will see increased integration of technology to improve customer experiences and streamline operations. This may include digital check-in systems, online booking platforms, and interactive play elements.

Diversification of Services: To attract a broader customer base, soft play rental businesses will diversify their offerings. This could involve hosting themed parties, educational programs, and special events beyond basic play equipment.

Sustainability: There will be a growing emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly practices. Businesses may adopt environmentally responsible materials and energy-efficient designs in their play structures.

Health and Wellness Focus: As awareness of childhood health and wellness grows, soft play businesses will incorporate more physical fitness and mental well-being components into their offerings. This could include exercise programs, mindfulness activities, and nutritional education.

Customization: Personalized experiences will become a significant trend. Soft play businesses may offer customization options for parties and events, allowing customers to tailor their experiences to specific themes or preferences.

Digital Marketing Expansion: Businesses will expand their digital marketing efforts to reach a wider audience. This may include social media campaigns, online promotions, and influencer partnerships.

Mobile Soft Play Units: Convenience and flexibility will drive the popularity of mobile soft play units that can be easily transported to various locations, such as schools, community centers, and private events.

Collaborative Partnerships: Collaborations with schools, daycare centers, and event planners will increase market reach and provide opportunities for joint ventures and promotions.

Increased Competition: As the soft play rental industry grows, competition will intensify. Businesses will need to differentiate themselves through innovation, unique offerings, and exceptional customer service.

Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to local and industry-specific regulations and safety standards will be essential for legal operation. Businesses will prioritize compliance to build trust with customers.

Global Expansion: Some businesses may explore international markets to meet the rising global demand for soft play experiences. This expansion may involve franchising or licensing their concepts.

Virtual Reality (VR) Integration: Virtual reality technology may enhance play experiences, offering children immersive and interactive adventures within soft play environments.

Parental Involvement: Encouraging parental involvement will be a focus, fostering family togetherness and bonding during play sessions.

Continuous Innovation : To thrive in a competitive landscape, the soft play rental industry will need to prioritize ongoing innovation, adapting to changing customer preferences and emerging trends.

These trends reflect the industry’s potential for growth, diversification, and adaptation to evolving customer needs and expectations. Soft play rental businesses that embrace these changes are likely to thrive in the dynamic market.

Starting a soft play rental business can be an exciting and rewarding venture. By following these 15 steps diligently, you can navigate the process of starting and growing your business successfully. Remember that consistent dedication to safety, customer satisfaction, and business management will be crucial to your long-term success. Staying updated on trends and innovations, maintaining safety and hygiene standards, and continuously striving for excellence will set your business apart in this dynamic industry. With the right approach, you can create a space where children can explore, play, and make lasting memories.

Now, it’s time to embark on your journey and bring joy and happiness to children in your community through your soft play rental business.

How do I market my soft play rental business?

You can market your soft play rental business through social media, flyers, word-of-mouth, and partnerships with event planners and venues.

What legal and licensing requirements do I need to start a soft play rental business?

You must register your business and obtain any necessary licenses and permits. The cost of legal and licensing fees can vary depending on your location and the business structure you choose.

How do I ensure the safety and maintenance of my soft play equipment?

Regularly inspect and clean your soft play equipment to ensure its safety and longevity. It would help to have liability insurance to protect your business in case of accidents or injuries.

How do I expand my soft play rental business?

You can expand your soft play rental business by adding new equipment, offering additional services such as party planning, and expanding your marketing efforts.

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Teacher-turned online blogger, Shirley is a full-time backyard homesteader based in Virginia. When she doesn't have her face buried in a book or striding in her garden, she's busy blogging about simple life hacks of the daily life. Shirley hold's a BA in commerce from University of California.

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How to Start A Soft Play Business

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Starting a soft play business can be a rewarding and profitable venture, but it requires careful planning and preparation. The soft play business is a great way to get into the entertainment industry. Here are some steps to consider how to open an indoor playground.

Research the market

Before starting any indoor play business, it’s important to research the market to understand the soft play industry demand, competition, and trends. Identifying your mission and vision. What experience do you want to provide? What ages will you accommodate? Look for other soft play centers in your area and research their pricing, services, and indoor playground review from customers. This will help you understand what works and what doesn’t, and give you a sense of what you can offer that’s unique equipment for indoor playgrounds.

Develop a soft play business plan

A business plan is a roadmap that outlines your goals, strategies, and financial projections. It’s essential for securing funding and guiding your business decisions. Your business plan for custom indoor playground should include details on your target market, marketing strategies, operational costs, and revenue projections.

Choose a location

The location of your soft play center is critical to your success. Look for a location that is easily accessible, has ample parking, and is visible to potential customers. Consider the size of the space you need, the layout of the facility, and the availability of utilities and other services.

Design your soft playground space

Work with professionals to design a creative, age-appropriate layout. Include structured play equipment, open spaces, adult seating, varying levels, interactive components, etc.

Obtain necessary licenses and permits

Depending on your location and the type of soft play center you’re opening, you may need to obtain indoor playground licenses and permits from local and state authorities. This may include permits for building, health, safety, and zoning.

Purchase indoor soft play equipment

Soft play equipment can be expensive, but it’s essential for creating a fun and safe environment for children. Research vendors and suppliers to find quality equipment that meets safety standards and fits within your budget. Some equipment you may need includes foam blocks, tunnels, slides, and climbing structures.

