Cre8Play
Cre8Play is a custom playground design and manufacturing company using proprietary glass-fiber reinforced concrete to build immersive, themed play environments for municipalities, parks departments, landscape architects, healthcare facilities, and retail clients across the US.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersSt Louis, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cre8Play does
Cre8Play, LLC is a custom playground design and manufacturing company headquartered in St Louis Park, Minnesota (2401 Edgewood Ave S, Suite 200). The company designs, engineers, and builds both fully custom play environments and modular product lines (including the Deep Woods collection, play mounds, climbers, swings, and site amenities) for municipalities, parks and recreation departments, landscape architects, healthcare facilities, schools, and retail/commercial properties. All products are constructed from a proprietary Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) blend selected for realistic appearance and extreme outdoor durability, giving the firm a material science advantage over conventional post-and-deck playground manufacturers.
The business operates a single integrated facility that combines the design studio, engineering, and manufacturing under one roof, with the same team delivering each project from concept development through installation. Cre8Play sells through direct enterprise sales to municipal and commercial buyers, supplemented by regional sales representative organizations (e.g., Playground Specialists Inc, Big T Recreation), marketing channels including NRPA conference presence, earned media in outlets such as the Washington Post, Seattle Times, and Landscape Architect Magazine, and a digital footprint via website, Instagram, and YouTube. The company is privately held, founder-owned by Todd Lehman (known internally as the "Design Guy"), with no institutional investors, parent company, or public funding identified.
Revenue is generated primarily through custom design-build project fees and hardware sales of pre-designed modular products, with pricing conducted on a quote/consultation basis tied to project scope, design complexity, and installation requirements. The firm has completed hundreds of projects across more than 22 US states and at least one Canadian location, and has received multiple industry recognitions including a 2018 NRPA Best in Show, 2019 Fort Collins Urban Design Award, and ongoing coverage in landscape architecture trade publications.
Cre8Play firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cre8Play
- Legal name
- Cre8Play, LLC
- Website
- https://cre8play.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Cre8Play is a custom playground design and manufacturing company using proprietary glass-fiber reinforced concrete to build immersive, themed play environments for municipalities, parks departments, landscape architects, healthcare facilities, and retail clients across the US.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cre8Play industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Custom Playground Equipment Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)
- SIC
- Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing) (EDAEAIAF)
Keywords
Where Cre8Play is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- St Louis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cre8Play business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom Play Environments: Design and build services for complete custom playground environments including custom environments and full environments. Revenue from design fees, engineering, and installation services.
- Play Products: Pre-designed modular play products including Deep Woods line, play mounds, climbers, swings, site amenities, and play systems. Products shipped ready for installation.
- Play Sculptures: Individual custom sculptures, climbers, and public art pieces for playgrounds and public spaces.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom playground environments - consultation-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Cre8Play product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cre8Play designs, engineers, manufactures, and installs custom playground environments and modular play products for municipalities, parks and recreation departments, healthcare facilities, schools, and commercial properties. Products and sculptures are built using a proprietary Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) blend to achieve realistic detail and durability in outdoor conditions. Offerings span full custom environments, the Deep Woods modular play system line, standalone climbers, swings, play mounds, site amenities, and individual play sculptures.
Product overview
Cre8Play is a custom playground design and manufacturing company offering both standard products and fully custom play environments. Their product portfolio is organized around modular play systems (Deep Woods collection including Adventureville, New Horizon, Shadow Lake, Hobbit Hollow) and standalone play equipment (climbers, slides, swings, play mounds, site amenities). All products are constructed using proprietary Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) for durability and realistic appearance. They provide end-to-end services from concept development through installation, serving parks, municipalities, schools, hospitals, malls, and other commercial clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Adventureville Play System Complete Deep Woods modular play system featuring Treehouse, Big Oak Climber, Climbing Wall, Rope Ladder, Log Transfer, Oak Slice Climber, Pine Tree Toppers, slides, and additional components built with proprietary GFRC. Sold as a standalone modular play system to municipalities, parks, and commercial buyers.
- New Horizon Play System Deep Woods modular play system featuring Log Pillar Climber, Wood Pile Climber, and multiple slides, constructed with GFRC for extreme durability.
- Shadow Lake Play System Deep Woods modular play system with Log Pile climber, Ledge Rock climber, Valley Crossing links, and multiple slides made with proprietary GFRC.
- Hobbit Hollow Play System Deep Woods modular play system built with proprietary GFRC for durability and realistic look and feel.
- Big T Barn Play System Farm-themed play system featuring pumpkin climber, wall climber, slides, scavenger hunts, and interactive games, offered in Earthtone, Cape Cod, and Bridle color options.
- Windmill Tower Play System Tower play system with Hay Bale ADA transfer platform, 4' and 9' decks with telescope, multiple slides including a 9' spiral tube slide, and a working windmill, built with GFRC for extreme durability.
- Corn Crib Play System Agricultural-themed play system with multiple access points and a conveyor belt entrance that serves as an ADA transfer point, constructed for extreme durability.
- Oak Landing Play System Play system designed for young children featuring climbing and sliding elements sized for pint-sized players.
