Indoor Playgrounds
To Theme or Not to Theme?

Is themeing the right choice for you?
By The FEC Directory

When pursuing this goal of ours, we sometimes forget who our target market is and focus on what we (adults) think is cool. Many times as a fun-loving entrepreneur that works out for the best, but sometimes, it's just selfish and not in the best interest of your overall facility goals or your target market. Themeing seems to fall into that category often, as grown adults stretch themselves to create their "fantasy-land".

The challenge with themeing is two-fold; 1) Once a Castle, always a Castle, and 2) Cost.

Minimal use of themeing with colors, murals and painted panels helps to reduce cost and creates an 'expendable' theme that can be changed at a reasonable expense in the future.

Once a Castle

As you know children have a vivid and active imagination. Many early childhood practitioners will tell you the best and natural way for children to develop their own creative imagination is through pretend play. While a themed environment can help facilitate this, once your play area is themed a particular way, due to the expense and effort it usually stays that way over the long term.

Now little Jimmy who may feel like a pretending to be a King on one visit fits right into the Castle theme. Next time he may wish he were Tarzan or the Hulk, or a Pirate chasing buried treasure, but he is still forced to play in the Castle. Kids are incredibly resilient and will tend to make a new environment whatever they want it to be - for awhile. The risk you run on a themed playground is that over time it will lose it's appeal to your repeat (core) market.

This scenario may change if you are located along 'themed-row' in Orlando, for example where you HAVE to have some kind of themeing to catch the over-whelmed tourist eye. However, if your facility is dependant on your local community for repeat visits, parties, etc then your key to success is not so much in the WOW! Factor, but in the Play-A-Bility factor.

At What Cost?

The other factor for themeing is the cost. Themeing can very quickly consume 20% - 30% of your overall playground budget - and that's for "esthetics" only. There is next to zero play-value (Play-A-Bility) in themeing. As we have previously discussed, the critical success factor underlying your entire facility is "Play-A-Bility". From your activity mix, to your party packages... play-a-bility is the key.

For Example: you could design a playground with a capacity for 80 children at one time that may turn out to be 30' x 30' x 18' tall. Inside the play-a-bility factor may include 26 activities, events and play components and may cost you $70,000 (plus installation).

Spend $14,000 on themeing (20%) and your play-a-bility budget drops to $56,000 - so now your play-a-bility factor is down to 17 or 18 activities, but it looks really cool. Parents and children on their initial visit will be wow! this is cool, but the play-value has been compromised, and it is quicker for the child to become bored with the reduced amount of activities.

What To Do?

It's not that we are against themeing, it's just how to maximize your budget and your revenue potential. Thankfully, soft-contained play is a modular construction and can be modified and added to as your business grows and budget warrants. With a variety of themed processes today there are options. One strategy is to minimize themeing on the playground itself and wrap a few extra dollars into your lease hold improvements by way of painted walls, murals and colors that tie into a theme; bright greens and earth tones for a Tree-house or Jungle theme for example.

Peter Grant with Fun Center Marketing says, "Operators today need not spend thousands of dollars any more on expensive air-brushed murals and paintings. With our digital technology we have cut those costs in half, while maintaining the creative uniqueness of a facility's environment,... and as an added bonus, you can take these murals with you when you leave."

With this facility backdrop of colors you can reduce the themeing on your playground to an assortment of murals that tie into the 'themed' backdrop. This is a good option because as your business gets worn, and/or your market changes by way of new competitors you can refresh your facility with a little elbow grease. Rather than being stuck with a monstrous themed playground, you can repaint your 'backdrop' and change your playground murals to reflect that renewed feeling.

However, you may decide that you want to go all out and be committed to a total themed experience. Like a Rainforest Cafe, (http://www.rainforestcafe.com) for example. Although an expensive route to go, the benefits of creating a "story" within your facility can make good sense. With a story you can create additional revenue opportunities through retail branding and extended party marketing that let children be Kings and Queens or Lords of their own Jungle. Facility mascots create a warm-fuzzy feeling for young children and help them to identify with your facility. With strong marketing your brand can be further exploit holiday's and seasonal events such as halloween and Christmas through themed events and tie-ins. If executed well, a themed facility can hold most competitors at bay or at least make them spend more to one up your story.

Themeing is certainly as individual as each facility and will come down to your goals and personal preferences, however shabby or poor themeing will detract from your facility. Keep in mind the costs of creating your vision, if you are unable to execute all the way, half way there will look it and will leave your guests feeling like the place is cheap. Extensive 3D relief themeing is still very expensive and if you are on a budget those dollars may drive a healthier return if they focus on play-a-bility and keeping your fun center FUN vs. a cheesy wanna be.

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