While you may have spent most of your play time as a child at your neighbourhood park, your child today has so many more options available when it comes to play areas. While outdoor play areas continue to be popular, indoor play areas for children are seeing a rapid rise in members.
Indoor play centers have the advantage of having more equipment and facilities, and also come with the assurance of being safer. They are also climate controlled, so children can continue enjoying themselves, irrespective of whether it is 40 degrees Celsius outside or raining cats and dogs!
Looking to try out an indoor play area? Here are 5 ways to judge a good quality indoor play center:
1. Play Area Equipment and Design
The most obvious thing that differentiates one indoor play area from another is the play area equipment and design. Kids play places today usually have a theme of learning intertwined with play. This encourages your child to pick up concepts early on and makes learning fun for them. Also, experts suggest that a free play area allows your child to explore and unleash their imagination.
2. Attentive Staff
While you will be accompanying your child to the indoor play center, the staff at the center will be spending a significant amount of time with your little one, and is bound to make an impact on their young mind. Hence, while considering kids play places for your child, you should definitely check the qualifications and experience of the staff members at the indoor play area.
3. Safety Provisions
Your child is the apple of your eye, and even the thought of them getting hurt is bound to scare you. Hence, it’s important to check the safety regulations at an indoor play area before you take your child there for a play session. Check that all equipment is regularly serviced and is in good condition. In addition, also enquire about the emergency provisions available. For example, are there first-aid kits available and have the staff been trained to use them? Also, what are the evacuation plans in case of an emergency such as a fire? While this is a worst-case scenario, when it comes to your child, it’s always best to be prepared.
4. Cleanliness
Many parents opt for an indoor play area instead of an outdoor one for the sole reason that the former comes with the assurance of a controlled environment. This ensures that your child is exposed to fewer germs, and hence, is at a lower risk of falling sick. Ensure that the indoor play center you enrol your child in has certain cleanliness and hygiene standards, which are applicable to both staff and the children. Basic rules such as clean toilets, children’s hands being washed before and after play time, and no stagnant water in the premises should be observed strictly.
5. Additional Services
We all want a little bit extra from any service provider these days, and this stands true for kids play places too. Given how important birthday parties for kids are and how increasingly stressful these annual events are becoming for parents, it would make your life so much easier if the indoor play center is also a kid’s birthday party venue. Many indoor play areas not just provide a space for birthday parties for kids, but also provide entertainment and catering services for the party.
Indoor kids play places are here to stay and picking the right one that meets all the above criteria is important to ensure your kid experiences quality play time.