- Slide and Seek Play Mound Play mound featuring log balance, steppers, crawl tunnel, and wide Stream Slide made from HDPE, with 360-degree entry points, designed for Poured in Place rubber surfacing or synthetic turf and coated with GFRC.
- Bean Play Mound Play mound allowing 360 degrees of climbing, designed for Poured in Place rubber surfacing or synthetic turf and coated with GFRC.
- Tree Trunk Swing Modern take on a classic swing, designed to look like a tree trunk where children swing from branches.
- Lion Climber Life-sized lion climbing sculpture with artist-created textures and colors, constructed of durable GFRC for indoor and outdoor play.
- Ali-gator Climber Alligator-themed climbing sculpture with textures and colors for imaginative play, constructed of durable GFRC with climbing and stepping features.
- Acorn Seat Nature-inspired seating made from GFRC for indoor and outdoor use, designed to encourage social interaction between users.
- Custom Environment Design-Build Service Full-service custom design and build for playgrounds and play environments, including concept development, schematic design, design engineering, and installation, sold to municipalities, parks, hospitals, malls, and communities seeking unique themed play spaces.
- Play Sculptures Custom-built sculptures and play sculptures designed to add character and visual appeal to play environments, built to withstand outdoor conditions over time.
Companies that use Cre8Play
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Cre8Play technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Cre8Play partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Playground Specialists IncminorCre8Play sales representative organization that received 2020 Rep of the Year award. Acts as regional sales channel for Cre8Play products in their territory.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cre8Play competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Playworld Systems: Playground manufacturer producing inclusive and themed play equipment for parks, schools, and municipalities. Comparable to Cre8Play in its focus on inclusive, nature-inspired, and accessibility-forward playground design for public spaces.
- Landscape Structures: One of the largest US playground equipment manufacturers, offering both standard post-and-deck systems and custom themed play environments for municipalities, schools, and parks. Directly comparable to Cre8Play as a custom playground designer/manufacturer serving the same municipal and parks channels.
- KOMPAN: Global playground equipment manufacturer with a strong custom and themed play offering, including the KOMPAN Design Studio and signature destination playgrounds. Competes head-to-head with Cre8Play in the premium custom playground segment for municipalities and developers.
- PlayCore: US playground and recreation equipment holding company that owns GameTime and other playground brands. Offers custom themed playgrounds and park amenities to municipalities and parks departments, directly overlapping with Cre8Play's core customer base and offering.
- BCI Burke: Mid-sized US playground equipment manufacturer offering both standard and custom play environments for municipalities, schools, and parks. Comparable to Cre8Play as a custom playground vendor serving the same RFP-driven municipal sales channel.
- Miracle Recreation Equipment: Playground equipment manufacturer offering custom and themed play structures for parks, schools, and communities. Overlaps with Cre8Play in custom design-build offerings for municipal and inclusive playground projects.
Broad incumbents
- Gorilla Playsets: Residential and light-commercial playground equipment maker. Some thematic overlap with Cre8Play but weighted toward residential/residential-grade products rather than large-scale municipal custom environments.
- Little Tikes Commercial: Commercial playground division of MGA Entertainment's Little Tikes brand. Broadly competes in commercial and municipal playground markets with catalog-based offerings, less customization than Cre8Play but comparable end markets.
Emerging players
- Venture Playparks: Specialized playground designer focused on bespoke, nature-inspired, and rope-based play structures for municipalities and developers. Comparable to Cre8Play in bespoke playground design philosophy, though more prominent in UK/European markets.
- Richter Spielgeräte: German manufacturer of bespoke, nature-inspired playground equipment using wood and natural materials. Comparable to Cre8Play in design philosophy emphasizing custom, immersive, and natural-aesthetic play environments, though primarily serving European markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cre8Play social profiles
Digital presenceCre8Play financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cre8Play leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Cre8Play funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cre8Play M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cre8Play
What does Cre8Play do?
Cre8Play designs, engineers, manufactures, and installs custom playground environments and modular play products for municipalities, parks and recreation departments, healthcare facilities, schools, and commercial properties. Products and sculptures are built using a proprietary Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete (GFRC) blend to achieve realistic detail and durability in outdoor conditions. Offerings span full custom environments, the Deep Woods modular play system line, standalone climbers, swings, play mounds, site amenities, and individual play sculptures.
Is Cre8Play a public or private company?
Cre8Play is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cre8Play founded?
Cre8Play was founded in 2005. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Cre8Play based?
Cre8Play is headquartered in St Louis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cre8Play make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom Play Environments are the primary driver. The others are play Products and play Sculptures.
Who are Cre8Play's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Playworld Systems, Landscape Structures, KOMPAN, PlayCore, BCI Burke and Miracle Recreation Equipment. Broad incumbents are Gorilla Playsets and Little Tikes Commercial. Emerging players are Venture Playparks and Richter Spielgeräte.
Does Cre8Play have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cre8Play.
What industry is Cre8Play in?
Cre8Play's product category is Custom Playground Equipment Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAEAIAF, Early Childhood & Playground Equipment (Play Structures, Soft Play, Safety Surfacing). Its NAICS code is 339930 and its SIC code is 3944.