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The iBox originated mobile gaming vehicles in the UK in 2011. If considering to book the iBox for your kids party, family celebration or entertainment for your wedding reception, we thoroughly recommened you check out our many 5* reviews from our Facebook Page or also check out our Google reviews first.

All these reviews are completely unprompted, we are always very grateful for all bookings in the first place so we do not wish to place any pressure on customers to go out of their way to review us. That makes the reviews we do get all the more special. It is something we take great pride over, the enjoyment the children have in the iBox, knowing the parents have had a stress free experience and seeing the photos makes our job so much more worthwhile.

lockdown parties Whilst the schools were open we have been offering Gaming Tuition Courses, now that they have closed we had thought we wouldn’t be able to offer our services during this 3rd new lockdown. However after considering the guidelines we have found a fantastic way to carry on providing our service right on your doorstep.

The Government message is very much ‘Stay at home’, this is something that could well go on for the next two months. We can therefore provide entertainment to your household and support bubble. A support bubble is a support network which links two households. With that in mind we can quite easily offer our services to a full iBox Party Bus utilising all consoles and screens.

We have also come up with some cost saving ways of combining our rates for your local community. Normally our Weekday rates for a 90 min session including travel to Manchester (60 mins travel) for example would be £160 for the gaming time and £40 for the travel surcharge, £200 in total. If you team together with friend or neighbours, their are big savings for you. For example, 4 x households could book us for 6 hours, this 90 min rate including travel is just £135 per household!! Or £150 for 2 x households based on a 3hr booking.

We are so pleased that we are still open and able to operate, we understand how disheartening these lockdowns are for children and their families. The iBox is enjoyed by all age groups. Over the years it’s not just Siblings that are eager to have a go, Mum & Dad and Grandparents will all benefit from our gaming fun.

Please check out this Goverment link to see how to form a bubble with another household.

The iBox statement of curriculum support

 

Intent

 

The software and applications utilised by the iBox support the delivery of KS1-4 computer science. The iBox is designed to complement and support classroom delivery by providing contextual applications of both coding, design and application as detailed in the programme of study.

 

Specific curriculum references can be found below (in italics):-

 

Key stage 1

Pupils should be taught to:

  • understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
  • create and debug simple programs
  • use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
  • use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content
  • recognise common uses of information technology beyond school
  • use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies

Key stage 2

Pupils should be taught to:

  • design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
  • use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
  • use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
  • understand computer networks, including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the World Wide Web, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration
  • use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
  • select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information
  • use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

Key stage 3

Pupils should be taught to:

  • design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems
  • understand several key algorithms that reflect computational thinking [for example, ones for sorting and searching]; use logical reasoning to compare the utility of alternative algorithms for the same problem
  • use 2 or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual, to solve a variety of computational problems; make appropriate use of data structures [for example, lists, tables or arrays]; design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions
  • understand simple Boolean logic [for example, AND, OR and NOT] and some of its uses in circuits and programming; understand how numbers can be represented in binary, and be able to carry out simple operations on binary numbers [for example, binary addition, and conversion between binary and decimal]
  • understand the hardware and software components that make up computer systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems
  • understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system; understand how data of various types (including text, sounds and pictures) can be represented and manipulated digitally, in the form of binary digits
  • undertake creative projects that involve selecting, using, and combining multiple applications, preferably across a range of devices, to achieve challenging goals, including collecting and analysing data and meeting the needs of known users
  • create, reuse, revise and repurpose digital artefacts for a given audience, with attention to trustworthiness, design and usability
  • understand a range of ways to use technology safely, respectfully, responsibly and securely, including protecting their online identity and privacy; recognise inappropriate content, contact and conduct, and know how to report concerns

Key stage 4

All pupils must have the opportunity to study aspects of information technology and computer science at sufficient depth to allow them to progress to higher levels of study or to a professional career.

All pupils should be taught to:

  • develop their capability, creativity and knowledge in computer science, digital media and information technology
  • develop and apply their analytic, problem-solving, design, and computational thinking skills
  • understand how changes in technology affect safety, including new ways to protect their online privacy and identity, and how to report a range of concerns

 

Currently parts of Lancashire, Merseyside and West Yorkshire are experiencing additional lockdown measures. It is our responsibility as a business to keep you informed on how that would impact your current or intended booking with the iBox. If you are not located inside of a local lockdown area then we can host your party as normal by having a group (less than 6) on each of our two socially distanced tables. Our services will now have to close by 10pm each day.

