Small Business Comeback Tour: Child’s Play Challenge Courses

By Joe Connolly and Neil A. Carousso

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ (WCBS 880) – There’s no obstacle this couple can’t crush.

Lauren and Matt Borawski from Scotch Plains, Union County are the founders of Child’s Play Challenge Courses, which designs portable obstacle courses for people ages 2 and up. They’ve become the toast of kids’ birthday parties, but they also run programs for adults and special needs individuals of all physical abilities.

“We didn’t want to compete with all of the other ninja gyms,” Lauren told Joe Connolly. “We come to you.”

On the WCBS Small Business Comeback Tour, sponsored by PSE&G, the couple explained how they pivoted to meet demand for COVID-safe outdoor experiences. One of those pivots included setting up obstacle courses at summer camps that kept kids in a so-called bubble to prevent the virus from spreading among unvaccinated age-groups.

“We go right to the schools, we go right to the camps,” said Lauren who has 30 years of experience in event planning and as a TV operations manager.

Her husband, Matt, designs the courses, and as a certified personal trainer, he leads their exercise programs.

Child’s Play Challenge Courses is now operating in seven states and the Borawskis are looking to franchise the business as they finish their strongest year in terms of revenue despite the pandemic.

“We’ve had over 100,000 people crushing our courses and that’s what’s so great and so unique about us is that we go to wherever this event, party, school, function is.”