By Sibylle Dorndorf

What do adults say when their children are getting on their nerves? “Go and play!” This phrase seems to have made a lasting impression on many adults. In order to flee from their stressful – or monotonous – everyday lives, they go off and play to let off steam. But what to do with all that excess energy? Not everyone is lucky to have forests, mountains and the sea on their doorstep. But indoor playgrounds are. These playgrounds for kidults that are looking to experience “flow” and to test their sporting limits are springing up everywhere like mushrooms. What are particularly popular at present are Ninja Warrior Parks such as Stuntwerk, which now has six locations across Germany. Stuntwerk is aimed at super-active people, combining as it does bouldering, parkour, ninja warrior and functional training in a single location.

Action playgrounds around the world

Action Ninja World, Auckland

In New Zealand, the place to be is the ninja warrior course that tests participants’ agility and strength. It offers lots of opportunities for active kidults to work off their energy.

Ferox Ninja Park, Brooklyn NY

Unleash your inner ninja! In Brooklyn, you can let off steam at the Ferox Ninja Park. A cool place to train and flee from the hustle and bustle of New York City. 

Ballie Ballerson, London 

If these challenges are all a bit too daunting for you, why not dive into the ball pit at Baillie Ballerson. As one enthusiastic visitor says: “Fun, fun, fun for the big kids among us.” At Baillie Ballerson, a huge, glowing ball pit containing over a million balls, offers guests the ultimate in “bathing fun”. And if you feel like partying afterwards, the Ballie bartenders will serve you a cocktail or two. Throw in a pizza and all is right with the world again. Just as it should be.

Wondr, Amsterdam

The largest immersive playground in Amsterdam is guaranteed to rouse your slumbering “inner child”. Wondr offers a diverse range of activities for kidults. It’s the perfect place to unwind: a maze of hypercoloured interactive spaces designed to entertain, delight and engage all your senses. And if you want to know what confetti showers, a tub of teddy bears, a pink bouncy castle, a huge crane, a pool of marshmallows and a rainbow-coloured ball pit have in common, then you’re in the right place here at Wondr.

Jochen Schweizer, DACH region

Let your inner child fly. Whether it's on a surf wave, body-flying in the wind tunnel, on the Flying Fox XL course or in a virtual reality experience of a special kind - it's all possible at the Jochen Schweizer Arena. For decades, Schweizer has been known as a companion and pioneer for all people who want to experience the extraordinary, challenge themselves and surpass themselves. This is also what the Jochen Schweizer Arena in the south of Munich stands for: the event location is a leisure and adventure centre for all those who like to spend their free time actively, accompanied by a high-quality catering offer.

In demand: Jochen Schweizer on the thirst for adventure, experiences and the world of “kidults”

Mr Schweizer, you’ve worked as a stuntman and, with your company, you’re regarded as a pioneer in the adventure sector. Is there anything that you personally would never dare do?

Jochen Schweizer: I’ve tested and crossed many boundaries in my life, but one thing was always clear: I would never do anything that would involve me saying “Phew, that was close.” And even though some activities were risky, I was always convinced that I could somehow handle the risk.

Your business idea of producing gift vouchers for experiences was revolutionary at the time. From driving a digger to bungee-jumping, there’s something for everyone. How did you come up with the idea that this could actually work?

Jochen Schweizer: As a stuntman, I discovered how liberating it is to overcome your fears and rise above them. At the same time, I realised that a lot of people are looking for genuine, intensive emotions in their day-to-day life. The idea of making experiences something you could gift to other people answers the perennial question of “What on earth can I buy them?” The solution is an innovative product: the experience gift box. After all, most things depreciate in value, but experiences remain with you forever – as does the gift-giver in the recipient’s mind, thanks to the experience. 

How many experiences do you currently offer?

Jochen Schweizer: In the Jochen Schweizer Arena, guests can choose from a range of experiences: body flight sessions in the vertical wind tower, indoor surfing on an artificial standing wave where the temperature of the water and air is 26 degrees – even in winter – outdoor climbing activities, running down the side of a building and a whole lot more. And we shouldn’t forget to mention our restaurant that offers culinary highlights such as candle light dinners or murder mystery dinners. Which you can buy a gift voucher for, as you can for all the experiences we offer.