Hire and train staff

Your staff will be responsible for supervising children, maintaining the facility, and providing customer service. Hire qualified staff members who have experience working with children and who are trained in CPR and first aid. Develop training programs to ensure that your staff understands your policies and procedures, and can provide a safe and positive experience for your customers.

Develop a marketing plan

How will you spread the word about your new business and attract customers? Once you’ve opened your soft play center, you’ll need to attract customers. Develop a marketing plan with indoor playground industry statistics that includes advertising, social media, and promotions to reach your target market. Consider offering discounts or special events to attract new customers and encourage repeat business.

Starting a soft play business can be challenging. Still, with careful planning, hard work, and dedication, there is a lot of potential for growth in this industry, you can create a successful and profitable business that provides children with a safe and fun environment to play and learn. Contact JULE for more soft play business ideas and support.

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Indoor Playground Business Plan [Sample Template]

By: Author Tony Martins Ajaero

Home » Business Plans » Entertainment Sector

Are you about starting an indoor playground business? If YES, here’s a complete sample indoor playground business plan template & feasibility report you can use for FREE to raise money .

This is one lucrative business that sure can guarantee good returns on investment. However, you will be required to do some underground work too. It becomes therefore really expedient that you do the needful to garner the right information that will be useful to your business as you launch out.

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A Sample Indoor Playground Business Plan Template

1. industry overview.

The indoor playground which is also known as indoor play centers are playgrounds located in facility; shielded from direct impact of climatic conditions. These facilities are specifically designed for kids to play in, exercise and have incredible fun.

The soft-contained structure and play equipment are all wrapped in soft foam so as to absorb the impact when children fall or bounce around them. Players in this industry operate franchised fitness and recreational sports facilities for children aged 18 and younger.

The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry has indeed coped well over the last five years, as it recovered from the economic downturn that affected most businesses in the united states.

Rising per capita disposable income as well as growing awareness of the benefits of playing and exercising regularly, especially in response to the rising childhood obesity rate, have driven demand for this line of business in recent time. Going forward, rising per capita disposable income and lower unemployment levels will continue to drive up demand for franchises.

The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry of which indoor playground line of business is subset of is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all parts of the world especially in developed countries such as United States of America, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and Italy et al.

Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 1,050 licensed and registered children’s fitness cum indoor playground facilities including those who are into franchising responsible for employing about 10,723 employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $550 million annually with an annual growth rate projected at 2.0 percent.

My Gym Children Fitness Center, Stretch –N- Grow International Inc. and The Little Gym are considered to have the giant market share in this industry. According to IBISWORLD, The revenue for the Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry is expected to increase at an average annual rate of 2.0 percent to $550.3 million over the five years to 2016.

No doubt, The Children’s fitness center franchises have benefited from rising per capita disposable income, coupled with rapidly growing awareness of childhood obesity and the importance of daily physical activity. While the number of children aged nine and younger remained stagnant over the five-year period, it still grew in 2016, prompting industry revenue to also grow 1.4 percent that year.

IBISWORLD also projected that profit is expected to rise from 9.0 percent of the industry revenue in 2011 to 11.1 percent in 2016, driven by some children’s fitness center franchises expanding their high-priced service offering to activities such as interactive fitness

In recent time, the industry has experienced revenue growth, despite many families being time-strapped. While the industry contended with mounting competition from alternative leisure activities, such as bouncy castles and cinemas, many operators generated industry revenue growth on the basis of convenience.

In the coming years, the industry revenue is forecast to grow as the Children’s Fitness Center Franchises centers continue to enhance their product portfolios to attract children and families, despite their reduced leisure time

Over and above, starting an indoor playground facility business in the United States of America can be some worth stressful, it requires enough cash to acquire land large enough to accommodate the kind of indoor playground facility that can comfortably attract children cum families and also cash required to equip the indoor playground facility to meet the standard expected by potential users.

2. Executive Summary

Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC is a standard and well equipped indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility that will be located in a growing community in St Louis – Missouri.

Our basic aim of setting up the business is to contribute our quota in ensuring that children cum families who live in St. Louis and neighboring towns have an indoor playground facility for their children to catch fun to the maximum and also to open; a facility highly suitable for family recreation and bonding.

We are committed to nurturing the play, imagination and early learning in children while providing a clean safe environment for children to explore and have fun to the maximum. We have been able to secure a standard indoor playground facility in a central and easy to locate location in St. Louis – Missouri.

Aside from the fact that our aim of starting the business is to entertain children and keep the physically and mentally fit; we will still go ahead to make available, video game house, bowling alley, BBQ joint, food and drinks court, ice cream shop and enough parking space so as to get parents and guardians occupied when they bring their wards to our indoor playground facility.

We are well equipped to services the whole family cum community as well as visitors and travelers. Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC is going to become the number one children cum family – focused recreation facility in the whole of St. Louis – Missouri and we will work hard to build our indoor playground facility to match the needs of the average child under the age of 18 in the community.

Before launching the business, we conducted a thorough market research and feasibility studies and we were able to come to the conclusion that St. Louis – Missouri community is the right place to open our indoor playground facility. As a matter of fact, our major aim of starting Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC is to encourage families in the community to cultivate the habit of regularly taking their kids out to have fun.

Our indoor playground facility is specifically designed and built to take care of children as well as parents, we have active childcare services for toddlers and we have membership packages that are highly discounted for families that enrolled in our indoor playground facility or churches and schools who would want to regularly make use of indoor playground facility.

Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC will at all times demonstrate her commitment to sustainability, both individually and as a business, by actively participating in our communities and integrating sustainable business practices wherever possible.

We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely. We will cultivate a working environment that provides a human, sustainable approach to earning a living, and living in our world, for our partners, employees and for our clients.

Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC is a business that is owned and managed by Stacy Jones and her immediate family. Mrs. Stacy Jones has robust experienced in the children entertainment and family recreation industry and she possess B.Ed. in Physical and Health Education.

3. Our Products and Services

Bellerose Indoor Playground ®, LLC is in the children’s fitness center franchise industry cum indoor playground line of business to provide children’s fitness center, entertainment and recreation facility for residence of St. Louis – Missouri which is why we have been able to put up an indoor playground facility that can help us achieve the goal.

We are optimistic that everyone who make use of our indoor playground facility will definitely derive maximum fun and of course good value for their money and time. These are the services and amenities that will be made available to our clients in our indoor playground facility;

• Varieties of ride on toys for children
• Child care services
• Amusement and recreational services
• Ceramic Paintings
• Spas for Children
• Game Dungeons
• Bouncy Castle
• Managing indoor playgrounds and gymnastics centers
• Providing gymnastics instruction
• Providing dance instruction
• Providing swimming instruction
• Providing additional children’s fitness activities instruction
• Other related indoor playground facility operations.

4. Our Mission and Vision Statement

• Our Vision is to build a world – class indoor playground cum children’s fitness facility and also to contribute our quota in encourage families and children in St. Louis – Missouri to actively engage in children fun – filled and recreational activities.
• Our mission for establishing Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is to create a movement in the community that supports total engagement in children cum family in fun filled and recreational activities.
• We want to contribute our quota towards ensuring that St. Louis – Missouri community produces some of the happiest and healthy children free from obesity in the whole of the United States of America.

Our Business Structure

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LlC is in business to become the leading indoor playground facility cum children’s fitness center in the whole of St. Louis – Missouri and we are fully aware that it will take the right indoor playground facility, management and organization – structure to achieve our goal.

We will ensure that we recruit only the best hands that can help us achieve all that we are set to accomplish. Our business will not be built only for the purpose of giving our members / customers value for their money and time, but also we will ensure that we make our work environment highly conducive for all our employees.

We will provide them with employee package that will help them stay motivated and deliver on their various tasks and goals et al. In view of that, we have made provisions for the following positions to be occupied by highly qualified and experienced staff;

• Chief Executive Office – CEO
• Indoor Playground Facility Manager
• Accountant / Cashier
• Marketing and Sales Officer
• Indoor Playground Safety Instructor / Assistant (5)
• Customer Care Executive / Front Desk Officer

5. Job Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO:

• Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and opinions; providing educational opportunities.
• Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
• Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
• Responsible for providing direction for the business
• Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
• Evaluates the success of the organization
• Carries out staff induction for new team members

Indoor Play Ground Facility Manager

• Responsible for operating and managing the indoor playground facility
• Ensures that the facility is in tip top position at all times
• Responsible for managing food and beverage services
• Manages membership and registration services
• Handles equipment rentals and sales services
• Handles other relevant indoor playground facility operations

Indoor Playground Safety Instructors / Assistant (5)

• Ensures that children follow lay down safety measures when they make use of our ride – on – toys, bouncy castles and other play facilities available in our indoor playground cum children’s fitness center
• Handles amusement and recreation services
• Handles registration for sports tournaments and matches
• Responsible for handling and giving instruction for services such as meals and beverages, coin-operated games and rides, amateur sports teams and club services, go-karting, batting cages, driving ranges , shooting ranges, kayaking, miniature golf courses, mountain climbing, snowmobiling, sports clubs, teams and leagues et al.

Marketing and Sales Officer (2)

• Identifies, prioritizes, and reaches out to new clients, and business opportunities et al
• Identifies development opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts; participates in the structuring and financing of projects; assures the completion of projects.
• Writes winning proposal documents, negotiate fees and rates in line with organizations’ policy
• Responsible for handling business research, market surveys and feasibility studies for clients
• Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients
• Develops, executes and evaluates new plans for expanding increase sales
• Documents all customer contact and information
• Represents Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC in strategic meetings
• Helps to increase sales and growth for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC.

Accountant / Cashier:

• Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
• Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
• Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
• Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for the organization
• Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
• Responsible for administering payrolls
• Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
• Handles all financial transactions for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC
• Serves as internal auditor for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC.

Client Service Executive

• Welcomes members and potential members / clients by greeting them in person or on the telephone; answering or directing inquiries.
• Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
• Through interaction with clients on the phone, uses every opportunity to build client’s interest in the organization’s products and services
• Manages administrative duties assigned by the management in an effective and timely manner
• Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the organizations’ products, promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries

Cleaners (3):

• Responsible for cleaning in and around the indoor playground facility
• Cleans up after customers and clean work area.
• Washes glassware and utensils after each use.
• Maintains a clean working area by sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning of glass doors and windows, etc. if required.
• Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
• Handles any other duty as assigned by the indoor playground facility center manager.

6. SWOT Analysis

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is in business to provide indoor playground cum children’s fitness facility for families in St. Louis – Missouri and also help our clients achieve their fitness cum fun – filled activities for their children and at the same time to make profits.

We are aware that there is competition in The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry which is why we took out time to conduct an effective SWOT Analysis before investing our hard earned money into the business.

