How to Prepare for Opening an Indoor Playground ？

I. Market Research and Positioning (Core Preparatory Step to Mitigate Investment Risks)

1. Local market research: Analyze the family population, children's age structure and per capita consumption capacity in the target area; count the number, scale, pricing and core shortcomings of competitors.

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2. Precise customer positioning: Define the core target groups (toddlers aged 1-3 / all ages 3-12 / parent-child families) and match the corresponding play styles and services.

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3. Clear profit model: Finalize a combined model of core revenue (walk-in play, memberships, custom parties) plus value-added revenue (F&B, peripheral products, corporate team building).

II. Site Selection and Venue Planning (Determine Customer Flow and Operational Efficiency)

1. Prioritize high-traffic locations: Adjacent to core business districts, community malls, hypermarkets (high rent cost-effectiveness) and clusters of early education/childcare institutions; avoid pure office areas or high-rent, low-traffic zones.

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2. Venue hardware screening: Confirm the floor height is no less than 3 meters (suitable for play equipment), fire exits comply with regulations, water, electricity, ventilation and sewage systems are modifiable; verify the commercial nature of the venue in advance.

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3. Preliminary space planning: Allocate 60%-70% of the area to the core play zone and 30%-40% to supporting areas (parent waiting area, party room, cash register/F&B area), with rational play flow and safe passages.

III. Qualification and Compliance Application (Avoid Post-Opening Renovations and Ensure Legal Operation)

1. Basic industrial and commercial qualifications: Register a commercial entity (LLC, limited liability company, etc.), apply for a business license and tax registration.

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2. Safety and industry certification: Obtain ASTM international play equipment safety certification (a core overseas standard), pass fire acceptance inspection and complete public health filing.

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3. Insurance and legal affairs: Purchase high-limit public liability insurance (a must for overseas operations to avoid compensation for safety accidents); sign a formal venue lease contract with clear terms on rent, renovation and renewal.

IV. Budget Formulation and Fund Raising (Settled in USD, Including Emergency Reserves)

1. Detailed cost budgeting: Break down costs into equipment (40%-50%), decoration and renovation (20%-30%), qualifications, rent and staffing (15%-20%), marketing and emergency funds (10%-15%); reserve an additional 10%-15% as emergency funds.

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2. Fund raising: Confirm self-owned funds and financing channels, clarify payment milestones (equipment deposit, decoration fee, rent deposit) to avoid capital chain rupture.

V. Equipment Selection and Supplier Screening (Core of Profitability, Balancing Quality and Cost-Effectiveness)

1. Equipment matching positioning: Toddler-focused venues feature soft play equipment; all-age venues add climbing structures, slides and obstacle courses; high-end venues can include trampolines, zip lines and other special projects.

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2. High-quality supplier screening: Prioritize suppliers with ASTM certification and overseas installation and after-sales capabilities; compare quotes, materials and warranty periods to avoid low-cost, inferior equipment (resulting in high later maintenance costs).

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3. Customization and adaptation: Customize equipment according to venue dimensions, reserve space for equipment upgrading and expansion, and balance play experience with venue utilization rate.

VI. Decoration Design and Construction Management (Align with Safety Standards, Create an Immersive Experience)

1. Design requirements: Adhere to the safety-first principle; install anti-collision and anti-slip treatments on walls and floors, use environmental-friendly and flame-retardant materials, and ensure clear traffic flow between play and supporting areas.

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2. Construction control: Select a construction team with experience in decorating children's play venues; advance water, electricity, fire protection and renovation works simultaneously, and control the construction period and quality.

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3. Detail optimization: Install monitoring and disinfection equipment, children's hand washing stations; equip parent waiting areas with charging and rest facilities to enhance user experience.

VII. Team Building and Training (Guarantee Operational Efficiency and Service Quality)

1. Core position allocation: Recruit a store manager, play attendants (core staff, requiring patience and knowledge of child safety), cashiers/cleaners and party planners (a must for medium and large venues) based on scale.

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2. Professional training: Conduct safety operation training (equipment use, emergency accident handling), service etiquette training, and membership/party operation training; ensure all staff hold relevant certificates (required in some regions).

VIII. Marketing Promotion and Pre-Opening Preparation (Drive Traffic in Advance, Guarantee Pre-Opening Customer Flow)

1. Online traffic generation: Build overseas social media accounts (Facebook/Instagram/TikTok), register on Google My Business, post real venue and equipment videos, and launch targeted local advertising.

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2. Offline customer development: Cooperate with surrounding early education institutions, kindergartens and communities to hold experience activities; launch pre-opening presale packages (low-cost memberships, punch cards) to accumulate seed customers.

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3. Pre-opening preparation: Complete venue cleaning, equipment commissioning and material procurement (tickets, peripheral products, F&B); plan pre-opening activities (parent-child games, discounts and benefits) to ensure a smooth opening process.

IX. Operation System Establishment (Advance Planning, Guarantee Long-Term Profitability)

1. Pricing system: Formulate reasonable prices for single tickets, punch cards, monthly/annual cards; set tiered prices for custom parties to balance cost-effectiveness and profit margin.

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2. Management system: Establish systems for daily equipment maintenance, venue cleaning and disinfection, membership management and safety patrols to achieve standardized operations.

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3. Customer retention: Build membership communities, regularly push activity benefits, plan holiday parent-child activities to improve customer repurchase rate.

Core Investment Reminders (For Overseas B2B Investors)

✅ Prioritize compliance with local safety standards for children's play facilities (e.g., ASTM/EN 1176) in all links to avoid compliance risks.

✅ Strictly control the budget throughout the process; equipment and decoration are core costs, and avoid overspending on blind high-end customization.

✅ Complete full-process equipment commissioning and safety drills before opening to eliminate potential safety hazards.