Article Archives - Page 2 of 3

AIP 2024

Posted on 13th May 202413th May 2024 by Samuel Whittington

AIP Trade Show 2024

Hey There,

Thank you for coming to visit us at AIP 2024.

Whilst we offer Soft Play support for businesses from start to finish and beyond, we’ve got the most important things at the top here so we can quickly get you to the right place.

What's happening at our stand

We’re keen to learn about your upcoming plans within your plays area.

We’d love to know as much as possible about your upcoming project so that we can provide you the best and most suitable design for the space and needs you require

WHY?

Well, who doesn’t want to increase their profits?

Meet Our Team

Elliott Myatt

CEO

Simon Ward

CEO

Our Products

Strike Arena

Soft Play

Previous Projects

Mini Meadows - Northampton

Mini Meadows is a beautiful farm park on the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire border, with indoor and outdoor play, farm animals and a cafe, set in 12 acres of countryside.

A small, independently run Farm Park with animals to pet, outdoor play areas to roam and an indoor cafe……..

Cattle County - Berkeley

Cattle Country is based in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, and it’s an all-year-round farm park visitor attraction.

With farm animals, indoor play, outdoor play, a independent cafe ( run through their ‘home-grown’ produce ) and a gift shop, they’ve got plenty of revenue streams and a huge range of activities for children of all ages……..

Play Valley - Doncaster

From opening their first site in Rotherham, expanding into Sheffield and now with their new site in Doncaster, the team at Play Valley really know what it takes to create a wonderful play facility for children and parents alike……

GLL Active - Sutton

As well as a state-of-the-art gym, cycle studio, tennis courts, dance studios, and a day nursery, they’re also home to Sutton’s first trampoline and play park, and are always looking for new ways to increase the value they bring to customers and drive more footfall into the Village………

Want to learn how a soft play can help your business?

Soft Play Design Team Visit Crealy

Posted on 22nd April 20241st May 2024 by Samuel Whittington

The Play Specialists

Worldwide Play Area Equipment, Installation,
Cleaning & Maintenance Company

Soft Play Design Team Visit Crealy

Our design team are the creatives behind the interactive and safe play spaces that encourage young children and kids to play, have fun and exercise.

The whole team had great fun, both understanding how children would experience the soft play area and interactive elements, whilst also seeing how the frames are pieced together.

The new ( and rapidly expanding ) design team were able to see what they would be doing in their design software and how it would need to fit within restrictions of sites they would build into.

A common part of their process is designing to bespoke and unique building, no two designs are the same, so they could see firsthand how the layout of existing parks need to be mindful of regulations and restrictions.

Everyone had a great time, and whilst there was lots of fun, there was also lots of learning.

If you’d like to enquire about having a design done yourself, click HERE.

Or, if you’d like to learn more about the team that can take your ideas into a real play area, click HERE.

Dubai Deal 2024

Posted on 20th February 202420th February 2024 by The Play Companyadmin

Dubai Deal 2024

The Play Company At Dubai Deal 2024

5th and 6th March 2024

DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

STAND: NR 3-C32

The Play Company are please to be exhibiting at Dubai deal in 2024, showcasing our bespoke Indoor Play and Strike Arena.

For a preview of what’s happening at our stand, to get in-touch ahead of the show or instructions on how to find us, take a look below.

What's happening at our stand

We’re keen to learn about your upcoming plans within your plays pace or FEC. We want to know how we can help you grow your site activities, retain customers and increase frequent visits to your site.

WHY?

Well, who doesn’t want to increase their profits?

Our team at the event

Elliott Myatt

Hi, I am Elliott, and I am the Sales Director and Co-Director here at The Play Company.

I have been growing the business since 2015 with my dad and best friend from just a small maintenance company to now; a globally recognised soft play and indoor interactive playground, designer, manufacturer and installation team.

Come meet me at stand and let’s talk about how we can work together.

Elliott

Our Products

Strike Arena

Soft Play

Book in a meeting

Perfer to just drop us a line?

Download our Brochure

Where to find us?

Strike Arena

Why choose a soft play area for your space?

Strike Arena’s frenetic, adrenalin-inducing course will guarantee satisfied customers AND highly profitable revenue to your premises, adding a fantastic additional revenue stream to your business and increasing customer value too.

Invest in Strike Arena and:

Choose from 18 fantastic challenges, from ball pools to rope climbs, designed to improve health and fitness, deliver huge amounts of fun and ensure customer satisfaction
Add a time-limited ‘pay to play’ offering and increase revenue
Increase dwell-time and spend-per-head, and boost profits as a result

Want to learn how Strike Arena can fit in your space?

