Interactive Upgrades at Kabonk: Lighting the Way for All-Ages Play
Background
Kabonk, a leading indoor family entertainment venue in the Netherlands, has had an exciting upgrade to its attraction offering – the integration of NinjaPods and Rugged Lighting. Kabonk has transformed a physical challenge zone into a multi-sensory, gamified experience for all ages.
We have collaborated with Kabonk and our Partners at ELI Play to further bring their mission to life: “Active Family Fun”. Read on to explore all their interactive attractions and how this has boosted customer experience and opened up new revenue-generating opportunities.
About Kabonk: A Seven-Storey World of Play
Kabonk is one of the largest indoor play park in the Netherlands, spanning seven floors of activities, with eye-catching slides connecting between each floor. Known for its colourful, high-energy environment and Kabonk mascot, Bonkie, the indoor playground caters to a wide demographic, from toddlers to teenagers and even adults.
The venue is designed to encourage physical activity through immersive play, making it a landmark destination for families seeking a premium leisure experience. They offer a range of packages, from children’s birthday parties and school trips to corporate events and family celebrations, alongside running themed events and age-specific evenings. This has positioned the indoor playground as a versatile, multi-generational entertainment destination.
The Project & Motivations
We’ve been working with Kabonk since they opened in 2023, when they invested in a TriggerTrac raceway timer installed into a multi-floor obstacle course by our partners at ELI Play – a fun, competitive and high-energy challenge.With the rise of digital play and interactivity, indoor playgrounds need to stay ahead of the competition to provide memorable and repeatable experiences.
Director of Kabonk, Denise van Rietschoten, noticed a few areas of the park weren’t keeping children engaged and she wanted to revitalise this ‘dead space’.
Our goal was to:
- Revitalise underutilised zones in their playground with high-throughput attractions.
- Bridge the gap between physical exercise and the digital feedback children expect from modern play venues.
- Create a “Wow” factor that visually sets the park apart from competitors and enhances the venue’s atmosphere.
The Solution
Rugged Interactive collaborated with Kabonk to get the most out of their play structures by incorporating new interactive activities:
NinjaPods and Rugged Lighting
Kabonk was one of our first NinjaPods installations integrated with Rugged Lighting.
How does NinjaPods work?
NinjaPods is our ninja-themed tag challenge game, with 16 lightpods installed onto the playframe, two score display screens and two games to choose from. Quick game set up, no supervision needed.
How does Rugged Lighting boost the experience?
Rugged Lighting is our dynamic LED system designed specifically for indoor play, integrating seamlessly with our interactive products such as NinjaPods and Freedom Gaming. Kabonk’s NinjaPods lighting reacts to the colours of the hit lightpods, as well as the winner of the game: creating more immersive and competitive gameplay.
Before the installation, this area of the park was dark, hidden away and too challenging for kids. With the NinjaPods and Rugged Lighting zone visible from almost all areas of the park and providing a fun, competitive challenge, we’ve revitalised the space which now attracts a steady flow of players.
FreeStyle Duo
Kabonk previously had a small climbing wall area which was too challenging for children to enjoy – making it a wasted use of playground space.
This has now been transformed with two FreeStyle Duo interactive walls (outdoor model) side-by-side, offering an active play zone for 4+ people to compete. These reaction walls provide fun for all ages, while the 1-minute games promote steady throughput, keeping queues moving.
The new Rugged Lighting really attracts kids to the corner of the park because it’s seen from across the venue, so the area is now being used which is great to see. Kids are now enjoying playing on NinjaPods as it offers the goal of scoring points and competing with friends.
The FreeStyle Duo’s are very popular as they have lots of people queuing to play 1-minute games offering high throughput. They’re particularly popular with our brand new adult evenings, which are now booked out for months to come. The challenging, competitive nature of the activity walls excites all ages.
Strategic Upgrades
The transition from static play to interactive gamified attractions ensures Kabonk stays ahead of the competition and provides repeatable experiences that keep families returning as their children grow – the addition of interactives has prompted them to now offer adult sessions which have been a huge success.
We have helped Kabonk created a unique, varied and expansive play experience for customers, and these ongoing interactive upgrades have made the most of every corner of the playground whilst offering play for all ages. Multi-generational appeal is essential for indoor playgrounds to extend customer lifecycles and unlock high-value events such as adult nights, corporate teambuilding and parties.
Looking to Upgrade Your Indoor Playground?
From budget-friendly soft play interactive products like FreeStyle Duo and SkyPods, to immersive NinjaPods tag arenas enhanced by Rugged Lighting, we have a range of gamified technology to get your venue performing at its best.
Speak to our indoor playground experts to get dedicated advice and further information on our interactive soft play products.