We know that if we get things right before starting our indoor playground cum children’s fitness facility, we will not have to struggle before attract loyal clients and building our membership base to a level where we can easily breakeven in record time.

We hired the services of Dr. Emmanuel Bright, a HR and Business consultant with bias in business structuring to help us conduct SWOT analysis for our company and he did a pretty good job for us. Here is a of the result we got from the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LCC;

One of the apparent strengths that will definitely stand as a plus for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LCC is the fact that our indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility is centrally located in a densely populated – residential area in St. Louis – Missouri; our location is in fact one of our major strength.

We equally have a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals who will work with children cum all our clients to achieve their aims making use of our indoor playground facility and lastly our gate fee / membership package is going to be one of the best that anybody living in St. Louis – Missouri can get; it is cheap and affordable.

Before setting up this business, we critically looked into our Business model and we were able to identify two major weakness.

One is the fact that we are a new business and the second is the fact that we may not have the financial resources required to match up with existing indoor playground cum children’s fitness facilities and even government own entertainment and recreation facilities in St. Louis – Missouri when it comes to acquiring latest children entertainment and fitness equipment and also in generating the needed hypes that can drive traffic towards our indoor playground facility.

• Opportunities:

Part of the advantages we have is that, we are centrally located in one of the busiest area and densely populated area with the right demographic composition in St. Louis – Missouri and we are open to all the available opportunities that the city has to offer.

Just like any other business operating in The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry, some of the threats that are likely going to confront Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC are unfavorable government policies , demographic / social factors, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect consumers spending and lastly, the emergence of new competitors within the same location where our indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility is located.

7. MARKET ANALYSIS

• Market Trends

The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry is part of the industry that has benefited from recent marketing campaigns which is targeted towards encourage people (children inclusive) to participate in recreation activities and sports, as well as consumer trends toward healthy living.

Going forward, many people who are part of the baby boomers generation are expected to sign up their children for health and fitness club memberships or encourage their children to make use of available indoor playground facilities in their communities. However, patrons of indoor playground cum children’s fitness centers are anticipated to increasingly pick up membership from less expensive facilities as against expensive all-inclusive clubs.

The trend in The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry of which the indoor playground facility line of business is a subset of is such that if a facility is well – equipped and positioned in a residential area with the right demographic composition or a place where people can easily access without much stress, there is the likelihood that the indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility will enjoy high patronage.

Just like in other business ventures, the owners of indoor playground cum children’s fitness center are always looking for ways to increase their market share; they go as far as signing deals with high schools and also religious organizations et al to make use of their facility.

It is a common trend that as indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility grow, it becomes necessary for them to develop new service offerings or install new facilities that will help them attract more people.

Little wonder some indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility now has other facilities targeted towards attracting adults / parents. In order words, it is very important for indoor playground and children’s fitness centers to continue to improvise if they want to grow their business and generate their target revenues.

8. Our Target Market

The target market for indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facilities cuts across children and family from different backgrounds. The fact that people visit or register in indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility for various reasons makes marketing the business interesting.

The target market for indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility can be categorized into three various groups. The first group are the families who are looking towards creating time for children cum family hangouts and bonding. The other group of people are schools who would want an ideal place to take their students / children to during excursions or playtime et al. The last group of people are religious organizations.

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC will work towards providing services, facilities and environment that will help us reach out to our target market. These are the category of people that we intend marketing our family entertainment center to;

• Households and families with children under the age of 18 in an around St. Louis – Missouri
• Churches and Religious centers

Our Competitive Advantage

The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry is indeed a prolific and highly competitive industry. Clients will only make use of your indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility if they know that you can successfully help them achieve their goals or provide the enabling environment and facility for their children to catch maximum fun.

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is centrally located in a densely populated – residential area with the right demographic composition (that is high population of children under age 18) in St. Louis – Missouri; this is obviously going to give us an edge amongst our competitive.

We equally have a team of highly qualified professionals who will work with children cum all our clients to achieve their aims of making use of our indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility and lastly our gate fee cum membership package is going to be one of the best that anybody living in St. Louis – Missouri can get; it is cheap and affordable.

Lastly, our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category ( startups indoor playground cum children’s fitness center facility businesses in the United States ) in the industry. It will enable them to be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our business aims and objectives.

9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

• Sources of Income

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the indoor playground line of business cum The Children’s Fitness Center Franchises industry and we are going to go all the way to ensure that we do all it takes to attract both individual clients (families) and corporate clients on a regular basis.

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC will generate income by offering the following services;

10. Sales Forecast

It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our feasibility studies and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field.

It would be hard to create a sales forecast with a newly opened businesslike indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility. This is simply because the statistics that will be provided will be on a short term basis.

Experts said that usually a business should be in operation for at least one year before they can generate the statistics that will be need to help in accurate forecasting; statistics should be at least one year old in order to show the trends and pattern in consumer spending.

We expect to welcome a minimum of 12,000 children i.e. one thousand children per month within our first year of operations and then in subsequent year we will grow by 25 percent on more.

Below are the sales projection for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LCC, it is based on the location of our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility and the services and products that we will be offering to our clients (members);

• First Fiscal Year-: $200,000
• Second Fiscal Year-: $450,000
• Third Fiscal Year-: $750,000

N.B : This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major competitor offering same additional services as we do within 4.5 miles radius from our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility.

• Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

We will leverage on improving on our services and indoor playground facility to ensure that we win new clients and retain old members. At Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC, our marketing strategies will be consistent throughout the marketing mix and we will take into consideration product improvement, promotion, and price.