Soft Play

Why choose a soft play area for your space?

We can help. For the last two decades, we’ve been involved with every element of indoor soft play areas; from the design right through to the installation and maintenance.

We’ve installed our soft play product into many locations around Europe, the UK and the United States. Whilst many people setting up a soft play centre have the space to set something up, they don’t know where to start.

That’s where we come in!

Our indoor play design team are here to create visuals that will accurately represent the final installed product, from small safe baby or toddler areas to multi-level bespoke soft play featuring drop slides, snake runs, ball pools and more.

The designs we create are not just limited for use by young children; we can also create adult playgrounds and the obstacle courses that gets teens and adults running, jumping and climbing all over the place

Want to learn how a soft play can help you?

Perfer to just drop us a line?

Interactive Sports Pitches

Posted on 19th February 202419th February 2024 by The Play Companyadmin

The Play Specialists

Worldwide Play Area Equipment, Installation,
Cleaning & Maintenance Company

Interactive Football Pitch Play Area

There is such a variety of options for installing an interactive football pitch into your play area, whether you want a stand-alone ‘basic’ football pitch with two goals or a pitch that incorporates technology and further adds gamification to the area, the choice is up to you.

With the addition to the technology counting the score between the two teams, there is also potential to add in timers and Klaxon sound effects and referee whistles to add to the emersion for users to experience.

The interactive technology comes bespoke per the customers request, as either one set of three units ( only on one side ), two sets of two units or two sets of three units

1x Three PowrPlay Targets ( just on one side )
2x Two PowrPlay Targets ( split over both sides )
2x Three PowrPlay Targets ( split over both sides )

So, let’s take a look at three different tiers of football pitches you can incorporate within your soft play space.

Sunnyside Garden Centre, Ibstock

Sunnyside realised that their football space needed to exist, just as a dwell item within the space so there was no additional technology required.

They gathered this information from their first play area installed within the space, where they’d find groups of young children playing endlessly for hours whilst mum and dad enjoyed coffee and tea from the cafe.

Whilst their sports pitch does the job, it’s at the bare minimum of what can be done; an enclosed area with goalposts on each side, which, whilst this is not anything new, helps the children to develop their imagination skills outside of playing football within the area.

Regular green astro turf
Custom tuffpad themed to the rest of the frame

Play Valley, Doncaster

Play Valley, in Doncaster had a unique colour orientated pallette for their soft play frame, starting at ground level green through to the lighter blues in the clouds and darker blues and blacks towards the top ‘space’.

So, since their football pitch is situated within the cloud level of the frame, their frame is coloured respectivly as blue with cloud artwork around the edge.

PowrPlay X6 ( Interactive Football )
Custom Blue Football Astro turf
Custom Branded Wall Pad Artwork
Custom Colour Tuff Pad Padding

Freedog, Swindon

Freedog, based in Swindon, is an urban playground for not just kids, but also adults. Having some of the UK’s largest climbing and bouldering walls, the client ( Freedog ) wanted the full monty of possible football pitches for their indoor play area!

They wanted the largest enclosed space with the addition of a football and basketball target that would fit within their FEC space as another urban activity, and this one that would give their customers options on whether they wanted to play Football or Basketball from the PowrPlay and AeroStrike units.

PowrPlay X6 ( Interactive Football )
AeroStrike ( Interactive Basketball )
Custom Blue Football Astro turf
Custom Branded Wall Pad Artwork
Custom Colour Tuff Pad Padding

The fascia for the AeroStrike units were also in-line with the branding guidelines from freedog

Whilst all of these sites contain a variation of the same product, there are defiantly added bonus’s to having both the Aerostrike and PowrPlay installed to increase dwell-time, add another level of immersion and effectively, make more profit onsite.

If you’d like to learn more or discover how we can install an interactive football pitch for you and within your play area, please, GET IN TOUCH and let’s discuss what works best for your indoor play area.

Some Football Pitches ( and how they might look for you )

Retrofit at GLL Sutton

Posted on 12th January 202419th July 2024 by The Play Companyadmin

The Play Specialists

Worldwide Play Area Equipment, Installation,
Cleaning & Maintenance Company

Retrofit

Regenerating life, laughter and customers back into your space

Do you have an existing trampoline park, indoor play space or play area that needs more than just a brief clean up?

