Back Garden Gaming Parties: A Safer, More Inclusive, and Flexible Alternative to Gaming Buses

Gaming buses can be great fun, but here are some things we don't like about them and why we chose to run our parties in the back garden instead.

Safety

• A typical Gaming Bus asks for two standard car lengths for parking. So unless you have a massive driveway, some part of the van will be exposed to live traffic. With 20% of accidents involving a parked car, we felt a little uncomfortable having the kids so close to traffic. Keeping the kids contained in the back garden feels a lot safer.

Accessibility

• We wanted our parties to be accessible to everyone. By its nature, a gaming van has set built-in seating, which makes it very difficult for anyone with any mobility challenges. A gaming bus is an enclosed space with lost flickering lights, often with only one exit, and we worried that this wouldn't be a great environment for anyone with claustrophobia or sensory issues. By running the parties inside or in our Gaming Tents, we can create a much more open and accessible space for the kids where everyone can take part and enjoy the party.

Flexibility

• A gaming bus can be really cool, but it's also very set; everything is literally bolted in place. It's one set of equipment, one package, one experience. We wanted to create something more flexible because not all kids are the same; they don't all want to play the same type of games or invite the same number of guests. By keeping our equipment free and portable, we can customise the experience to suit the birthday child and the type of party they want to have. If they want to have 20-plus kids, we can do that, but if they only want a couple of close mates, we can do that as well.

Reliability

• Gaming Vans break down sometimes, like all vehicles; it happens. Our vehicles break down sometimes, but luckily, we can just move our equipment to another vehicle. With our national Zipcar membership, we can access thousands of vehicles at a moment's notice and be on our way again.

You can find out more about our packages at www.popuparcade.co.uk