As part of our sales and marketing strategies, we will pay attention to the promotion of our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility so as to attract families and corporate organizations to enroll and become members of our indoor playground and children’s fitness center.

Our unique selling proposition is that we are well positioned and people can easily access our facility, our prices are affordable and we have a complete package for families, schools and religious organizations. Part of the marketing and sales strategies that we will adopt are;

• Open our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility with a big party for children that resides in and around St. Louis – Missouri
• Advertise Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC on national dailies, local TV stations and local radio station
• Promote our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility online via our official website and all available social media platforms
• Introduce our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to religious organizations, schools, corporate organizations, households and key stake holders in St. Louis – Missouri
• Print out fliers and business cards and strategically drop them in offices, libraries, public facilities and train stations et al.
• Delivering consistent customer experiences to all our members; making our first impression count positively to those making use of our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility for the first time
• Make use of attractive hand bills to create awareness and also to give direction to our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility
• Adopt direct mailing coupon marketing approach
• Position our signage / flexi banners at strategic places in and around St. Louis – Missouri
• Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our consistent members especially those that registered as a family or groups
• Engage in road shows within our neighborhood to create awareness for our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility.

11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy

We have been able to work with our branding and publicity consultants to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market. We are set to become the number one choice for both corporate clients and individual clients in the whole of St. Louis – Missouri; which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility.

Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LCC;

• Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and electronic media platforms
• Sponsor relevant community based sport events and competitions
• Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook , twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote our brand
• Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations all around St. Louis – Missouri
• Engage in road show from time to time in targeted neighborhoods
• Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
• Contact Families, corporate organizations and schools by calling them up and informing them of Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC and the services we offer
• List Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC on local directories / yellow pages
• Advertise our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site.
• Ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirts and all our official vehicles are well branded with our corporate logo et al.

12. Our Pricing Strategy

Our pricing system is going to be based on what is obtainable in the industry, we don’t intend to charge more (except for premium and customized services) and we don’t intend to charge less than what our competitors are charging as gate fees or membership fee in St. Louis – Missouri.

Be that as it may, we have put plans in place to offer discount services once in a while and also to reward our loyal customers especially when they refer clients to us or when they register as a family or a religious organization and schools. The prices of our services will be same as what is obtainable in the United States’ open market.

• Payment Options

At Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC our payment policy will be all inclusive because we are quite aware that different clients would prefer different payment options as it suits them. Here are the payment options that we will make available to our clients;

• Payment by via bank transfer
• Payment via online bank transfer
• Payment via check
• Payment via bank draft
• Payment via mobile money
• Payment with cash

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients pay us without any difficulty. Our bank account numbers will be made available on our website and promotional materials so that it will be easier for members to pay their membership fees (renew their membership).

13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)

When it comes to setting up any business, the amount or cost will depend on the approach and scale you want to undertake. If you intend to go big by renting a place, then you would need a good amount of capital as you would need to ensure that your employees are well taken care of, and that your facility is conducive enough for workers to be creative and productive.

This means that the start-up can either be low or high depending on your goals, vision and aspirations for your business. The tools and equipment that will be used are nearly the same cost everywhere, and any difference in prices would be minimal and can be overlooked.

As for the detailed cost analysis for starting an indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility; it might differ in other countries due to the value of their money. However, this is what it would cost us to set up Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC in the United of America; This is the key areas where we will spend our start – up capital on;

• The Total Fee for Registering the Business in the United States of America – $750.
• Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $1,500.
• Marketing promotion expenses (8,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of $10,000.
• Cost for hiring Business Consultant – $5,000.
• Insurance (general liability, workers’ compensation and property casualty) coverage at a total premium – $30,800.
• Cost of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
• Cost for leasing facility for the indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility – $250,000.
• Cost for facility remodeling and equipping the facility – $150,000.
• Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
• Phone and utility deposits – $3,500
• Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $100,000
• The cost for Start-up inventory – $15,000
• Cost for acquiring various shapes of bouncy castles, games and children entertainment equipment – $150,000
• The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets – $10,000.
• The cost of Launching a Website – $600
• The cost for our grand opening party – $15,000
• Miscellaneous – $15,000

We would need an estimate of $750,000 to successfully launch a standard and well – equipped indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility in St. Louis – Missouri.

It is important to state that the testing and evaluating expenses would be high because of the large amount of equipment needed to start up a bounce house and recreations facility and also the sophistication of the technology used in bouncy castles.

Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is a business that will be owned and managed by Mrs. Stacey Jones and her immediate family. They are the sole financial of the business which is why they decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital for the business to just three major sources.

These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

• Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sale of his stocks
• Generate part of the start – up capital from friends and other extended family members
• Generate a larger chunk of the startup capital from the bank (loan facility).

N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 (Personal savings $200,000 and soft loan from family members $50,000 ) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $500,000 from our bank. All the papers and document has been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.

14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy

The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If all of these factors are missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before the business close shop.

One of our major goals of starting Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC is to build a business that will survive off its own cash flow without the need for injecting finance from external sources once the business is officially running.

We know that one of the ways of gaining approval and winning customers over is to pick up membership in our indoor playground and children’s fitness center facility is to equip our facility with state of the art children fitness and entertainment equipment et al and make our services affordable.

Bellerose Indoor Playground®, LLC will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at the top burner.