By using our retrofit services, you’re not only going to breathe new life into your space but also stay ahead of competitors, . We understand the expectations for both children and their parents, and we’re committed to creating a soft play environment that captivates, engages and brings people back time and time again.

We ensure creativity meets functionality, and playfulness mixes with safety. Our retrofitting service is your key to a refreshed, modernised, and highly appealing indoor soft play experience for your visitors.

Save money without breaking the bank, for a whole newarea

GLL Sutton had a trampoline play space going beyond it’s expected life. It was worn, it lacked repeat customers and long dwell times.

so, what did we do?

We used the existing site plans and dropped in a multi-level Strike Arena, one which makes the most of the space above ( which trampolines cannot do ) but why?

Interactive Re-playable Game
Increased Capacity
Single Operator Use
Team ‘Scale-ablity’ ( could be individuals or large teams )
On Brand with the rest of the park

With all of the above and not having to start from scratch or close the park during installation, we were able to deliver exactly what the client wanted – a modern, state-of-the-art play area helping people get active and also providing another reason for people to visit the park.

You can check out the parks promotional video below or GET IN TOUCH if you’d like to discuss a retrofit in your play space.

Here are some of our other popular services…

Interactive Sports Pitch

Strike Arena

Client Testimonial – Altitude, Oswego

Posted on 4th January 20248th January 2024 by The Play Companyadmin

Altitude, Oswego - Client Testimonial

Hearing what our clients think of our products means the most to us, it proves that our work, ‘speaks for its self’.

Below is a short testimonial video from Altitude Park Manager, Hannah Nicolas. She discusses the improvements on the site, who these new attractions are for and much more.

We installed a multitude of products for Altitude Trampoline Park, Oswego.

Strike Arena
Junior Indoor Soft Play
Baby and Toddler Indoor Soft Play
Aero Strike

Whilst the inital suggestion was only to retrofit the soft play and baby area, we were then told that the super trampoline area was going to be removed too. This large area product was no longer fit for purpose on-site.

We worked within the size of the area and height of the building to install a Strike Arena and Ninja Run ( which has been branded for Altitude as a Freestyle Run ) so they could make the most of the space and maximise their capacity and throughput.

Book yourself into one of their sessions HERE.

Read a third parties write up about the new install HERE.

Check out our case study on the park HERE.

New 2023 Soft Play Brochure

Posted on 9th November 20237th December 2023 by The Play Companyadmin

We create lots of unique and different soft play frames to fit our clients needs, and with each iteration and change, we find ourselves with new fully developed designs that go into our brochure.

With 2023 being one of our best years creating indoor soft play designs, our catalogue is now larger than ever.

Within the brochure you can find references to complete soft play installations within the following sectors:

Trampoline Parks
FEC’s
Urban Activity Centres
Farm parks
Indoor Playgrounds

We have also dedicated some space to some design concepts that show what could be done should there be an unlimited budget with one of our clients, something that will capture the curiosity for others to follow.

There is also some dedicated Strike Arena installations from Louisiana in USA, to our country of the UK.

Finally, there is a small breakdown of some of the equipment that can go into play frames from an iconic drop slide to a giant volcano slide.

With a whole lot to see within this catalogue we hope you find it of use and with our design department we hope to speak soon to create something truly unique for yo

It’s our mission to elevate the world of play, and make play more fulfilling, more energetic and more engaging, and it’s that mission that’s at the forefront of everything we do – we’re not willing to rest on our laurels, and we’re always keen to go bigger and better.

When you work with us, you can expect that approach – we aren’t just going to design by numbers. We’ll go above and beyond to understand your target market, work out exactly what’ll best suit your space, and then deliver something that’ll give you the best possible result.

And if that sounds good to you, then we should have a conversation – email us at info@theplaycompany.co.uk or give us a call on 01548 521 197 and we’ll find a good time to talk it through.

Download our brochure:

Simply add a few details below and we will forward our brochure to you:

Work and play hard, at the same time

Posted on 2nd November 20239th January 2024 by The Play Companyadmin

The Play Company Office Pumpkin Carving

As you can imagine, at The Play Company, we don’t always find it easy to separate work and play.

But what we realised some time ago is that that’s no bad thing.

It’s our mission to create things that help kids play, use their imaginations and get and stay active.

And in order to do that effectively, we’ve got to get into more of a childish mindset.

That’s our excuse anyway.

This week, we had the perfect opportunity to do just that, with our pumpkin carving competition.

