How to Start an Indoor Playground Business
Safe, imaginative, and engaging indoor playgrounds give children a place to explore, play, and connect with friends in a secure, welcoming environment.
(Photo: SBR)
HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., September 12, 2025 — Giving kids a safe place to run around, get creative and have fun with friends can change lives. Indoor playgrounds are excellent places to do those things and more. The year-round businesses can make communities better places for families, but only if interested entrepreneurs understand how to make them successful. Creating an indoor playground business plan and learning about industry-leading providers are two essential steps you should take if you want to follow the same professional path.
Why Indoor Playgrounds Are Popular with Families
Indoor playgrounds are sheltered, temperature-controlled facilities with interactive equipment that’s safe for kids. Young minds can explore various installations while getting their energy out and practicing problem-solving skills. Hot summers and cold winters won’t prevent children from getting the recommended 60 minutes of daily activity if they have an indoor playground nearby.
The facilities also double as welcoming community spaces. Business owners turn indoor playsets into opportunities for events and parties. Parents know where to gather with loved ones in a safe environment, making those businesses worth every penny for nearby residents.
How Soft Play Redefines the Industry
Interested entrepreneurs should learn about indoor playground equipment manufacturers to explore the business opportunity further. Soft Play is one of the leading companies making year-round play possible for communities. The company has combined physical, mental and emotional play opportunities with fun playground solutions for over 40 years.
Kids enjoy Soft Play installations at more than 40,000 playgrounds in over 60 countries because the brand makes accessible, safe products for young people of all ages. The long-lasting products add themed, whimsical and colorful fun to communities. Business owners also install them in family-focused venues like recreation centers and restaurants. Stand-alone indoor play businesses can maximize their customers’ fun with additional space for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-approved equipment.
Soft Play is also a world-class indoor playground manufacturer due to its world-class business practices. Attentive designers listen to customers’ unique needs before creating custom play solutions. Certified Soft Play installation professionals assemble the necessary parts with expert molding, metal fabrication and powder coating tools before shipping orders within delivery timeline estimates.
The low-maintenance equipment lasts a long time after each client’s installation ends. Standard sanitation methods to remove germs and replace broken components are the primary maintenance steps for long-term business success.
Soft Play’s Leading Indoor Playground Equipment
Soft Play has an extensive playground product list to consider. Interested business owners should review some of the most in-demand options to understand how the company caters to kids of all ages and abilities.
Skycourse Non-Belayed Adventure Course
Young minds often enjoy pushing themselves with daring feats, which Soft Play turns into safer play opportunities. The non-belayed Skycourse has multilevel platforms, slides, a rope course and more. Every section is within a safely contained structure, so parents don’t have to worry about their small kids running around in harnesses.
Soft Play emphasizes each business owner’s ability to order custom equipment. The company’s indoor play structures ensure every client has fun pieces that fit their budget and venue space. Accessible options like campground-inspired sculptures and dinosaur-themed statues give little ones places to explore. Business-specific installations, like the Soft Play space-themed sculptures inside the Kennedy Space Center, are also possible.
Hive Interactive Obstacle Challenge Course
Older kids and young adults love Soft Play’s Hive obstacle challenge course. The large structure has an eye-catching hex core design containing a ropes course, ball obstacles and light game sensors. Perforated steel walls and safety nets ensure that curious minds remain safe inside and cannot climb on top of the outer walls.
Little kids get their first taste of independence at places like contained play areas. Soft Play creates indoor options in all sizes, but the large equipment presents the biggest opportunity for fun. Parents can relax nearby while kids climb, slide and explore. The colorful components and expertly engineered parts will draw families back for years of fun.
Junior Interactive Challenge Course
Little kids can experience a challenge course like their older siblings if indoor playground businesses install Soft Play’s Junior Interactive Challenge Course. The structure has light-walkways that dazzle young minds. Ground games on custom carpets and sphere obstacles also challenge hand-eye coordination. The design even mirrors the Hive Interactive Obstacle Challenge Course, so no one feels left out.
Entrepreneurs working with unique spaces can look into Soft Play’s individual playground components. The bright colors and custom designs transform any place into an opportunity for exploration. They also ensure that every kid can play, regardless of physical abilities. Sit-n-spins, rocks courses and Cave Crawls bring communities together for lots of laughter.
Furniture & Seating for Play Areas
When business owners add thoughtfully designed seating, parents feel part of the Soft Play experience. Soft Play makes creative furnishings of all kinds, so the whole family can spend time together. Seating options also double business opportunities, as larger groups can arrive for field trips or parties when there’s enough seating to accommodate everyone.