As a matter of fact, profit-sharing arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on their performance for a period of ten years or more. We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.

Check List / Milestone

• Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
• Business Registration: Completed
• Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
• Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
• Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
• Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
• Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
• Application for business license and permit: Completed
• Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
• Acquiring indoor facility and remodeling the facility: In Progress
• Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
• Generating capital from family members: Completed
• Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
• Writing of Business Plan: Completed
• Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
• Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
• Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
• Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: In Progress
• Recruitment of employees: In Progress
• Purchase of the Needed family entertainment, gym and fitness equipment, electronic appliances, office appliances and suppliers: In Progress
• Creating Official Website for the Company: Completed
• Creating Awareness for the business both online and in the neighborhood: In Progress
• Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
• Opening party / launching party planning: In Progress

Indoor Playground Business Plan Template

If you want to start an Indoor Playground business or expand your current one, you need a business plan.

Over the past 20+ years, we have helped over 7,000 entrepreneurs and business owners create business plans to start and grow their Indoor Playground businesses.

Below are links to each section of your Indoor Playground business plan template :

Next Section: Executive Summary >

Indoor Playground Business Plan FAQs

What is the easiest way to complete my indoor playground business plan, what is an indoor playground business plan.

A business plan provides a snapshot of your indoor playground business as it stands today, and lays out your growth plan for the next five years. It explains your business goals and your strategy for reaching them. It also includes market research to support your plans.

Once you create your plan, download it to PDF to show banks and investors.

Why Do You Need a Business Plan for an Indoor Playground?

What are the sources of funding for indoor playground businesses.

With regards to funding, the main sources of funding for an indoor playground business are personal savings, credit cards, bank loans and angel investors. With regards to bank loans, banks will want to review your business plan and gain confidence that you will be able to repay your loan and interest. To acquire this confidence, the loan officer will not only want to confirm that your financials are reasonable, but they will also want to see a professional plan. Such a plan will give them the confidence that you can successfully and professionally operate a business.

The second most common form of funding for an indoor playground business is angel investors. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who will write you a check. They will either take equity in return for their funding, or, like a bank, they will give you a loan. Venture capitalists will not fund an indoor playground, but they might consider funding a franchised Indoor Playground business with a national presence, but never an individual location. This is because most venture capitalists are looking for millions of dollars in return when they make an investment, and an individual location could never achieve such results.

INDOOR PLAYGROUND BUSINESS PLAN OUTLINE

• Indoor Playground Business Plan Home
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Company Overview
• 3. Industry Analysis
• 4. Customer Analysis
• 5. Competitive Analysis
• 6. Marketing Plan
• 7. Operations Plan
• 8. Management Team
• 9. Financial Plan
• 10. Appendix
• Indoor Playground Business Plan Summary

Other Helpful Business Plan Articles & Templates

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Indoor Soft Play Equipment Suppliers

What is soft play equipment?

Soft play equipment is very much as the name suggests, play equipment which is soft and safe for all users. House of Play have been soft play suppliers since 1994, manufacturing the equipment from our factory right here in Doncaster, UK.

Soft play is typically the term used for small pieces of equipment such as , shapes, packaway play equipment and small structures suited to cafes, nurseries, and garden centres as examples.

Soft play equipment , comes in varying form, but typically is comprised of soft foam with a PVC covering for ease of cleaning and longevity. Not all soft play equipment is the same however, as raw material choice and quality of manufacture play a vital role in determining the intended use of the equipment. All of our soft play equipment is produced to a commercial standard providing peace of mind that our equipment is both safe for young users and provides the longevity expected in a commercial environment.

Soft play manufacturing requires specialist knowledge and techniques, so always be sure you use an industry specialist for your equipment.

To Learn How to Setup a Soft Play Business  keep reading below as we can provide you with the necessary tools and to understand how we can assist with your project development. Our service goes much further than simply supplying the soft play equipment, we are with you every step of the way!

Pack away arctic soft play

Arctic pack away soft play.

It’s getting chilly in this play space; this winter wonderland is filled with different snow pals. From penguin bowling and wobbly characters, to fish rockers in the water and an activity igloo, this snow zone is packed with fun and adventure for kids to explore, whether they want to race down the slides of play bowling in groups.

Dimensions:  160 m² Footprint

waterfall soft play

Waterfall themed soft play.

Careful that you’re not in the splash zone on this water themed soft play! Filled with lots of aquatic animal themed soft play shapes, log climbs, bash bags and a water themed ball bit, all perfect for an exciting and fun play experience!

Dimensions: 14m² Footprint

sea pack away soft play

A self-contained sea play space filled with sea critters and nautical play features, like crab rockers, activity rings and a pirate ship soft play shape. Designed for a corner area in a building, this mean the walls could also be themed to create a fully immersed soft play space for young children.

Dimensions:  14 m² Foot Print 

Jungle Pack away soft play

Jungle pack away soft play.

This compact soft play space for young children filled with jungle and animal themed soft play toys, which can also be packed away for easy storage was a simple design for a client but could also be perfect in the home. Filled with some of our best animal soft play toys, with a lion wobbly character and horse rocker, this was a perfectly sized packaway soft jungle adventure.

Dimensions: 16 m² Foot Print

pack away forest Soft play

Pack away forest soft play.

This fun forest pack away has a variety of soft play features and activities, with a badger themed rocker and animal activity blocks. This play space can be easily packed away into the play space when needed, limiting the size of the space needed.

Dimensions:  16 m² Footprint

Pack away beach soft play

Pack away beach soft play.

