Kiddie Ride – A Fun and Interesting Arcade Game
Kiddie Ride is a fun and interesting arcade game. Rather than traditional coin-op, it uses a ticket dispenser to provide an engaging and unique experience.
Though kiddie rides meet strict safety standards, they are often perceived as unsafe because they’re located in dirty environments, such as county fairs and expositions.
The History of Kiddie Rides
When Otto Hahs constructed a mechanical horse to entertain his children in 1931, it was the start of an industry that would eventually make him rich. The Missourian sold his rides to amusement parks, fairs and arcades, but the real explosion came when an exhibit supply company engaged him to design kiddie-ride prototypes that it could mass produce.
The resulting machines were simple in design yet filled with wonder. A single coin, often a nickel or a dime, was enough to set a cowboy on a horse or blast off a spaceship. The technology behind the ride was limited, but the designs and imaginative play evoked in young children made the experience magical.
With their compact size, the newer models are able to be placed in areas with high foot traffic such as supermarket entrances. They generally have a simple movement, and many now combine that movement with an interactive element such as beeping horns on car rides or touchscreen games. They are kept simple chiefly because their target market is Kiddie Ride up to six years of age, an age range that can easily grasp the mechanics of a machine while the intricacies of a roller coaster or skee-ball may elude them.
The majority of today’s kiddie rides are produced abroad, with most coming from Europe. The most famous maker is the Spanish firm Falgas, with a reputation for superior craftsmanship. There is also Zamperla in the Philippines, and Chinese companies are making headway as well.
Safety Concerns
As fun as these rides are, they’re not without risk. A 20-year study of hospital injury data found that kids get hurt riding the small rides at amusement parks, carnivals and fairs about 67 times per year — more than any other ride. Most of those injuries are minor bumps and bruises, but some are serious enough to require a visit to the emergency room. The majority of the injuries happen during the summer months, when kids are more likely to be on such rides.
Kids on Kiddie Rides are at particular risk for injury, especially those under the age of 5. Smaller children may not understand that a ride is moving and could get tossed around as it moves or they might misbehave while riding — such as trying to wriggle out of their seat or grabbing at other people’s things, which can lead to injuries. Companions can help to keep small children safe by ensuring that they obey the rules of the ride, and by keeping an eye on them to make sure they don’t react out of fear or excitement in dangerous ways.
Parents should also make sure that their children meet minimum height requirements for each ride and do not try to sneak them on a ride they are too small or too young for. Those restrictions are not just for fun — they’re based on the forces that a ride exerts and on developmental timelines.
Uniqueness & Creativity
One of the main issues with kiddie rides is that they are often generic and lack an aura of mystique associated with more unique attractions such as roller-coasters. The ride-making company COGAN has tried to change this by introducing unique designs that feature animals, pirates, superheroes and other themes.
The company’s team is able to work with clients to create completely customized, one of a kind designs by first sculpting the desired figure in clay before using it for molding and fiberglass casting. This process is done in-house, giving the company complete control and flexibility to produce what is needed.
In addition to creating custom sculpting, COGAN also offers customization of existing kiddie rides by adding new features and accessories. For example, they have created a carousel that is based on the hit television coin acceptor supplier show Bing and his friends Flop, Sula and Pando. The vehicle has a screen that plays the TV show’s theme song and each push button triggers a sound effect such as horns, bubble noise or dolphin sounds.
Other branded kiddie rides include a chopper ride featuring Batman, a train and plane that feature Woody Woodpecker and Chilly Willy as well as a ship and boat featuring Popeye. In addition, Jolly Roger Amusement Rides manufacture a variety of licensed characters, including a police car and airplane that feature the Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau as well as a Clifford the Big Red Dog ride that includes a screen that plays the show’s music and each push button triggers barking noises from the character.
The Future of Kiddie Rides
Adding kiddie rides to an arcade can widen the customer base by accommodating younger children. Themed rides featuring popular characters or franchises also provide an opportunity for cross-promotion and merchandising.
Theme rides typically cost much more than generic ride when purchased new. This is due to the fact that a manufacturer has to pay licensing fees for the use of character names, voice samples, theme songs, etc. Theme rides also have to be regularly inspected and maintained to ensure the safety of all customers.
Even so, a themed ride can be more lucrative than a generic one. This is because the ride’s brand name can help it establish a mystique that attracts people. In contrast, a generic ride can have an uphill battle when it comes to creating a mystique that makes people want to visit it.
Despite the initial negative publicity, kiddie rides are once again becoming popular. In fact, a Billboard article from 1953 claimed that “kiddie rides are fasting becoming the fastest-growing business in the industry.” However, like all trends, the craze may eventually fade away.
