How to Keep Families Coming Back After the Holidays

December is one of the busiest months for family entertainment centers. School breaks, holiday parties, gift card sales, and out-of-town guests mean packed facilities and high energy. But once January hits? Many FECs see a sudden dip in traffic. 

The good news: all that December foot traffic is a goldmine for long-term customer retention. With a smart strategy, you can turn first-time holiday visitors into loyal regulars and boost sign-ups for play café memberships before the new year is even in full swing. 

How to Keep Families Coming Back After the Holidays

In this blog, you’ll learn practical ways to keep families returning after the holiday rush, including membership pushes, targeted nurture campaigns, and simple systems that help build lasting loyalty.

Turn Holiday Visitors Into Returning Guests With a New-Year Offer

January is one of the best months to re-engage your holiday crowd, especially parents looking for indoor activities as life returns to normal. Use the momentum from December to encourage repeat visits. 

Ideas to drive post-holiday visits: 

• Send an exclusive “Thanks for celebrating with us!” offer to anyone who visited in December.
• Promote a January Bounce-Back Pass: visit once, get a discount or bonus item for the next visit. 
• Highlight the benefits of play café memberships for families who want more structure in the new year. 
  

With PCS Online Booking and Marketing Automation, you can segment December visitors and automatically send personalized new-year promotions. An easy win for customer retention. 

Boost Repeat Visit Through Memberships

Families crave routine after the holidays and memberships make it easy for them to commit to a regular play schedule. This is your moment to shine a spotlight on the value they offer.

Why now is the perfect time for a membership push:  

• Parents want affordable, predictable indoor fun. 
• Cold weather increases demand for safe indoor play. 
• Gift card recipients are already thinking about their next visit. 

To drive stronger customer retention, promote a “New Year, More Play” membership campaign with: 

• A limited-time discount for January sign-ups 
• A bonus guest pass for new members 
• A “Freeze-Free Winter” perk (no pause fees during cold months) 

Share these promotions in your PCS email campaigns, front desk signage, website banners, and social media for maximum visibility. 

Use Email Nurture Campaigns to Re-Engage Families All Month Long 

Email is one of the easiest and most effective tools for improving customer retention, especially after the holidays when families need reminders to return. 

Your January nurture should include: 

• A welcome-back email: “We loved having you in December, here’s what’s new this month.” 
• A membership spotlight: Showcase how memberships save families money and encourage weekly visits. 
• Upcoming events: Toddler mornings, craft days, glow nights, character visits, and more.
  
• Helpful parent-focused content: Tips for beating cabin fever, birthday planning guides, or sensory-friendly event announcements. 
  

With PCS Marketing Automation, you can create simple workflows that deliver these emails automatically, ensuring every guest stays connected without extra work on your end. 

Make Visiting Easy with Online Booking & Smooth Operations 

Another key to strong customer retention is reducing friction. If families had a great experience during the holidays, make their next visit effortless. 

Quick operational wins that encourage repeat visits: 

• Promote “book online any time” for open play sessions and parties through PCS Online Booking 2.0. 
• Offer digital waivers to simplify check-in. 
• Use signage or QR codes in your lobby to promote upcoming events 
• Train staff on upsells families appreciate (gift cards, memberships, snack bundles). 
  

Small convenience improvements go a long way in making your facility every family’s go-to choice. 

Create a January Experience That Feels Fresh and Exciting 

Families want something new after the holiday craziness. Give them a reason to return with a refreshed lineup of activities. 

Easy ideas to keep your calendar active: 

• Launch a “January Reset” play series featuring special themed days. 
• Run a “New Year Families Challenge” that rewards families for multiple visits. 
• Introduce a small attraction upgrade or new photo-op area and announce it everywhere. 
  

Pairing these new experiences with targeted customer retention strategies and memberships will help turn occasional visitors into long-term fans.

Your Path Forward

Holiday foot traffic is one of your biggest opportunities for long-term growth. By focusing on targeted offers, strong membership promotions, and thoughtful nurture campaigns, you can turn December’s excitement into steady January visits and stronger customer retention all year long. 

Want to keep families returning and streamline your marketing? Book a demo with Party Center Software to see how our tools can help you boost retention and grow memberships.