Indoor playground question

amother

Dodgerblue

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:26 pm

best idea I read here so far was the museum idea. there is a new one that opened in LA which is basically an indoor playground but they call it a museum. the price is not cheap but you get free entry if you qualify for EBT/ medicaid etc. not sure how that works - do they get funding from somewhere else to cover for that? if that is something that works you can make something that is still affordable for most ppl
this one had a climbing rope structure hanging from the ceiling, a soft play area for babies, and pretend play - helicopter, fire engine, store, vet, etc with costumes and props. they also had an arts and crafts room on the side. and they had events happening throughout the time there, bubble machine, video etc

amother

NeonYellow

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:30 pm

amother OP wrote:

How many of you would throw a birthday party in a place like this?
What would you want included in your party?

Where are you located?

I think it’s part “trauma” of one time giving over ideas to a group and before I knew it my idea became a reality for someone else. Not as big as this, but it kinda got me for life.

How can I get business during the week? Do I have to rely on non- Jewish business as well?

I think doing classes durning the week is a good bet or some sort of drop in activity.

I love these kind of places for my kids ages (5 and under). We used to have turtle boo in monsey but it closed down. I would pay around 10-12$ a time or 50$ a month monthly for my three kids I think.

Weekdays in the winter are mostly routine but I can see going on rainy summer days and school vacations etc.

Would love such a place for parties - ice scream Lakewood was awesome because they had pizza/coffee/ ice cream. We had our chanuka party there every year.

Xtreme energy in Jersey near us is very well done. They are only open weekends and school vacations which I think saves on the cost of staffing.

amother

↑ Pistachio

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:43 pm

amother Clover wrote:

I'm so curious what you're working on now. You sound like such a go-getter, and I am impressed and fascinated (and maybe a little jealous of your ambition).

On another note, we looooooooved Turtleboo and my kids were very sad when they closed down.

Working on something in a total different industry. Its something that needs a way smaller investment and has a much better profit margin. Won't be sharing exactly what it is on this platform.

Do you know me? If yes feel free to send me a private message and I'll tell you what it is Smile

amother

Bergamot

Tue, Jan 07 2025, 10:46 pm

amother Burntblack wrote:

I have one about 20 min away from me in Connecticut. It’s honestly I great option and my toddler loves it but it’s 16.95 per kid so it’s a bit pricey. I won’t take her on a regular Sunday, only on a vacation day when I want to make it a little more special. If it was $10 or under I would probably go a lot more often.

Where is this place?? I also live in CT and am always trying to figure out different play places.

amother

DarkViolet ↓

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 4:54 am

If you do go for a for profit model, you need to figure out what your actual monthly break even costs, and then figure out if it actually makes sense that you will be profitable.

How do you make money during the summer months when people are paying thru there teeth for camps/ bungalows and there are tons of free outdoor options.

A thought I have is there are a lot of stay at home mothers/ part time working mothers who have small toddlers/babies. If you have a cheaper membership option for during the week mornings/afternoons when kids are at school where moms can come, it may be a way to fill those empty hours.
I could also see a lot of people investing in a 30$ monthly membership that is for 9-3 Monday -Thursday, but not actually coming ALL the time so you go back to the gym model of not showing up. And I would offer a regular ( more expensive) membership option for the after school hours + Friday and Sunday.

The frum world isn't so big on birthday parties, where is the real money gets made, but if you think about the frum lifestyle, there are parties/events that would make sense to do in such a place.

I think that if you have a specialized upsherin experience you would be able to fill the party slots on Sundays, ( 4 2.5 hour slots a Sunday with 3 party rooms = 12 parties a week)
Then if you also can have similar thing at later hours for bas mitzvah's maybe with a cheaper during the week option.

You really need figure out what your costs of running such a place would be.

amother

↑ Dimgray ↓

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 8:27 am

Op, I always wished there was something similar to the Kohl Museum near Chicago. Check out the websites.
They have around 15 permanent exhibit sections- a store, a cafe, a water room, a science room, a crafts room, a music room, a house building, building and more. They also have a few revolving exhibits.

It's not cheap $17-18 a person including parents
But they offered a few very good deals.
A family yearly membership for $500. When you have 7 kids, that's a very good price
They had a retiree plan- over 65, you can buy a membership for $400 a year and the retiree and all his/her grandchildren are covered. (My fil would bring 23 grandchildren on Chol Hamoed for free). That's a motivator for the grandparent babysitter.
They got grants for special ed programs where people with children with special needs got to bring their child for like $3-5 and they also had special monthly events.
They also had good group rates for camp groups.

http://www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/

amother

↑ Dimgray

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 8:32 am

amother DarkViolet wrote:

The summer months, you appeal towards daycamps.

amother

↑ Clover

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 9:46 am

amother Pistachio wrote:

No I don't know you, but I wish I did. Smile

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 9:55 am

Wow I woke up to a boat load of amazing ideas.

