Why I Built ActivityKidz: Solving a Problem I Faced as a New Parent in Gurugram

In October 2021, I moved to Gurugram.

New city. Same company, but a different role and very demanding role. And a five-year-old daughter who needed things to do on weekends.

This is the story of a problem I couldn't solve - and eventually decided to build the solution myself.

The Outsider's Problem

After a decade in Mumbai, we had it figured out. We knew which hotspots were worth the drive and which ones to avoid. We had a network - other parents who'd share discoveries, flag bad experiences, and trade recommendations.

In Gurugram, I had none of that.

And here's what surprised me: despite being one of India's most developed urban centers, with hundreds of activity venues, I couldn't find them. Google searches returned outdated listings. There was no single place where I could browse options, compare prices, read genuine reviews, and book.

I assumed this was my problem - the price of being new to the city. So I started asking other parents. Colleagues. Neighbors. School WhatsApp groups.

Turns out, they faced the same struggle. Parents who had lived in Gurugram for years were still discovering venues through random word-of-mouth. Still calling places to ask about pricing. Still showing up only to find the play area was closed for a private event.

The information existed. The venues existed. But there was no bridge connecting parents to activities.

The Other Side of the Problem

Before starting ActivityKidz, I decided to understand the supply side. I spent weeks visiting venues - play areas, trampoline parks, bowling alleys, hobby class providers. I wanted to know how they operated, how they found customers, what their pain points were.

What I discovered was revealing.

These businesses had no great way to reach parents actively looking for activities. Their marketing options were limited to WhatsApp groups, Instagram, Google ads, and hoping for word-of-mouth. They were spending money to reach broad audiences when what they needed was to reach parents searching for exactly what they offered.

This reminded me of the restaurant industry in the 2000s. Before dedicated listing platforms emerged, restaurants relied on print ads, hoardings, and walk-ins. Diners had no way to discover new places, compare menus, or read reviews. The information asymmetry hurt both sides.

Then aggregator platforms transformed everything. Restaurants got a channel to reach intent-driven customers. Diners got discovery, transparency, and convenience. The market expanded because friction disappeared.

The kids activity space in 2024 was exactly where restaurants were two decades ago. Both consumers and businesses were stuck, waiting for someone to build the bridge.

Building the Bridge

I launched ActivityKidz in 2024 with a simple premise: one trusted platform where parents can discover, compare, and book kids' activities - and where venues can reach families actively looking for what they offer.

We started with play areas and trampoline parks in Gurugram. Today, we've expanded across Delhi NCR - covering indoor play zones, bowling alleys, go-karting, arcades, VR experiences, laser tag, hobby classes, and even preschools. Over 1 lakh parents have used the platform. We work with 1,000+ verified partners.

For parents: transparent pricing, real photos and videos, genuine reviews, instant booking with exclusive discounts. No more "call for details." No more guesswork.

For venues: a channel to reach parents with intent, qualified enquiries, and a way to fill capacity without burning money on broad-reach advertising.

When both sides win, the market grows.

The Road Ahead

We're still early. Delhi NCR is just the start. Every city in India has parents who've just moved, who don't have the network, who are searching for activities and finding friction instead. Every city has venues struggling to reach them.

The vision is simple: become the default platform for kids' activities across India. A place where parents trust the information, venues grow their business, and children have experiences worth remembering.

If you're a parent in Delhi NCR, I'd love for you to try ActivityKidz. Book a play area. Take your kids to a trampoline park. Tell me what we could do better.

And if you're someone standing at the end of your own road, wondering whether to take the leap - sometimes the best preparation is the problem you couldn't solve yourself.

Indian Stock Market - Overvalued

Nifty 50 has been consistently trading above a Price to Eanings ratio of 20 right since June except few days. This means that it if I invest Rs.100 in Nifty stocks then it will earn Rs.5 each year and thus earn Rs.100 in 20 YEARS. Thus, it will take 20 years for my stock to recover the price I am paying for it.

Sounds insane? So what justifies such a valuation? Ladies and Gentleman, the answer is Growth. Each year all of these companies will grow and earn higher profits next year and thus I might be able to recover my Rs.100 faster. Also, remember that the stocks will probably preserve or appreciate from their value of Rs.100.

Nonetheless, growth can justify only so much. Nifty closed yesterday (Thursday) with a PE multiple of 21.09 despite the uncertainty regarding RBI policy and other macroeconomic factors around the world. This despite the fact that valuations are far lower in other developing countries including that of China. If you ask me, a storm might just be around the corner. I won't be surprised if I wake up one day and find Sensex at 13000 levels again.

Having said that, one must learn from behavioral finance. As a result, I have, as of now, invested 30% of my portfolio value in stocks while the rest is in cash. More on that later...

At the end of another journey

My last post was about life@NIT Surat coming to an end. Well, once again am standing at the end of a road but its IIM Calcutta this time.

I will never forget how much this place has given me. I am not talking about placements here, they are still more than a month away. Looking back at the fun of the first few con days, the rigor of the first term, the long days and short nights before the summer placements, the wonderful life there after and the nicest people one meets here makes me wanna treasure each moment of my time here. I guess the one thing I like the most about IIM Calcutta apart from its finance faculty is that it gives you the freedom to be whatever you like. Ofcourse the facilities, intellectual people etc etc are also there but one would get those in any of the IIMs.

I don't know what else to say... I think I have started missing this place already!

I want my 3 months back!!!

I never realized that I would be so busy after the CAT result. There were so many things to do. Yesterday was my second sunday when I was in Surat in these three months and I it was a good feeling. All my interviews which includes 4 IIMs, MDI, NITIE and IMI are over now. In the midst of interviews there were 2 mid semester exams and 3 workshops conducted by IMS and TIME. This was apart from the GDPI preparation that I had started after CAT result.

It is only now that I realize that most part of this semester is now over - my college life at NIT Surat almost over. It feels so strange and it happened so fast. I love this Surat city which has been my home all my life. Being someone who loves to drive around and knows almost all parts of the city I am going to miss this city, its roads, the lariwallahs and most of all my friends with whom I spent these years way too much.

I am, as I put it, fully faaltoo now and so, although I cannot get back my life's past 3 months, I certainly intend to make every moment from now on worth remembering.