What are the most popular experiences?

Jochen Schweizer: Our absolute classics are body flight sessions and indoor surfing, but our escape rooms are becoming increasingly popular. What’s interesting is that we’re also seeing a real boom in our gourmet experiences, such as our murder mystery dinners or Sunday brunch.

What criteria did you use when designing the Jochen Schweizer Arena?

Jochen Schweizer: The Arena is an event location for corporate events. A lot of conventions, conferences, lectures and team-building events take place here, and some of them integrate the adventures we offer. It’s also a place for private customers, where they can experience adventures without having to travel far to do so. You have to experience it to believe it. Flying with nothing but your own body, learning how to surf indoors in just 30 minutes, overcoming your own fears and rising above them – every attraction should be fun and offer people the chance to challenge themselves in a healthy way.

Which target groups have you set your sights on?

Jochen Schweizer: We deliberately try to appeal to a broad target group: companies that hold conferences here with their staff or who want to experience something, families, sports enthusiasts and people who want to try something new. Our vouchers are aimed at people who want to give someone a very special gift – because people always remember the person who gives them the gift of a special experience.

What’s the average age of the visitors?

Jochen Schweizer: The average age is somewhere between 30 and 35. But the age range is huge. We’ve got offers for children as well as for older adults who still feel young.

Are your visitors more likely to be male or female?

Jochen Schweizer: Our visitors are fairly evenly balanced: about 55 per cent of them are men and 45 per cent women. When it comes to buying the vouchers, though, it’s mostly women doing that: they’re simply more creative when it comes to buying gifts!

Which sports can you do in the Jochen Schweizer Arena?

Jochen Schweizer: We offer body flight sessions, indoor surfing, outdoor activities such as high ropes, flying foxes, sky jumps and a whole lot more. Team-building events and VR experiences round off what we offer. You can easily book everything online via our online shop.

The term “kidults” describes adults who like to play and let off steam. Why do you think this kidulting is so popular, especially with (young) adults?

Jochen Schweizer: Our world today is incredibly complex and hectic. What kidults are looking for in this fast-paced word is a chance to re-discover the effortlessness and joy that play gave them when they were children. The main thing is to clear your mind and just live in the moment. That’s something that comes naturally to children. Adults, on the other hand, have to rediscover this for themselves again.

What do you attribute the boom in indoor playgrounds for adults to? Playing football or jogging through the woods doesn’t seem to be enough these days.

Jochen Schweizer: Indoor experiences offer a controlled environment in which you can try things out and experience new things in safety. Whether that’s floating in a wind tunnel or surfing on a wave. These unique experiences are not so readily available outdoors.

Why do people seek out adventure? Isn’t our everyday life exciting enough already?

Jochen Schweizer: Everyday life is often stressful, but rarely really exciting. What’s lacking in a lot of people’s lives is emotional profundity. That’s exactly what adventures, which are, after all, a controlled way of escaping from everyday life, deliver: unforgettable moments that enrich our lives. They invite us to be daring, to feel alive and to discover your own strengths.

Where do you get your inspiration for new (fun) sports from?

Jochen Schweizer: I find inspiration everywhere: when I’m travelling, talking to sportspeople and even from technological innovations. Often, it’s a mixture of observation and intuition that allows me to come up with new ideas.

What’s your favourite sport?

Jochen Schweizer: I’ve had a very special relationship with kayaking – at least since I joined the international extreme kayak club (AKC) at the age of 17. That was a turning point in my life. And even today, I’m still a keen kayaker. At the same time, I have a lot of interests. I mean, my favourite sport changes from time to time, but at the moment, it’s definitely body flight. It’s a mix of adrenaline, control over your own body and the feeling of sheer and utter freedom – you’ve just got to experience it!

About the author:

Sibylle Dorndorf has been covering the toy industry for almost 30 years. Most recently, the trade journalist was editor-in-chief of the TOYS magazine family at the Göller Verlag publishing house, Baden-Baden, Germany. Her passion: companies that reinvent themselves, brands that position themselves credibly, people who have something to say and products with a future.