Indoor children’s play areas have become a popular addition to a range of family-friendly businesses in recent years. From shopping malls and family restaurants to gyms and fitness centers, airport waiting areas, hotels and resorts, rec centers, libraries, and more, indoor play areas offer a valuable service for families looking to keep their children entertained and engaged. These centers provide a safe and stimulating environment where children can play, learn and socialize, while parents can relax, catch up on work, or simply enjoy some downtime.

Indoor play centers offer an excellent business opportunity for entrepreneurs who are passionate about providing much-needed service to families in their community while generating profit. By offering a fun and safe space for families to enjoy, indoor play centers can enhance the overall experience of their host business and create a loyal customer base.

Here are tips for creating the perfect family indoor play area for any size of space or type of business.

1. Plan the Size of Your Space

Determine the amount of space you have available and how you want to divide it up. Consider including separate zones for different age groups, such as a toddler area and a separate section for older kids.

A play area could be located in a small room off of your main business area, such as in a gym or community center, or in the center of a food court in a larger business like a mall or airport. Let’s look at some examples of what this might look like.

Play Rooms

Playrooms can make great use of vacant store space in a retail location.

Stand-alone Play Areas

Stand-alone play centers are self-contained. Great for hallways or wide open spaces.

Small Play Structures

A smaller fort may be all you need for the space you have available, but it will inspire big imaginations all the same.

2. Safety First

Once you have a space, safety should be a top priority when designing an indoor play area.

One of the most important aspects of creating a safe indoor play area is selecting the right type of flooring. Soft and cushioned flooring is ideal, as it provides a soft landing surface for children who may trip or fall during play. This type of flooring helps to reduce the impact of falls, minimizing the risk of serious injury.

In addition to selecting the right type of flooring, installing safety gates can also help to prevent accidents and injuries. Safety gates can be used to restrict access to certain areas of the play area to different age groups, such as keeping toddlers out of areas meant for older children.

Using age-appropriate toys and equipment is another important consideration when designing an indoor play area. Toys and equipment that are designed for older children may not be safe for toddlers and can increase the risk of accidents and injuries. Make sure to carefully consider the age range of the children who will be using the play area, and choose toys and equipment that are appropriate for their developmental level. We’ll get into more detail about the types of equipment in a moment.

Don’t Forget the Rules

A list of rules for parents and children to follow will also help maintain safety.

Your play area rules could include:

1. Parental Supervision: Children must be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times while in the play area.
2. Age Limits: Clearly state age limits for different areas or equipment within the play area to ensure that younger children are not playing on equipment designed for older children.
3. No Roughhousing: Running, pushing, and other rough play should be prohibited to prevent injuries to children and damage to equipment.
4. No Food or Drinks: Eating and drinking should not be allowed in the play area to prevent spills and potential choking hazards.
5. No Shoes: Shoes should be removed before entering the play area to prevent dirt and debris from being tracked in and to reduce the risk of slipping and falling.
6. No Sick Children: Children who are sick or have a contagious illness should not be allowed to use the play area to prevent the spread of germs to other children.
7. No Bullying or Harassment: Bullying or harassment of other children should not be tolerated and will result in immediate removal from the play area.
8. Clean Up: Children should be encouraged to clean up after themselves and return any toys or equipment to their proper place after use.

3. Pick a Theme

Having a theme helps create a cohesive and professional look to your play area, plus it is great for branding and advertising.

Your theme can be based on fun colors. It can be an out-of-this-world space or fantasy adventure. If you’re located in a coastal mountain town or a desert city, you can use your local flora and fauna to inspire you.

For example, the Westshore Town Centre shopping mall takes its name to heart, with a selection of shoreline-themed play structures including a climbable soft play bear catching a salmon, a whale tail slide, a lighthouse with a wheel that spins the light, plus so much more. This centerpiece play area reflects the brand of the mall along with the local landmarks guests are familiar with.

4. Choose a Variety of Age-Appropriate Activities

Select activities that are suitable for the ages of the children who will be using the play area. For example, a toddler area could include soft play mats, low-height slides, and ride-on toys, while an older kids’ zone could include climbing walls, ball pits, and interactive video games.

Hands-on Play

Hands-on play is great for younger kids as it helps develop fine and gross motor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and social skills as children interact with others. Hands-on play options could include Keebee playboards, sensory tables like bead maze tables or magnetic activity tables, large puzzles, building blocks, and coloring areas with markers and crayons.

Interactive play inspires imagination!