It’s summer time on this beach themed soft play area, filled with soft play sand castles and buckets, it’s just like a day at the beach! With added soft play rockers like crabs, dolphins and fish it becomes a nautical adventure as kids can pretend to swim through the tropical waters with lots of aquatic creatures.

Dimensions:  84 m² Foot Print

adventure Soft Play

Adventure play frame.

This branded adventure course play frame has everything you could want, slides, bash bags, log climber, dizzy disks and building blocks, a perfectly compact play space that doesn’t miss out on any of the fun.

Dimensions :  17m² Footprint

Jungle Soft Play

Jungle themed soft play.

A compact and playful soft play frame, this design never compromised fun while being made especially compact. Filled with lots of exciting activities like navigating bash bags, climbing log stairs and climbing through netting walls, this soft play frame was perfect for little adventurers.

Dimensions:  14 m² Footprint 

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pack away sea soft play

Pack away soft play.

WHY IS CHILDRENS SOFT PLAY EQUIPMENT IMPORTANT?

Childrens Soft play equipment helps young children to learn and develop their physical, social, emotional and intellectual skills through doing and talking, which research has shown to be the means by which young children learn to think. It is also how they learn to socialise as children engage in learning experiences with other children and adults.

The client will have every opportunity as part of the design process to influence, size, content, theme, objectives and learning opportunities, however it is important that we consider the purpose of play and how this will benefit children, we have prepared a summary below:

The Essential Dimensions of Play Are:

• Voluntary, enjoyable, purposeful and spontaneous
• Creativity expanded using problem solving skills, social skills, language skills and physical skills
• Helps expand on new ideas
• Helps the child to adapt socially
• Helps to thwart emotional problems

Soft Play Equipment Will Teach Children To:

• Figure out how things work
• Pick up new ideas
• Build muscle control and strength
• Use their imagination
• Solve problems
• Learn to cooperate with others

Children use play not simply as a fun past-time but as research into the world around them. When they are born, children can do very little for themselves and know very little about the world or their place in it. As they play, children come to understand more about the world and themselves, developing the physical, cognitive, emotional and social skills that they will need to live independently later in life. Through quiet, creative, active, cooperative and dramatic play children get the chance to work on these skills.

As a prominent soft play supplier we understand the intricacies and importance of this, and design and manufacture our soft play equipment to meet these vital needs. Additionally, we look to apply our expertise continuously as we are always seeking to add new soft play products to our ever growing range and work with customers to develop bespoke items as needed.

why choose house of play

We are the only soft play equipment manufacturer, to see through the eyes of an operator. As an operator, we know what you need and how to help!

hOW TO START A SOFT PLAY BUSINESS IN THE UK

House of Play has become and remains the UK’s leading supplier of soft play and soft adventure play equipment over a period of nearly 3 decades. It is our forward thinking approach along with our commitment to developing commercially viable venues that sets us apart from our competitors. A key element of our ethos is to design equipment / venues that work rather than what looks good on paper and disguising lack of consideration that ultimately will not benefit the client from a commercial perspective.

House of Play are unique in the fact that we are the only UK manufacturer of soft play and indoor playground products to both own and operate a children’s indoor play centre that operates at the peak of operational efficiency.

The real benefit however, lies in the intellectual knowledge that has been gained as a result of operating a soft play and indoor playground venue, as it allows us to influence the design of the play equipment / venue from the outset ensuring that operational efficiency is maximised, operating costs are minimised and maximum secondary spend is sought.

A benefit of choosing House of Play as your partner for your development is that once the project is delivered and open to the public, you will have access to on-going operational support as and when you require, and a member of our team will always be available to guide you through any problems or issues whatever the nature of your quandary.

If you would like a tailored, professional guidance on how to start a soft play business, contact our team to discuss your project. 

REQUEST YOUR FREE PRODUCT BROCHURE

Whether you want an indoor playground , trampoline park , sensory equipment , or outdoor play equipment we have you covered. Request your FREE brochure now!

REQUEST YOUR PRODUCT BROCHURE

Like what you see.

If you’re interested in starting your own soft play business and have more questions to ask, you can contact us and one of our experts will be able to help you with any questions you may have, or you can checkout our FAQ page to see some of our most asked questions regarding soft play. We also have a wide range of products that we can offer off the shelf, we’re constantly adding more product ranges so check back often to see whats new.

Giant Penguin Bowling Skittles Set

Soft Play Shape – Petrol Pump

Soft Play Shape – Car Track Traffic Light

Car Track Bollard – Soft Play Shape

Puzzle Block Shape Set – Stone Effect

Helicoptor Soft Play Set

Sandcastle Building Blocks Cubes

Pairs Memory Game – Soft Play Frame

Rocket Soft Play Puzzle

Whale Soft Play Shape

Submarine Soft Play Shape

Crocodile Soft Play Shape

Motorbike Soft Play Set

Train Soft Play Set Puzzle

Soft Play Building Blocks Set

Soft Play Game – Number Blocks

Soft Play Alphabet Block Cube Set

Soft Play Shapes Game – People Blocks

Soft Play Animal Blocks Cubes

Soft Play Shape – Fish

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• Multi-Sensory Rooms
• Sensory Room Design
• Sensory Integration
• Early Years Sensory Equipment
• Sensory Equipment For Schools
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A comprehensive guide to setting up a soft play business in the uk.

