Does Your Business Need Children’s Activity/Entertainment Packs?
Kids colouring books and activities in establishments, especially restaurants, is not a new idea but is now an expected and integral part of customer service for families. Since the 1950s, colouring activity packs for kids have had a lot of benefits for businesses. They can even be incorporated into menu designs in order to be more inclusive for any children at the dinner table. However, it’s not just restaurants that can benefit from children’s entertainment packs. Below are some insights into whether your business could benefit from offering activity packs to entertain kids, and why they could enhance your business overall.
Niche Businesses That Benefit From Children’s Activity Packs
If you walk into a family restaurant, you’re much more likely to find colouring books and pens for children than, for example, an upmarket cafe. This can be due to a number of reasons, such as brand image, inclusivity/exclusivity and target markets. But can a business that doesn’t usually cater to children include them in their marketing strategy? Surprisingly, a number of different businesses can benefit from children’s activity packs in addition to the expected restaurant and cafe spaces. Other businesses that could possibly benefit include:
Holiday Parks and Camp Sites
During the day, holiday parks and camping is an adventure. Families can take their kids on a range of activities such as hiking, kayaking, and on trips to local landmarks. But once the sun sets, settling kids down can become a chore. Holiday parks and campsites, in particular, can incorporate this into their business strategy by offering colouring books and colouring pencils for young children. Colouring can help focus and relaxation, and also aid sleep. Therefore, it could help excitable kids settle down in their beds much faster. It is also a relaxing and distracting activity for any time of day, such as while waiting for meals.
Soft Play Businesses
Although soft play is great in offering exercise for children, not all children will want to get involved, especially if you host birthday parties. Having a space where children can enjoy brain-stimulating exercises as well as physical exercises can enhance your services and offer a wider offering to families looking to visit. Offering this extra choice of a creative activity could appeal to more types of children, as some children may be too shy to jump right into the soft play area. Colouring can also help children to calm down after the exertion of physical play.
Travel Companies
If you’ve ever had to travel with a young child, you may already know how a lot of them handle long journeys, and that is not very well. Distraction is a great way to handle restlessness, and colouring in a colouring book is just one of the ways in which you can do this. It has the additional benefit of boosting their creativity and engaging them with mental activities as well. For journeys by bus, coach, train or plane, offering activity packs can keep children occupied, but it can promote overall ease on long journeys for other customers as well.
Pub Restaurants
Though you may associate pubs with an older demographic, many pubs serve food and aim to attract families. Providing activity packs for children helps to create a more family-friendly environment and attracts a wider range of customers. During the day, a pub can become a family restaurant with a comfortable homely atmosphere. A diversion for restless children is helpful for everyone if they are taking a break from shopping or out for a family meal. Your pub can appeal to families with younger children without inconveniencing other customers.
Dentist & Doctor Waiting Rooms
A trip to the doctor or dentist is rarely a pleasant adventure for parents who have to herd one or more children along with them. Especially if the child is the patient, and the parent needs to keep them calm and quiet so that they don’t disturb other people who are waiting to see the doctor or dentist. Colouring books and activity packs in waiting rooms are the best way to distract children and get them to sit still and concentrate on something. Like a reward of a sticker or lollipop afterwards, activity packs can make children feel better while they wait.
Car Dealerships
Buying a new car and negotiating the choices can be a time-consuming process. Customer service is paramount for car dealerships if they want to secure a sale at the end of it. While you can offer a cup of coffee or tea and biscuits for adult customers while you chat, providing an activity for any children accompanying them is a relief for the parents. It will make your business a more welcoming place for families to spend time while you work with them to find a deal. The more comfortable the customers feel, the more they will trust in your business.
Why Children’s Entertainment Packs Are Good For Your Business
- Keeps children safe and still instead of running around
- Engages them mentally to distract them from impatient misbehaviour while waiting
- Encourages their creativity and problem-solving skills
- Can be educational and suggest topics of conversation
- Improves relationships if others help them with activities or compliment them
- Can be fun for the whole group to join in, not just children
Ensuring that children in your venue are content will improve the happiness of all customers in the vicinity. Families will be more likely to come back if they associate your business with a good experience, and returning customers will boost your business. Satisfying treatment also encourages visitors to spread good reviews which can attract others. If you brand the entertainment packs, this could work as a marketing strategy if children take them away.