Evansville moms bring indoor playgrounds to community
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Four moms recently opened an indoor playground on Evansville’s east side, an ideal place for parents looking to keep their children busy over the holiday break.
Dig N Roll began welcoming guests on Dec. 6 at the facility near Cross Point Boulevard and E. Virginia Street. Inside INdiana Business spoke with the owners, who said it took a few years to bring their idea to life.
They said they were able to bring a lot of ideas to the table after having visited several other indoor playgrounds on their own.
After a lot of discussion, they decided: “How about we just open one?” said Rain Dong, one of the partners.
Dig N Roll is one of three indoor play centers that have opened or are planned for the area and that see a growing demand for such activities.
Deep Blue Indoor Play, opened more than a year ago on Old Boonville Highway near Burkhardt Road. Owner Emily Crawford told Inside INdiana Business she had a similar vision for her business.
“I saw the need for it in our area because we really didn’t have anything outside of trampoline parks for children to go play,” she said. “We have a son. We travel around the country and do this kind of stuff with him. So I just wanted to do it here on our scale.”
Evansville is also slated to get another indoor playground in the near future. Urban Air Adventure Park lists 280 N. Green River Rd. as a “coming soon” location. Other Indiana locations include Bloomington, Franklin, Noblesville and Merrillville. A location in Plainfield is also coming soon.
Dig N Roll
Dig N Roll is located at 345 Bentee Wes Court in a building that used to house Bob’s Gym. Children’s admission prices range from $9 to $25 depending on age, day of the week and time spent at the indoor playground.
Parents must also purchase Dig N Roll socks for $3.50 that can be reused. The facility is open every day but Tuesday, with later hours on Friday and Saturday nights.
Before opening the indoor playground, the Dig N Roll moms posted updates on social media to alert the community about their business.
“We got so many phone calls, messages, Facebook, asking us, ‘When are you guys opening?’ I mean, we really wanted to open sooner, but we also wanted to give them a good experience. It’s worth the wait,” said Dong.
Dig N Roll has five main sections: a toddler area, a sand pit, a ball pit, a water play area and a role play area.
“We try to have activities that are also educational for kids, like helping parents do a car wash. Then the role play area where they can fix cars, do repairs, be a princess or a doctor,” said Danna Li, another owner.
In addition, the indoor playground has party rooms and concessions. For parents, there’s a nursing room and a cafe offering coffee and a place to relax.
Dig N Roll also features softer, neutral colors to be welcoming to children with sensory issues and add a sense of relaxation.
Deep Blue Indoor Play
Deep Blue Indoor Play opened in September 2022. Crawford said she bought two buildings and combined them into one structure for the indoor playground.
All-day play prices range from $5 to $18, depending on age of the child and day of the week. Gripper socks are not required. The facility is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Crawford said the experience at Deep Blue Indoor Play caters to the children.
“When customers walk in our door, they immediately see that we treat every kid as the customer, and parents come second with us,” she said. “We talk to all the kids that come in. We know a lot of them by name. A lot of them will come in every week and talk to us like we’re best friends.”
Deep Blue Indoor Play’s attractions include a playground, climbing walls and slides, some of which extend off a balcony.
The indoor playground also has party rooms, concessions and a nursing room—plus some new features coming soon.
“After Christmas break, we’re going to be installing a huge toddler area so they’ll have their own little area to play. And then also we have a bunch of sensory things coming as well.”
Crawford said her dream for the facility’s “under-the-sea” attraction was for every child in the community to have a fun, clean and safe place to play.
“I wanted something that was very themed, something very over the top,” she said. “I wanted something that kids could come and have big imaginations and really feel like they were part of something.”
Entrepreneurial advice
So far, the first weeks in business have been successful for the Dig N Roll moms.
“We have absolutely been enjoying watching you and your families have a great time while you’re here,” Dig N Roll posted on Facebook. “Thank you for all your support through it all.”
Crawford said her first year of operation was also fantastic.
“It was busier than we thought it would be, which is great. We’ve learned a lot, and we’re getting better every day,” she said.
For other entrepreneurial moms, Crawford offered this advice: “Do a lot of homework and make sure it’s something that you’re truly passionate about because it will become a 24-hour job.”
“This was something that went from a dream in my head to reality,” she added. “ Anything’s possible with the right work ethic and the right drive.”