Soft Play

“Soft play” sculptures are typically made from high-density foam that is covered with a durable, waterproof vinyl material. This makes them safe for children to crawl on, climb over, and play with, while also being easy to clean and maintain.

Soft play sculptures come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including characters, slides, tunnels, vehicles, and more. They can be customized to fit any theme or color scheme, making them a popular choice for indoor play areas, daycare centers, and other children’s facilities.

Because soft play sculptures are soft and squishy, they are less likely to cause injury than traditional play equipment made from hard materials like metal or plastic. They can also be used to create obstacle courses and other interactive play experiences that promote physical activity and imaginative play.

Slides

Slides are a popular and fun form of active play for children of all ages, and even adults can enjoy them. Sliding down a slide can provide a sense of thrill and excitement, as well as help to develop physical skills such as balance, coordination, and gross motor skills. And they’re just plain fun!

Ball Pits

Playing in a ball pit provides a tactile and sensory-rich experience, which can be beneficial for children with sensory processing difficulties. The feeling of sinking into a pit filled with soft, squishy balls can be calming and regulating. Let’s not forget that a ball pit is simply a fun and enjoyable experience for children. It can provide a break from structured activities and offer a chance to dive in and laugh to their heart’s content.

Climbing Structures and Ropes

If your facility has the capability and space to incorporate climbing structures, tunnels, and rope courses, these can offer an exciting and engaging way for children to develop essential gross motor skills such as coordination, balance, and strength. Not only do climbing structures provide a safe environment for children to take risks and explore their limits, but they also foster the development of confidence and self-esteem as they navigate through the structures under supervision.

Video Games

While some parents may go to play areas to avoid digital stimulation, adding video games to an indoor play area for children can provide a number of benefits and can engage kids of different ages.

As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in daily life, offering video games in a play area can provide children with a chance to become familiar with and comfortable using technology in a safe and supervised setting. Many video games require players to use hand-eye coordination and problem-solving skills, which can help develop these skills in children.

Offering video games alongside other play options like climbing structures, ball pits, and sports activities can provide a generous range of play activities for children and keep them entertained for longer periods.

If you want the best of both worlds, a great alternative is floor-projected video games. These games encourage active participation by inviting children to jump and stomp on animated bugs, balls, and lily pads that are projected onto the floor.

TVs and Theater

While adding a TV to a play area can provide entertainment for children, it may not offer the same developmental benefits as active play options. However, it could be a viable addition to a play area depending on the needs of the business and the interests of the children. If children are tired from play but not ready to leave yet, it provides a quiet alternative for those taking a break.

Photo Op Characters and Backdrops

Parents are all about capturing fun and special moments with their children as they play. Providing the perfect photo opportunity for them is a bonus for parents and an even bigger bonus for your social media.

Parents who take and share photos of a fun day at your play park are creating valuable user-generated content that helps promote your fun services. Include your name, your logo, or even encourage the use of a hashtag to make the best use of this content.

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5. Consider These Useful Additions for Your Play Area

Add Signs for Wayfinding and Instructions

An important part of any play area is letting people know you have it, where to find it, and how to use it (like the rules sign mentioned earlier). Signs can come in a variety of shapes and styles, from 2D to 3D.

Signs can also include your logo, hours of operation, and other useful information, like where the bathroom is located.

Keep it All Clean with a Shoe Rack

Adding a shoe rack outside your children’s play area can have several benefits:

1. Keeping the play area clean: Children can bring dirt, mud, or other debris on their shoes when they enter the play area. By having a shoe rack outside the play area, you can encourage them to take off their shoes and leave them outside, which can help keep the play area clean and safe for children.
2. Preventing slips and falls: Wet or muddy shoes can make the floor slippery, which can increase the risk of slips and falls. By leaving shoes outside, you can prevent these accidents from happening and keep your children safe.
3. Encouraging organization: A shoe rack outside the play area can encourage children to take responsibility for their belongings and keep them organized. It can also make it easier for them to find their shoes when they need them.

Provide Comfortable Seating for Parents

Make sure to include comfortable seating for parents or caregivers to relax while the children play. Consider adding tables and chairs for snacks or drinks. If food is not allowed near the play area, consider adding a seating area nearby where the play area can still be observed.

Providing seating areas can create a social atmosphere for parents and caregivers to interact with one another. This can lead to new friendships and a sense of community.

Plan for Stroller Parking

Families with children of all ages will want to come to your play area. Make it as convenient as possible for them by providing a space for them to store their bulky strollers.

