From “Toymaker in China” to a Global Children’s Experience Brand: The Evolution of Dream Garden

Since officially registering in 2017, while building upon industry experience dating back to 2009, Dream Garden has grown into one of China’s internationally recognized indoor playground and family entertainment solutions providers.

Led by founder Stefan Zhang, the company has delivered projects across more than 60 countries throughout Asia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, Africa, and Latin America, serving shopping malls, family entertainment centers (FECs), educational venues, and commercial leisure spaces worldwide.

However, according to Zhang, Dream Garden’s growth has never been solely about expanding manufacturing scale or exporting more products.

Instead, the company’s long-term mission has been to rethink what a modern Chinese amusement brand can represent internationally.

Beyond Manufacturing

Like many companies in China’s early amusement manufacturing sector, Dream Garden initially focused on production, customization, and export support.

But over time, the company realized that the global indoor entertainment industry was changing rapidly.

Operators were no longer searching only for isolated pieces of playground equipment. They increasingly required complete experiences — spaces capable of improving customer retention, increasing family dwell time, generating social media visibility, and creating sustainable long-term business value.

This shift pushed Dream Garden to gradually evolve from a traditional equipment manufacturer into a turnkey family entertainment solutions provider.

Today, the company integrates:

• creative concept development,
• 3D design,
• precision manufacturing,
• project engineering,
• logistics coordination,
• on-site installation,
• and after-sales support.

According to Stefan Zhang, integrating these services into one system helps reduce communication risks and operational uncertainty for venue operators.

“When design, production, installation, and after-sales service are disconnected, projects often become inefficient and stressful for operators,” says Zhang. “We believe an FEC should be built as a complete system, not as disconnected products.”

Redefining “Made in China”

One of Dream Garden’s most distinctive positioning strategies is its open embrace of the phrase “Toymaker in China.”

For Stefan Zhang, this identity carries both pride and responsibility.

“For many years, global markets often associated Chinese manufacturing mainly with low-cost production,” he explains. “But we believe the next stage of ‘Made in China’ should represent creativity, safety, reliability, and long-term design value.”

Rather than competing only on price, Dream Garden has increasingly focused on:

• design originality,
• project customization,
• engineering precision,
• safety-conscious development,
• and brand building.

This reflects a broader transformation occurring within parts of China’s manufacturing sector, where companies are moving beyond OEM production toward internationally recognized brands with independent creative identity.

According to Zhang, building a global brand is not only a marketing decision — it is a long-term strategic necessity.

“A manufacturer may survive through production capacity alone. But a global brand must build trust, responsibility, and emotional connection over many years.”

Understanding Culture Beyond Language

Dream Garden places strong emphasis on multilingual communication and localized project understanding.

The company works with clients from highly diverse markets, including Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia.

According to the company, international collaboration depends on much more than translation.

Different markets often have very different expectations regarding:

• child behavior,
• family entertainment habits,
• shopping mall operations,
• color psychology,
• safety awareness,
• and customer spending patterns.

As a result, Dream Garden developed multilingual support systems designed to improve efficiency during design confirmation, manufacturing coordination, and installation execution.

This localized communication model has become increasingly important in large turnkey FEC projects, where small misunderstandings can create delays, additional costs, or operational challenges.

Manufacturing Precision and Safety Control

Dream Garden currently operates a 15,000-square-meter manufacturing base equipped with CNC machinery, steel processing workshops, fiberglass slide production systems, and custom soft play manufacturing facilities.

Maintaining in-house manufacturing allows the company to exercise tighter control over:

• structural accuracy,
• material consistency,
• installation compatibility,
• production scheduling,
• and long-term maintenance support.

According to the company, precision manufacturing directly influences installation quality and long-term operational safety.

This becomes especially important in high-frequency commercial indoor playgrounds and FEC environments.

Dream Garden also increasingly aligns its projects with international safety expectations, particularly ASTM and EN-related standards for playground and soft-contained play environments.

Rather than viewing safety solely as a certification requirement, the company approaches it as part of long-term operational responsibility.

“Children’s safety should never become a marketing slogan,” says Zhang. “It should be integrated into every design decision, every material choice, and every installation detail.”

Designing for Business Sustainability

In recent years, Dream Garden has focused heavily on multi-attraction FEC environments designed for shopping centers and mixed-use commercial developments.

International industry media, including Blooloop, has highlighted projects developed for destinations such as Belamionix Mall and Alturas Mall in Guatemala.

According to the company, successful modern FECs are no longer built simply by maximizing equipment quantity.

Instead, operators increasingly prioritize:

• visitor circulation,
• family dwell time,
• age segmentation,
• visual storytelling,
• repeat visitation,
• social media engagement,
• and operational efficiency.

This has led Dream Garden’s design team to place greater emphasis on combining entertainment value with commercial sustainability.

The company believes that future indoor entertainment venues will function not only as recreational facilities, but also as long-term experiential anchors for retail and community environments.

Inclusive and Emotionally Engaging Play

Dream Garden has also expanded its focus on inclusive play environments.

The company develops wheelchair-accessible structures, sensory interaction zones, and play experiences intended for children of varying physical and cognitive abilities.

According to Stefan Zhang, future entertainment spaces should become more emotionally aware and socially inclusive.

“Play should not exclude children because of physical ability, sensory differences, or developmental challenges,” he says. “A truly successful family entertainment center should make more families feel welcomed, comfortable, and connected.”

This philosophy reflects growing global interest in inclusive and sensory-friendly entertainment environments.

Looking Ahead

Over the next five years, Dream Garden plans to continue investing in:

• immersive themed environments,
• interactive play technologies,
• modular play systems,
• inclusive design,
• and more intelligent manufacturing capabilities.

At the same time, the company aims to further expand its global market presence while strengthening its identity as a long-term children’s experience brand.

For Stefan Zhang, the company’s future vision extends beyond equipment production.

“We do not want to simply manufacture playgrounds,” he says. “We hope to help create spaces where children can feel joy, imagination, companionship, and emotional connection.”

As the global FEC industry increasingly shifts toward experience-driven environments, Dream Garden believes the future of play will depend not only on attractions, but on how spaces shape memories, relationships, and human experiences.