Starting a soft play business in the UK can be exciting and rewarding. These vibrant, interactive play spaces are a hit with children and parents alike, providing a safe environment for kids to burn off energy and develop critical social skills. However, launching such a business requires careful planning and consideration. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to establish a successful soft play business in the UK.

Conduct Thorough Market Research

Before diving into the world of soft play, it’s crucial to understand your market. Research is the foundation of your business, helping you identify your target audience, assess local competition, and pinpoint opportunities for differentiation.

Identify Your Target Audience

Your primary customers will be families with young children. Visit existing soft play centres, talk to parents, and gather insights on their preferences and pain points. Understanding what parents and children want will help you tailor your offerings to meet their needs.

Analyse the Competition

Assess the competition in your area. Visit their facilities, note their strengths and weaknesses, and look for gaps in the market. Differentiating your business from competitors will be vital to attracting and retaining customers.

Develop a Comprehensive Business Plan

A well-thought-out business plan is your roadmap to success. It should outline your vision, mission, goals, detailed financial projections, marketing strategies, and operational procedures.

Define Your Vision and Mission

Start by defining the purpose and values of your soft play business. Your vision and mission will guide your decisions and help you focus on your goals.

Financial Projections and Budgeting

Detail your startup costs, including equipment, lease or purchase of premises, insurance, staffing, marketing, and ongoing operational expenses. Depending on location and size, initial costs can range from £50,000 to £250,000​. Include financial projections to demonstrate your business’s potential profitability.

Marketing Strategies

Develop a marketing plan that combines online and offline strategies. Utilize social media, local advertising, and partnerships with schools and community organizations to generate buzz and attract customers​​.

Secure Financing

Starting a soft-play business requires significant initial investment. Explore various financing options such as personal savings, bank loans, or investors. Present your business plan to potential financiers to secure the necessary funds.

Funding Options

• Personal Savings : Use your savings to fund your startup costs.
• Bank Loans : Approach banks with your business plan to apply for a loan.
• Investors : Find investors interested in your business concept and pitch your plan.

Find the Perfect Location

The location of your soft play centre is crucial to its success. Look for areas with high foot traffic, such as shopping malls, family entertainment centres, or commercial complexes. Ensure the location is easily accessible, has ample parking, and meets all regulatory requirements.

Considerations for Choosing a Location

• Size and Layout : Ensure the space is large enough to accommodate play structures and amenities.
• Accessibility : Choose a location that is easy to reach and has sufficient parking facilities.
• Permits and Licenses : Verify that the location complies with local zoning laws and obtain the necessary permits to operate a recreational business.

Design and Equip Your Play Area

Creating a safe, engaging, and visually appealing play area is essential. Collaborate with professional designers to develop a layout with age-appropriate zones, themed play structures, and safety features like soft flooring.

Play Equipment

Invest in high-quality play equipment that complies with safety regulations. Consider incorporating separate areas for toddlers and older children to accommodate different age groups.

Safety and Hygiene

Safety should be a top priority. Develop strict safety protocols, conduct regular equipment maintenance, and thoroughly train staff. Establish hygiene protocols to ensure a clean and healthy environment for children and parents​.

Hire and Train Staff

Your staff will play a crucial role in your business’s success. Hire friendly, attentive, and passionate individuals who enjoy working with children. Provide comprehensive training on safety procedures, customer service, and emergency response.

Staff Training

Ensure all staff members are well-versed in first aid, emergency response, and safety protocols. Ongoing training will help maintain high standards of safety and service.

Market Your Soft Play Business

Effective marketing is critical to attracting customers to your soft play centre. Develop a compelling brand identity and utilize online and offline marketing channels to reach your target audience.

Online Marketing

• Website : Create a user-friendly website that provides information about your centre, including services, pricing, and booking options.
• Social Media : Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to engage with your audience and promote your business.
• Online Advertising : Invest in online ads to reach a broader audience.

Offline Marketing

• Local Advertising : Advertise in local newspapers, magazines, and community boards.
• Partnerships : Collaborate with local schools and community organizations to promote your business.
• Events : Host events and activities to generate interest and attract visitors​​.

Launch Your Business

With all the preparations in place, it’s time to open your doors to the public. Plan a grand opening event to create excitement and draw the community in.

Grand Opening Event

Organize a fun-filled launch event with activities and entertainment for children and families. Offer free trials or discounts to encourage visits and build a loyal customer base. Collect feedback from attendees to identify areas for improvement.

Maintain and Grow Your Business

Running a successful soft-play business requires ongoing effort and attention. Regularly review and update your business plan, marketing strategies, and operational procedures to stay competitive and meet customer expectations.

Regular Maintenance

Conduct routine inspections and maintenance of play equipment to ensure safety and longevity. Address any issues promptly to prevent accidents and maintain a positive reputation​​.

Stay Updated on Industry Trends

Keep an eye on industry trends to stay ahead of the competition. Incorporate eco-friendly practices, offer personalized experiences, and integrate technology to enhance the play experience and attract more customers​.

Customer Feedback

Actively seek and respond to customer feedback to improve your services and address any concerns. Building solid relationships with your customers will foster loyalty and encourage repeat visits.

Starting a soft play business in the UK can be rewarding with careful planning and execution. You can create a successful and profitable soft play centre by conducting thorough market research, developing a comprehensive business plan, securing financing, choosing the right location, designing a safe and engaging play area, hiring and training staff, and implementing effective marketing strategies. Keep evolving and adapting to industry trends and customer needs to ensure long-term success and growth.

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