Children's Recreation Center Business Plan

The service I am selling is called “Active Play.”

Physical Active Play for children
Playing is fun at any age. If you don’t believe me, consider what you do to relieve the stress of an active day at work or school, or how you vacation, or what you spend your money on, if you have a hobby or interest. Or, if you have children, just watch how exuberant, carefree and energized they are when they are having a good time. However, there are other benefits to Active Play besides just having a good time.  Studies have shown that it is also a major factor in the appropriate mental, social, emotional and physical development of children.  When children are engaged in play, they are presented with various situations, interactions and challenges. As they develop competencies in these areas, they are honing the same social, mental and physical skills they’ll need in other aspects of life.

Vicarious Active Play for Parents
There was a saying in my house when I grew up:  “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”  I think what was meant by this was that we could drive her nuts on occasion, and when she was “nuts” we all suffered.  Those occasions were typically when, as children, we were bored or stuck in the house.  Therefore, I believe that this business is also selling fun, rest, and a social outlet for parents. When the kids are occupied, happy parents can enjoy a book, the newspaper, or a friend’s conversation over a cup of coffee or lunch. However, parents are also encouraged to participate with their children on the equipment themselves. Due to the nature and size of some equipment, it is able to withstand and support adults. The youngest children, in particular, will be happiest and most secure when playing with a parent.

Coffee, tea, juice, and snacks
We have a small cafe area where parents can purchase food and drinks from a (very) small menu, including kid-friendly items like peanut butter and jelly or cheese and tomato sandwiches, animal crackers, fresh carrot and celery matchsticks, and muffins from a local bakery. The items are either pre-made or require very little assembly. It is important to us to offer only healthy and appropriate snacks. We are currently planning to offer only a couple different kinds of coffee and tea, but if we get enough interest, we may invest in an espresso machine later on, and train our part-time help as baristas, since the current trend toward gourmet coffees includes young parents.