Providing a designated space for stroller storage can help eliminate any potential hazards or clutter that may disrupt the play area. Having a safe and easily accessible place to store strollers also makes it more convenient for families with young children, as they won’t have to worry about maneuvering a bulky stroller through a crowded play area.

The Perfect Indoor Family Play Area

The benefits these play areas can offer parents and kids alike make them invaluable. Now that you have this information in mind, why not consider creating one at your own location? With this list you should be on your way to making an amazing play area for children in any business or location. So don’t hesitate, let the kids go play!

Want more resources related to this topic?

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Don’t know where to start with creating your indoor playground? One of our Creative Consultants would love to help. Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your facility from a mundane to a magical guest experience.

A library’s presentation area is a great space to engage with your community and draw attention to your library. Having exciting decor in a library’s interior area can be a great way to appeal to kids and families. Kids will be excited to attend events and visit the library knowing that it has a space built for them.

Here are ways you can enhance your presentation area and leave an impression on your visitors.

Select Your Space

When selecting a space in your children’s library that can be dedicated to presentations, there are several factors to consider to ensure it is appropriate and functional for the purpose.

Firstly, it is important to choose a space that is easily accessible to visitors, especially families with young children where stroller parking space is a factor to consider. Consider a location that is on the main floor, near the entrance, or in an area with high traffic. This will help to increase visibility and encourage visitors to use the presentation area.

Secondly, the space should be visible from various parts of the library. Choose a location that is visible from the circulation desk or other busy areas, such as the children’s section. This will help to promote the use of the presentation area and ensure that visitors know where to go for events and activities.

Thirdly, the space should be large enough to accommodate groups of children and their caregivers comfortably. Consider the average size of groups attending events, and ensure there is enough seating and floor space to accommodate them.

Finally, consider the acoustics of the space. Make sure that it is quiet enough for presenters to be heard without distraction, while also ensuring that it is not too quiet that it dampens the energy of the events.

Seating for Everyone

It’s important to choose seating options that are comfortable for children and their caregivers. Plan for all ages, from toddlers to grandparents. Floor cushions, bean bags, and kid-sized chairs are great options for children, while adult-sized chairs or benches are suitable for caregivers. You may also want to consider providing some tables for children to use for drawing or other activities during events.

The seating arrangement should be designed to allow for optimal viewing and participation. Consider a semi-circle or U-shaped seating arrangement, which allows for good visibility and participation for all attendees.

Adding a small stage or podium can create a focal point for presenters and make the presentation area feel more professional. A podium or stage can also make it easier for presenters to be heard and seen by the audience, especially if the space is large or if there are distractions from other library activities.

By considering the seating and layout of the presentation area, you can create a comfortable and engaging space that will encourage children to participate in literacy activities and events and promote a love of reading.

Add Multimedia Equipment

Adding multimedia equipment to a presentation area in a children’s library can greatly enhance the experience for attendees and presenters. Equip the area with multimedia tools such as a projector, screen, TV, and sound system equipped with a microphone, so that presenters can easily share visual aids, videos, or music with the audience.

If you can, add lighting or a spotlight to draw attention to your presenter.

By equipping the presentation area with multimedia tools, the library can create a more professional and polished environment for events and activities. This can help to attract high-quality presenters and improve the overall reputation of the library.

Decorate the Space

Make the presentation area visually appealing and inviting for children by adding colorful artwork and murals.

Creative Backdrops Set the Scene

Consider using creative backdrops within your decor to really set the scene at your presentation area. Depending on the atmosphere that your library is going for, you can have anything from abstract, contemporary art to fun and whimsical pieces on your interior walls.

These unique pieces can also create fun backgrounds for photos that you or your visitors can use on social media when not in use.

Create Wonder in Your Library Presentation Area with a Theme

Consider choosing a theme that reflects the library’s mission or focus, such as nature, animals, or a specific literary genre. This can help to create a cohesive and visually appealing space that ties in with the library’s overall brand. Theming is also a great way to immerse your guests and keep them engaged during presentations.

Themes can include having a woodland forest theme and surrounding your guests with the beauty of trees and the natural environment, allowing them to stay connected to nature indoors.

Or transport children under the sea with a sunken ship presentation area with sharks and fish eagerly watching the speaker.

Having a unique theme and characters that come with it can create a central landmark for your space and help focus attention on your little ones. These spaces can also be talking points for your presentees to help break the ice with their audience.

