Mobile soft play for parties and events

Parents booking birthday parties, plus nurseries, schools, community groups and event organisers.

A fixed price per booking, often for a two to three hour session, with extras for larger setups, themed items or longer hire. You can also run your own pay-per-child toddler sessions in hired halls.

• Customer service
• Organising bookings and timings
• Driving and loading equipment
• Staying calm around lots of children

• Public liability insurance that covers hired-in play equipment and use at other people's venues
• Equipment safety standards, cleaning routines and fire-safety labelling, check with your supplier
• Venue rules, as halls may have their own insurance or fire safety requirements
• Safeguarding: parents should stay responsible for their children, so make this clear in your terms. Check whether DBS checks are needed if you work with schools or nurseries
• Storage space and lifting equipment, which is physical work
• Busy weekends and quiet weekdays, so income can be uneven

Startup costs are typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on how much equipment you buy and the insurance and storage you need. A smaller starter set can keep costs towards the lower end.

Monthly revenue is typically around £800 to £4,000, depending on how many bookings you take and your prices. Busy weekends and quiet weekdays mean income can be uneven. These are estimates only.

Check that your public liability insurance covers hired-in play equipment and use at other venues. Check equipment safety, cleaning and fire-safety labelling with your supplier, venue rules, and whether DBS checks are needed for schools or nurseries.