The competition was fierce, the creativity off the scale, and the end results well worth seeing.

As you can see, when it comes to design, our skills are not limited to play frames – give us a gigantic orange fruit (or is it a vegetable?!) and we’ll turn it into something well worth looking at.

Full disclosure, we don’t spend all of our time carving up pumpkins and Googling templates for the best possible Halloween decorations, but we do think deeply about what will resonate most with your target market.

And if that sounds good to you, then we should have a conversation – email us at info@theplaycompany.co.uk or give us a call on 01548 521 197 and we’ll find a good time to talk it through.

Download our brochure:

Simply add a few details below and we will forward our brochure to you:

What you need to know about sensory areas in your indoor playground, leisure attraction or soft play centre.

Posted on 14th September 202314th September 2023 by The Play Companyadmin

In the world of indoor playgrounds, leisure attractions, and soft play centres, creating a captivating and engaging environment is key to drawing in families, making sure they have a memorable experience, and getting them to come back again and again.

And as the world moves on and matures, more and more people are recognising the need to cater for the whole spectrum of children, including those with specific needs.

One area that’s critical to consider for any leisure attraction is a sensory area – these cater specifically to the sensory needs of children and promote their cognitive development; they’re particularly beneficial for children with developmental disabilities or difficulties with learning or sensory processing.

In this blog, we delve into the world of sensory areas, exploring three essential components: Bubble Tubes, Infinity Wall Panels, and Infinity Floor Pads.

Bubble Tubes: Passive Bubbles or Reactively Sensational

Bubble Tubes have gained immense popularity in indoor play areas due to their ability to provide both passive and reactive sensory experiences.

These mesmerising tubes can vary in size and function, but their core purpose remains the same: to captivate children with the beauty of bubbles and sound.

Passive Bubbles

Bubble Tubes often feature a continuous flow of bubbles that gently rise through a water-filled column. This passive sensory experience is soothing and captivating, creating a calming ambiance within the play area. It’s particularly beneficial for children who may need a break from the more active elements of the playground or for those who simply enjoy watching the bubbles float by.

Reactive Sensation

Some Bubble Tubes take the sensory experience to a different level by incorporating interactive features. Reactive Sensation tubes respond to sound, movement, or touch, making them dynamic and engaging for children of all ages.

For instance, as children laugh, clap, or speak, the bubbles might react in a specific way, creating a delightful interactive display that encourages communication and sensory exploration.

Infinity Wall Panels: Interactive and Enchanting

Imagine a wall that can change colours at the touch of a button and reflect the internal LEDs to create a larger-than-life, ever-evolving masterpiece – that’s exactly what you get when you enter the world of Infinity Wall Panels, where visual stimulation takes centre stage.

Changing Colours

One of the most enchanting features of Infinity Wall Panels is their ability to change colours instantly. Children can experiment with different hues, creating their own magical world and learning about colour-mixing along the way. This interactive aspect sparks their creativity and provides an opportunity for self-expression.

Reflective Wonder

Infinity Wall Panels use mirrors and LEDs to create an illusion of endless space. When children view themselves in the panels, they see an expansive, kaleidoscopic image that captures their imagination. This not only makes them feel larger than life but also helps improve spatial awareness and self-recognition.

Infinity Floor Pads: Space-Saving Sensory Delight

While Infinity Wall Panels offer a visually stimulating experience, Infinity Floor Pads complement them by providing a tactile and exploratory sensory adventure.

These floor-based sensory pads are particularly welcoming for babies and toddlers who are crawling or just beginning to walk.

Tactile Exploration

Infinity Floor Pads feature a soft, responsive surface that encourages tactile exploration. Babies and toddlers can touch, crawl, or sit on the pads, feeling the texture beneath their fingertips. This sensory experience helps develop fine motor skills and sensory awareness.

Space-Saving Solution

Unlike larger sensory installations, Infinity Floor Pads are space-efficient, making them a versatile addition to any indoor play area. They can be strategically placed to create sensory zones that cater to different age groups, ensuring that every child can enjoy a tailored sensory experience.

Your next step on your sensory area journey

Incorporating sensory areas into your indoor playground, leisure attraction, or soft play center is a surefire way to enhance the overall experience for children and their families.

Bubble Tubes, Infinity Wall Panels, and Infinity Floor Pads offer a range of sensory experiences, from passive relaxation to interactive wonder, catering to a wide spectrum of ages and developmental stages.

