Member Article

Child's Play Taken To New Heights

Mister Twister invests in taking child’s play to new heights

A Tyneside family run business has gone onwards and upwards by investing in a new attraction for their flagship children’s activity play centre.

Mister Twister Gateshead was opened 10 years ago in Follingsby Park and has grown in both popularity and size year on year. Now, the business has invested more than £100,000 in the region’s first indoor high ropes course, and business is set to rise.

Manager, Deborah Taviner from Harton, South Shields and husband David are no strangers to the leisure business having previously owned amusement arcades and other play centres in the North East before concentrating their efforts on the North’s largest children’s play and party venue. Despite already having the traditional children’s play apparatus, soft sports pitch and a separate toddler zone, Deborah decided to invest in the high ropes system to help the business grow and to offer an alternative learning activity for schools and youth organisations such as the scouts and guides.

The system, brought in from the USA has 12 activities including a Burma Bridge and a single wire crossing, can accommodate up to 15 users at any one time and is situated around 20 feet above the ground. Safety is given the utmost importance and with its unique “D” rings harness, the user feels free and secure as they cannot fall. Users can also travel in any direction and overtake too. Deborah and eleven of her team have been trained in the use of the system and how to perform emergency evacuations as well as softer skills such as coaching and motivation.

“The high ropes course gives children a massive confidence boost when they complete an activity,” said Deborah. “It also helps to provide some really innovative learning outcomes and builds self-esteem too. We believe that learning activities outside of the classroom should be encouraged as the benefits are massive. For example, although this is suitable for any child aged from five upwards, we are seeing real benefits by involving those with learning difficulties or a disability as the high ropes course breaks down barriers and encourages self-motivation and determination. It’s also a lot of fun too.”

Children of all ages are encouraged to use the facility and surprisingly, that includes grown-ups too.

“We’ve already had businesses who want to do something different yet still encourage teamwork within the workplace book the whole centre for their team days and party nights. That’s the beauty of the system, it allows anyone to have a go at doing something very adventurous and daring in a totally safe, secure and warm environment,” said Deborah.

Photo shows: Deborah’s nephew Jak Taviner from Harton trying out the equipment. Deborah is behind in red(centre of three)

More info from or Keith Newman on 07814 397951

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Keith Newman .