Don’t let heavy rain dampen the fun! Discover how Implay brings the thrill of the great outdoors into sheltered spaces, opening up opportunities for incredible adventures – whatever the weather brings. 

Fed up of the ‘Great’ British weather? Aren’t we all! The unpredictability of our weather – sun one moment and thunderstorms the next – can be pretty frustrating to us as adults. But imagine how much worse it is for our nation’s little ones. They dream about spending their weekends and school holidays cycling around the park, dipping their toes into the water, climbing up rocks, and enjoying days out at the zoo. Instead, they find themselves colouring in pictures as rain batters the window. 

But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

Here at Implay, we understand just how vital outdoor activities are to children’s health and development. That’s why we’re changing the game, bringing outdoor adventures to indoor spaces. 

Unleashing the power of nature

Did you know that being outdoors is a hugely important factor in learning? Studies show that kids are typically more motivated and more engaged outdoors, and find more enjoyment in learning when they’re in a natural environment. Why is this the case? Researchers say it’s all due to…

• Greater concentration: When randomly assigned to classrooms with views of nature, or to rooms with city views, kids who can gaze out to greenery tend to perform better on concentration tasks. 
• Less stress: Natural settings are understood to play a big part in maintaining good mental health and well-being. Kids may feel calmer in outdoor environments, making it easier for them to learn. 
• More self-discipline: Children don’t always have the willpower needed to learn and grasp a new concept, but experts believe they have more personal strength and control when they’re in nature. 

Not forgetting, of course, that natural landscapes offer a more supportive context for learning. Which do you think would be easier? Learning about the appearance and movement of a crab by sitting inside reading a book, or watching a crab scurrying along a beach with your own eyes? 

It seems reasonable to state that we all – and children especially – need to embark on outdoor adventures to facilitate learning and create opportunities for us to develop our skills and better understand our relationship with the world around us. But how can we do that when it’s stormy out? It’s easy, with a little help from Implay. 

Bringing the outdoors in

Here at Implay, we offer a broad range of products, from safety mats and ball pits to soft seating and gymnastics beams. But you may have noticed that many of our items have something in common…

They’re based on natural themes. 

For children who adore animals, replace rained-off days at the farm with an exciting indoor zookeeper experience using the fantastic Implay Animals range. Encourage them to hunt around for squirmy caterpillars (the soft foam kind, of course), or see what it’s like to ride a lively rocker horse. 

Or how about letting them create their very own busy cityscape with the Implay Vehicles range? They can race around on the latest soft superbike, or wave to passengers as the foam train chugs along the kitchen floor. 

Recreate a favourite playground – complete with climbing frame and slide – out of soft foam shapes. Or transform a standard soft play wedge into Mount Everest. The possibilities are endless! 

Creating safe spaces

One of the reasons why the idea of ‘outdoor adventures, indoors’ is so important to us at Implay is because we know that every child is different. Even on the rare occasions when the British weather is great, we understand that not every little one is comfortable pushing their limits and testing their own abilities in the outdoor environment. That’s why we help develop safe spaces. 

In working with schools, play centres, and even parents themselves, we’re helping caregivers create exciting outdoor experiences in safe, indoor settings. Within these safe environments, every child – regardless of their worries or concerns – can explore personal risk in a more secure way. Think of a child who refuses to climb and scramble outdoors for fear of what could happen. Indoors, they’ll have what they need to discover their own limits, and test out their own physical talents, safely. 

Implay: a world of imagination

It doesn’t matter what’s going on outside. It could be snowing, hailing, or blowing a gale. The outdoor environment could feel overwhelming to kids, or overpowering. No matter what, we develop products that invite everyone to tap into their own imagination, and create their own outdoor adventures – reaping the benefits of outdoor learning – in a safe, sheltered, indoor space. 

Take a look at our collection, and see for yourself just how easy it is to bring the outdoors in.