Indoor Play Equipment

What you need to know about and how to start an indoor play centre but most importantly, how to run an indoor play equipment centre using our indoor play equipment services.

We are the company you turn to when trust, quality and knowledge matters for your new indoor play equipment.

Do you need help starting an indoor play equipment centre and want to know how to? Don’t worry, we have helped many customers start and run extremely successful indoor play equipment centre’s with all types of budgets and expectations.

The video above is a good insight on how successful you can be using indoor play equipment to service kids but also understanding that the play equipment itself is about 50% of the service in running a play centre. Good coffee, good service and great meals are what draws the parents back time after time. Also, cleanliness of the play centre’s is a must do role to ensure parents feel safe having their children on your play equipment.

FACTORY SIZE

The size of an indoor play equipment centre would depend on your target market. If you are only targeting toddlers age from 0 to 5yrs the factory could then be quite small, lets say around 400 m2. If they are looking at an all ages type of indoor play equipment centre then you would need to have a play factory of minimum 650m2 but should be more like 700 to 800m2. Anything around 1000m2 would be considered on the larger play equipment scale. The height of the play factory is a very important factor. A high three lane slide will require around 6 metre’s in height, so this should be the minimum for a multi age play centre going up to 7m to 10m high. A toddler only play equipment centre could be as low as 4m up to 6m.

BUDGETS

It is very difficult to give an accurate budget for an indoor play equipment centre. Before a suitable building is secured, design and layout can alter the costs. To give an idea of budgeting I would consider a budget of around $500 per square metre for the total cost of the indoor play equipment centre. This would vary greatly on the fit out of each building accurate quotes can be obtained however, the building layout must be provided and access given to do accurate measurements. Use our current catalogue and price list to get an idea of and indoor play equipment size versus cost. Note we are responsible for the indoor play equipment section only, therefore the kitchen, cafe, party rooms, toilets, air conditioning would need to be quoted by the relative industry experts.

CAR PARK SIZE

 General rule of thumb is .03 car parks per m2 of factory floor space for the indoor play centre however, all councils are different. The council should be a first port of call when considering a location and building for a new play equipment centre.

COUNCIL APPROVALS (what you need)

All councils are different. The council should be a first port of call when considering a location and building for a new indoor play equipment centre.

KITCHEN AND FOOD

Food should be a cafe style meaning light but good quality meals foccasias, toasted sandwiches, hot chips, etc. Coffee is very important in an indoor play equipment centre must be top quality. Meals should be not too expensive but still good in quality and presentation.

STAFF

Generally staff are quite young with the owner or manager running the play centre. Staff should be polite and work well with kids. They should have working with children cards and have food handling skills. It is very important that your indoor play equipment centre is very clean at all times. Parents will not return to a play centre if they have a bad experience with cleanliness.

LOCATION OF INDOOR PLAY EQUIPMENT CENTRES

Location does not need to be road frontage and can be off the main road, your cliental will most likely live within a 10km radius of the play equipment centre. Generally lower economic growing areas are better as there are a higher ratio of children per person in these areas. The toddler market is mostly live at home mothers groups your environment must be a chance for mothers to get together regularly and feel safe that their toddlers are in viewing distance as they can sit down with their friends for a chat and laugh in a friendly relaxing environment. If they enjoy there stay at your play equipment centre and feel that their children are safe then they will come back time after time at least once a week becoming a good source of a steady income.

DESIGNING INDOOR PLAY EQUIPMENT

Make good use of space. Understand that the cafe is a good money maker and be sure to have enough seating area relative to your space around 25 to 30%. The toddler area should be directly beside the cafe seating area for mothers to sit and keep an eye on their toddlers at all times. The area should be easily viewed. The older kids area and party play equipment rooms should be towards the rear of the building so as to keep them separate from the younger ones.

RUNNING AN INDOOR PLAY CENTRE

In summary of the above comments in order to run an indoor play centre and financially do well here are the main 10 key points you need to know.

1. Choose some great looking indoor play equipment that is suited for your area both suburb and warehouse size and usability.
2. Choose play equipment that can be easily cleaned by you or your staff. We have seen many companies supply indoor play equipment that is full of spiral tubes, hard to get to areas so when kids dirty the tubes or the entire play equipment needs a clean then it can be a nightmare to get into tight areas.
3. Choose a design where the parents can easily see their children in almost 90% of the play equipment design. That way the parents can sit back and relax and have their kids in eye sight at most times.
4. Be cautious of your entry and exit areas. Always have theses points right where the parents will be sitting and talking to other friends for security reasons.
5. Let us design the indoor play equipment for you. We are Australia’s most knowledgeable company in the industry and will ensure you get the best value for money.
6. Make great coffee. This is a must have, Parents need to enjoy their stay. If the parents are happy then they will come back time after time.
7. Have a small but tasty selection of food for the parents. The parents can be tired and use your indoor play centre as a refuge to relax and chat to friends. Make it a happy relaxing atmosphere.
8. Promote parties, parties can be your bread winner. A dozen kids can come in for only an hour or two. Whip up some easy sausage rolls, party pies, etc and charge per head. Its easy money and great fun.
9. What’s the latest craze at the moment with kids? Why not incorporate themeing in your play equipment designs. We have recently completed a massive indoor job where included karaoke rooms with singing and disco lights. The kids love it and the owners are making a lot of money.
10. Be nice and friendly. No one likes a grumpy host. If you are happy, friendly and social then this reflects on your business. You could also make a lot of great friends and build a community of trust and happiness. People talk and word of mouth could be your greatest advertising!