There are many ways that a library can add exciting, themed decor to its presentation area to appeal to kids and families. Creative backdrops, unique murals, and creating wonder are great ways to begin crafting the environment that you and your visitors will enjoy. With unique environments and themed spaces, your library will be filled with eager visitors and, even better, eager readers.

Engage with the Community

Ultimately if you want to build an amazing presentation area in your library, you need to engage the community. People are what makes your library a success!

Involve local schools, community groups, and parent organizations in the presentation area’s activities to build partnerships and strengthen community engagement. Plan regular events and activities, such as author visits, book clubs, storytelling sessions, or craft workshops, that can take place in the presentation area. Make sure to promote these events through your library’s website, social media, and other marketing channels.

By following these steps, you can create a presentation area in your children’s library that promotes literacy, engages young readers, and fosters a love of learning.

Check out these related resources for making your library an exciting place to learn:

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Contact Imagination Design Studios (IDS) to get started transforming your library into a place that captures everyone’s attention!

Churches today are competing for the attention of young families, so it is important that they create a welcoming atmosphere that appeals to children. The good news is that you can attract more families to your congregation by adding child-friendly decor that can turn your location into a destination.

Here’s how using child-friendly church decor like play areas, colorful murals, custom seating, and sculpted characters can create a warm and welcoming atmosphere for your congregation.

How to Attract Families to Your Church with Decor for Kids

Colorful Murals in Children’s Areas:

Vivid colors and cheerful images can instantly brighten up any church space. Consider adorning the walls of your church with colorful cartoons or murals depicting stories from the Bible or other religious teachings.

Not only will these images bring life to the rooms and hallways of your Sunday school or church nursery, but they’ll also provide children with an immersive learning experience as they explore each scene depicted in the artwork.

These murals can be placed within classrooms or hallways leading up to the sanctuary.

Have a large wall, windows, or fence outside your church? A large-scale mural with bright colors and uplifting messages can help set the tone for both old and new members when they enter your church.

Activity and Play Areas for Children:

One way to attract families with young children is by providing an entertaining play area where kids can gather and be engaged in activities during services. You could set up toys, games, and kid-sized furniture for them to enjoy while their parents attend services or classes. This will help grow your children’s knowledge of faith while playfully entertaining them.

Additionally, if you have special services dedicated solely to children, having a play area can help make those times more enjoyable and memorable. Simple additions such as coloring books or puzzles can be effective when it comes to keeping kids entertained while they wait for service. This not only helps the kids but gives parents a piece of mind knowing that their kids are safe and having fun.

Theater and Presentation Areas:

Show families that you are dedicated to educating their children. A special space to watch informative videos (I still remember the excitement of watching Veggie Tales in my childhood) or listen to presenters is a great way to keep the attention of young children.

Don’t just leave it up to the adults though! A theater or presentation area can be a space where children can express themselves creatively through drama, singing, dancing, and other performing arts. By participating in theater productions and presentations, children can build confidence and develop their public speaking skills, which can serve them well when they are sharing the Word with friends and families.

Custom Seating Made for Kids:

Custom seating specifically crafted for children can create comfy spots for them during services or classes. These seats don’t have to be expensive—even brightly colored bean bags or cushions would work perfectly!

By providing custom seating, your young patrons will feel included, comfortable, and secure knowing that they themselves have their own special spot during service.

These custom seats can be themed to match bible stories to give your kids a more immersive experience when they attend mass. These seats can also be placed around your church to surprise newcomers and share the family-friendly environment throughout.

Sculptures and Characters:

Sculpted characters are a surefire way to be whimsical in any space! Whether it’s characters from bible stories or even just friendly animals that reflect your local wildlife, placing sculptures around your church will help make it more inviting for younger members of your congregation.

Even better, these characters can act as great social media photo ops, helping to spread awareness of your church online.

Have an open space or a plain parking lot? Consider having a large landmark sculpture outside your church. These large-scale features can draw attention to your church and become memorable.

What Do Successful Churches Have in Common?

All successful churches have something in common — they recognize that creating an atmosphere of comfort and familiarity is essential when trying to attract new members.

By adding child-friendly decor, you’ll make your church stand out and also provide a welcoming space for your children to feel excited about the important lessons presented in every church service. This kind of atmosphere makes all the difference when it comes to growing your congregation — so why not give it a try?

Want to learn more about transforming your church into a sanctuary for children? Click here.