Guys, you don’t understand. I want you all are suggesting. We speak the same language. I’m not trying to be another kid empire or urban air where you can’t afford to go aside from the special occasional trip. I was in the same boat as you!

Now I just have to figure out how to make it doable for me to provide this. Racking my brain (all night, all day, all night…Dont forget afternoons!) on how to make this model work. In a way that I can do the renovations and purchases I need and all other expenses and still make this work.

Love the museum idea but practically not sure if it would benefit me/the idea financially.

Love the idea of hosting Jewish milestone parties. Brilliant. More of you would go for that over a kids typical birthday party right? It would be thE venue for parties.

So where do I find 3 million dollars? (That’s not a real number but I’m prob not too far off) My investor wasn’t offering me that much!

I’m trying to figure out how to make this huge idea, smaller, while still keeping it as big as I wanted. I know, that makes a lot of sense

amother

Birch

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 10:18 am

I have a monthly membership at urban air. I pay $30 a month for 2 kids and 1 adult membership. ($12 each kid and $6 for parent membership for basic membership. Doesn’t include VR or climbing zone, everything else yes ) Next year I don’t need the adult membership because my son will be 3 and won’t need me to come on the activities with him. Unlimited play, any day of the week, anytime (even midwinter, chol hamoad, and any high demand days) many ppl I know have memberships there. If you do it in lakewood, I don’t see how you would be able to compete with the pricing. This is in Toms River. They cater to lots of non Jews too who make parties, and teens who come after school. Once you sign up you have a have a 1 year minimum membership before you can cancel. I took my kids everyday in between school and camp and already got my monies worth. My kids could play there 2-3 hours a time. Booking is simple online and takes a few seconds. Skyzone and climbzone are much more expensive with time limits. Obviously urban air is not a state of the art playground, but it’s good for most ages and the kids have a great time.
-a single visit for my kids and me is around $50 so it was worth it for us to get a membership, esp since we live minutes away from there.

amother

↑ Dustypink

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 10:20 am

amother OP wrote:

Maybe part of it can be a flexible space that in the morning can be a toddler play area (ride on toys, doll houses etc), evenings and weekends a pottery painting place. You can also set it up as a Jewish escape room some days. .

Store the stuff in built in closets when needed.

amother

↑ DarkViolet

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 2:11 pm

amother Birch wrote:

I agree that you would need to price like urban air to be successful, but the idea is to find other ways to bring in income like jewish milestone parties, something that can bring in adults/ older teens at night ( jewish themed escape room is a great idea). I also think a cheaper morning hours membership can really bring the stay at home mom crowd, especially if there is a juice bar type of thing

I do think there are enough people who will pay slightly more then urban air for something frum themed, but not a LOT more.

GLUE

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 2:14 pm

amother Blonde wrote:

I'd love that. I'd pay $20-25 a month for just me and toddler for weekdays for sure! I'd hang out there at least 2x a week. And I'd love weekends too with the other kids.

Come open one in village of south blooming grove!
I have my 2.5 year old home with me all day. I know most of my neighbors send their kids to playgroup for this reason as I'm thinking of sending her out. The kid's bored. My other kids are out from 9 - 4:30. She naps from 1-3:30 at least. So I don't want to just send her out but I'm afraid I'll have to. She's lately bored from 10-1 and there is NOWHERE to go. She hates the grocery. She needs places to give off steam. I made a little indoor gym in my basement, we do lots of play doh and other sensory play, but it's not enough. In the summer, she just runs in the (gated) yard off my kitchen or splashes on a splash pad or water table. It's bliss!

If I had a place like what your thinking about within walking distance, is keep her home until September. (She turns 3 in July)

Is there anyone home to make a round robin even if it's only with one other person and only two days a week, one by you one by the other person?

amother

↑ OP ↓

Wed, Jan 08 2025, 2:38 pm

Would you host a family party in a place like this? Upper class vibes. Still for children but not an urban air feel.

Interesting idea about a pizza store. What about a cafe? Not so many options. I guess that’s just a glorified pizza store?

What about the five towns. Who has info about the five towns for me? A need there? Would the typical family be interested?

amother

↑ OP

Today at 11:18 am

Alright just an update in case anyone cares

I’m not going ahead with this idea right now. It’s a massive project and a load of money that I’m not sure I’m ready to handle.

I’ve always been the safe kid, does the right thing but isn’t handed the big jobs bc they “know I can do it”. Wish I had the push of a support system but I keep being told it’s too risky. So perhaps it is.

Unless someone can help me figure out how to make an amazing place like I’m looking to create but on a much smaller scale.. otherwise I think I’m throwing in the towel (I’m so so sad about it!)