By integrating these sensory elements, you can create a dynamic and inclusive play environment that not only entertains but also fosters sensory development, creativity, and social interaction among children.

If you’re designing a new indoor play space or looking to revamp an existing one, sensory areas are now a pretty much essential part of the picture – if you’d like to talk about how you can incorporate sensory areas, give us a call on 01548 521197, or fill in the form on this page and we’ll be happy to talk through some options with you.

Download our brochure:

Simply add a few details below and we will forward our brochure to you:

What is a Strike Arena?

Posted on 30th August 202314th September 2023 by The Play Companyadmin

Wondering what a Strike Arena is? You’re not alone. The popularity of this leisure phenomenon has grown rapidly in recent years, and for good reason: people love it.

But what IS it?

At its heart, it’s a leisure activity, which fits perfectly in a indoor play centre, entertainment centre or trampoline park.

Participants run up, down and all around to try and touch coloured pods – the more pods of the right colour you can touch, the better.

Standing in the way of you getting all the pods are obstacles – lots of them – so it’s not as straightforward as just running around, touching a few pods and putting your feet up.

Strike Arena is a team game too, so there’s a real competitive element to it, and there’s a time frame as well, which adds an extra edge to the game.

And because speed is a key part of the game, it helps your customers get active, ticking the health and fitness box.

Who is a Strike Arena for?

For everyone, pretty much.

Clearly it fits perfectly into a soft play-style context, but it’s just at home as an additional revenue stream in an entertainment centre too.

As a result, there are a wide range of target customers, from children enjoying a birthday party, through to corporates having an away day or a team building exercise.

How much space does it take up?

As much or as little as you want – there are 18 different obstacles/challenges to choose from rope climbs to ball pools, and you can pick the ones right for you and your target customer.

These challenges can then be arranged within any sort of frame you want – if space is at a premium, you can build up rather than across.

Check out our case study from Boost Leicester if you want a deep dive into a real one we have built!

Why consider a Strike Arena?

Appeal to lots of different demographics, from kids to corporates
Increase dwell-time and spend-per-head, with another fantastic feature at your premises
Add an additional revenue stream, with the option of ‘pay to play’
Keep moving with the times, giving your customers what they want and staying relevant.

Coming to IAPPA Vienna?

Interested in the idea of Strike Arena and planning on attending IAPPA Vienna?

You’re in luck – we’re in Vienna too, and we’re bringing a Strike Arena with us, so you can try it out for yourself.

Make sure you pop along to The Play Company’s stand at IAPPA, but before you do that, let’s schedule some time to talk things through at the show – click HERE to schedule an appointment at IAPPA.

(If you’re not going to be at the show, click the WhatsApp button to chat to us now, or pick up the phone and call us on (+44) 1548 521197.)

AIP Trade Show 2024

What's happening at our stand

Meet Our Team

Elliott Myatt

Simon Ward

Our Products

Strike Arena

Soft Play

Previous Projects

Mini Meadows - Northampton

Cattle County - Berkeley

Play Valley - Doncaster

GLL Active - Sutton

Want to learn how a soft play can help your business?

The Play Specialists

Soft Play Design Team Visit Crealy

Dubai Deal 2024

The Play Company At Dubai Deal 2024

What's happening at our stand

Our team at the event

Elliott Myatt

Our Products

Strike Arena

Soft Play

Book in a meeting

Perfer to just drop us a line?

Download our Brochure

Where to find us?

Strike Arena

Why choose a soft play area for your space?

Want to learn how Strike Arena can fit in your space?

Soft Play

Why choose a soft play area for your space?

Want to learn how a soft play can help you?

Perfer to just drop us a line?

The Play Specialists

Interactive Football Pitch Play Area

Sunnyside Garden Centre, Ibstock

Play Valley, Doncaster

Freedog, Swindon

Some Football Pitches ( and how they might look for you )

The Play Specialists

Retrofit

Regenerating life, laughter and customers back into your space

Here are some of our other popular services…

Interactive Sports Pitch

Strike Arena

Altitude, Oswego - Client Testimonial

Download our brochure:

The Play Company Office Pumpkin Carving

Download our brochure:

Bubble Tubes: Passive Bubbles or Reactively Sensational

Infinity Wall Panels: Interactive and Enchanting

Infinity Floor Pads: Space-Saving Sensory Delight

Your next step on your sensory area journey

Download our brochure:

Who is a Strike Arena for?

How much space does it take up?

Why consider a Strike Arena?

Products

Get Started

About