Libraries are important places where children and their families can come to learn and explore.

As libraries struggle to remain a competitive alternative to various forms of digital entertainment, the need to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration and learning grows every day. With clever decor ideas, you can create a space that is both inviting and unique. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can add fun decor to your library to make it more appealing to families and children.

Plus, you can use this opportunity to create eye-catching presentation areas for guest speakers and photo opportunities that promote your library on social media.

Decor Ideas to Help Transform Your Library into a Family-friendly Destination

Use Sculpted Trees to Create Interest

When I was little, my local library had a sculpture of a tree growing up the spiral staircase going between floors. The weekly visit to the library was a magical memorable childhood experience as I loved running up the stairs and looking at the tree. Even now as an adult when I return home for family gatherings, I will revisit that library to remember the delight I had as a child.

Trees are a symbol of wisdom, which is why they are so often associated with libraries (that and the fact that books are of course made out of trees). Using this imagery and adding sculpted trees to your space is another great way to spruce up your library. Choose trees that are native to your area or ones that represent something special about your community such as state symbols or local landmarks.

A sculpted tree can become a backdrop to a presentation area or bench seating can be added to make it functional.

These trees will help create an atmosphere of adventure and exploration while also providing a place for people to sit, read, or just relax in nature’s beauty without having to leave the library.

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Themed Reception and Check-out Desks

A library’s information desk is often the first thing that patrons see when they enter the building, so it’s important to make it as welcoming and visually appealing as possible. One way to do this is to create an eye-catching, themed desk that reflects the library’s mission or the interests of its patrons.

For example, if the library serves a community with a strong interest in nature and the outdoors, a desk with a nature-themed design could be particularly appealing.

A desk can show guests that books will take them on a journey, whether it’s around the world or an escape into a fantasy world.

An eye-catching, themed check-out desk can help to create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere in the library, and it can also be a great conversation starter. Patrons who are drawn in by the unique design of the check-out desk may be more likely to engage with library staff and ask about the library’s services and resources.

Ultimately, a well-designed, themed check-out desk can be integral to creating a welcoming and engaging environment for patrons, and it can help to support the library’s overall mission of serving and supporting its community.

Fun Photo Opportunities

One particularly effective way to engage with your patrons (plus create user-generated content for your socials) is to set up a photo op at the library. This can be as simple as setting up a backdrop or props related to a particular theme and then inviting patrons to take photos and share them on social media using a designated hashtag.

Consider creating a mascot for your library. This is a great way to brand your library as a child-friendly place. Mascots create major benefits for marketing potential and for making your business appeal to children.

Fun characters are begging to be photographed, and parents are always looking for an opportunity to show off the great time they are having on an outing with their family.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Office Photo Op

Unique Seating in Library Reading Areas

Custom seating is a great way to make your library stand out from others. You can choose from cozy chairs with colorful cushions or opt for more stylish couches and ottomans. This will make it easier for people to find the perfect spot to sit with their favorite book or get comfortable while they work on their laptops.

For children’s libraries, consider adding bean bags or soft floor pillows in bright colors to encourage kids to curl up on the floor with their favorite books.

Go further and add themed benches or stools for a magical touch that will truly appeal to children. Themed seating allows you to transform your atmosphere without taking away space that can be used for books.

You can also add themed seating to areas used as a presentation or reading space for guest speakers to create a special place that stands out from the rest of the library.

Bright Colors to Make Your Library Pop

Using vibrant colors throughout your library is one of the best ways to bring life into the space. Add color via paint, murals, fabrics, furniture pieces, sculptures, and more!

Murals are an amazing way to transform the look of a room, especially in a children’s reading area. Create a mural theme around a genre of book, like a children’s area themed around old fairy tales.

Brightly colored walls or ceilings are also a great way to surprise visitors when they enter your library!

Library Design & Decor Matters

Creating unique decor ideas for libraries is not only possible but easy when you think outside of the box!

By adding custom seating options with colorful cushions as well as sculpted trees and fun colors throughout walls and furniture pieces you can create an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration and learning in any library setting. Additionally, creating presentation areas with creative backdrops provides guest speakers with a platform they won’t soon forget while providing you with photo opportunities perfect for promoting your business on social media!

With just a few simple touches you can transform any drab library into an inspiring place full of possibilities! Start brainstorming some ideas today – your patrons will thank you later!

Check out these related resources for making your library decor unique:

Library Decor Inspiration

Tips for Creating a Presentation Area in Your Children’s Library