How to Start an Indoor Playground Company
If you’re ready to give your community an indoor place to play, draft a few essential entrepreneurial steps. You’ll prepare for your upcoming journey, maximize your business’s potential and reduce stress.
Research Your Local Market
Market research is the first step for most businesses. To gauge your competition, you should know if there are any other indoor playgrounds within a comfortable driving distance. Public parks that offer similar play structures are another form of competition.
You’ll also make better decisions if you understand your audience’s age range. Look for data on the age ranges of kids in your community or the number of families. You could tailor your play equipment to bigger demographics to appeal to more future customers.
Draft an Indoor Playground Business Plan
Your business plan outlines your professional road map for upcoming decisions, investors and lenders. Outline your mission statement, brand values and long-term goals. Those details should include general financial projections and budgeting estimates, even if your entrepreneurial journey is only starting. You’ll use those details to define your business structure and pitch your brand for funding.
Outline the Foundational Details
Choose your indoor playground’s location based on the most critical factors. You might narrow your property options based on how far you want to drive to work and where commercial venues are most affordable. If you’re adding an indoor playground to an existing business, select where you’ll add the equipment and outline it in your business plan.
Research any local regulations applicable to play spaces as well. Zoning laws, height requirements or materials restrictions could apply. Soft Play’s ADA-compliant products simplify the process by meeting safety and inclusivity rules.
Prepare the Paperwork
You’ll need to file numerous kinds of paperwork to open your business. See if your local government offices have guidance for licenses and permits applicable to playground venues. You should also explore insurance options. You’ll need employee and property coverage, plus liability insurance in case of injuries. A local business insurance provider will clarify the specifics for your company.
Estimate the Project Timeline
Whether you’re building a new business or adding a play area to an existing structure, you’ll need a project construction timeline. Soft Play estimates each client’s order for manufacturing and installation. You might also need to add time if you’re clearing land, constructing a building or establishing space for an indoor play add-on to a company. Remember to add any timeline estimates or updates to your indoor playground business plan so it remains relevant over time.
Hire and Train Staff Members
Small businesses added 63% of all new jobs between 1995 and 2021. You’ll likely become part of that estimate when your business is close to operational. Outline how you’ll hire people, what the interview process will look like and where you can get background checks to ensure every child’s safety around your employees.
Training also requires a portion of your timeline. Your team members should know how to conduct first-aid services, monitor kids and perform relevant business operations like providing snacks at a concession stand. Your training could include tech-oriented information if you install technology-focused play equipment, too.
Conduct Marketing Efforts
Your marketing decisions will help your indoor play area become a local success. Spread the word through social media platforms, local events and networking meetings. You could also partner with schools or small businesses to raise brand awareness through things like posters. People may spread word-of-mouth marketing on your behalf, but you should also start a sustainable marketing campaign to create a schedule you can maintain long-term.
Strategize Your Financial Management
Estimate your revenue and expenses as you get more information about your business, like insurance quotes. Your budget will also include monthly bills for payroll software and utilities. Add onto your budget as your business forms to track what you’ll owe. You can mitigate those expenses with adjusted membership pricing or diversification efforts like private parties or class field trip fees.
Potential Challenges and Their Solutions
Anyone starting a new company will encounter challenges along the way. Entrepreneurs interested in indoor playgrounds can strategize solutions for potential roadblocks, such as:
Initial startup costs: Purchasing property and paying for construction are some initial costs to overcome with initial savings before revenue starts. If you don’t have extensive savings, you could start a donation campaign or pitch your business to investors.
Locally owned playground competition: See if any private playgrounds are close to your future business. If they exist, learn from their marketing efforts and operations to strategize competitive options like more affordable membership fees.
Parental safety concerns: Parents will have physical safety and health concerns at any indoor playground. Choosing equipment from safety-first manufacturers like Soft Play and installing hand sanitizer stations could be the first way to address those ongoing worries.
Even the best entrepreneurs can’t avoid every complication of opening a business. If you keep an open mind and strategize solutions early, you’ll develop creative problem-solving skills that give your indoor playground a competitive edge.
Give Your Community an Indoor Play Area
Kids will love having an indoor playset that’s accessible throughout the year. Choosing a reliable, custom-order company like Soft Play for your equipment will position your company as the best place for families. When you combine a comprehensive indoor playground business plan with your equipment selections, your venue will redefine how families have fun in your town.
From custom-designed play structures to year-round activities, a well-planned indoor playground can transform a venue into a safe, engaging, and thriving destination for families.