Within the governments local lockdown guidelines (see links below) In reference to social contact restrictions: You ‘must not‘ meet people from outside your household in your home or garden. You are ‘advised‘ that you should not meet people you do not live with in public venues.

Additionally as a business we must take steps to ensure people do not socialise with people they do not live with. Hence we are publishing the rule here.

Fortunately that doesn’t spell an end to our fantastic gaming service within local lockdown areas. We do offer Gaming Tuition Courses. Education & training is exempt from the rule of 6 guidelines, we have a Minecraft workshop, Fortnite Cooperative Learning Course and an Early Years introduction Course for ages 6yrs and above and many other courses besides. Like our party service these courses are fun, engaging and rewarding. Certificates are awarded to our students after each course.

If you would like to change your party booking to a gaming course or would be interested in holding a gaming course please get in touch with us for availability.

The Cabinet Office have updated their guidelines from the 9th September to their latest guidelines published on 14th September 2020. These state that social gatherings should now not exceed six people. Like the previous lockdown there are some exceptions that allow additional numbers when you study the Government guidance more closely, paying particular attention to the new exemptions in paragraph 2.10 ‘When can I gather in groups of more than 6?’.

We sympathise with children that are due to have their parties and  have now been faced with the emotionally difficult decision to un-invite their friends so that they can legally comply. Here now is our compliance guide to the many different options of how you can entertain your children in the iBox from Monday 14th September onwards until the restriction is lifted.

Option A) You can book a party for 6 children. This can take place at your home address. If we park on your drive, nobody else could be present in your home or garden. You would need to be sat in your car on the pavement for instance, if you were in the lounge we could only have 5 children in the vehicle. If you have younger children that need assistance with the controls for example, our party host would need to be included in the 6, in which case you could only invite 5 children. If the children were capable of taking verbal controls we could position the vehicle so that the front was overhanging the pavement (so long as we were not blocking the pavement completely and allowing wheelchair users space to pass by) then technically our party host would not be on your property but still present to assist the children. If we parked on the pavement, completely off your property this would mean you and other members of your household would not need to evacuate. We could then host 6 children and our party host could either be at a distance away from the group to be but still be able to provide technical assistance.

Option B) The iBox has completed a risk assessment (available on request / included with your booking confirmation) of its space, inside the iBox are two desks which the children play on. Fortunately the children are faced back to back and spaced at 1m +. The desks also include Perspex shields between the monitors mitigating risk even further. Our space conforms as a Covid-19 Secure Venue. It’s best to liken it as a ‘Restaurant’ you could book a table for up to 6 people, another adult (from a different address, as both addresses would be needed for track and trace) could book the other table. These two groups could come along together, wait outside the address of one of the table bookers and all enter the iBox (we will soon have a short guide on how to enter the iBox safely). Due to all our consoles/screens being linked together both groups could interact as one larger group in the games but be socially distanced from each other in their table groupings.

Option C) The iBox has already launched a Gaming Tuition Course. Falling under the category of Education and or Training. Our new courses are every bit as much fun as our parties, there are 3 different levels of course and certificates are awarded to its Students. We do of course recommend that Students stay in the same bubbles that they are used to at school, if this can’t be the case then give thought to who sits at which table, as we can still socially distance within the iBox.

Option D) Wedding entertainment is unaffected as numbers for Weddings and their receptions are still up to 30 people.

Option E) Supervised activities provided for children. If you work from home and want us to supervise a group of Children this option may work well for you. Our previous Religious Life Cycle Ceremonies option (previously Option E) has now been restricted to the ceremony as opposed to the celebration of the event.

Option F) Youth Groups or activites, this should encompass Junior Football team presentation evenings, scouts and other youth groups and clubs.

Another good consideration worth factoring into your plans, is to have a plan B location, on the off chance that your home borough becomes locked down the day before your event. It may be wise to arrange an alternative address in a neighbouring borough as a standby measure. It could be a family member or a good friend.

It is our belief that these are all lawful options that would mean you could still entertain your children in the iBox. If you already have a party booked with us you are welcome to change your booking to fall into one of the above options. If you would rather postpone till after the restrictions are lifted you are welcome to do that as well. We are not legal experts but we have at least studied the government guidelines and now have a good understanding of the new law, if you have any suggestions and comments that can help, these would be very much appreciated. Our hope is to be fully compliant with these laws, protect and safeguard the public during this pandemic but most of all provide as much fun as we can for your children.

covid-19 safe childrens party

The iBox was the first video game party bus in the UK (2011). Since then there are now many more businesses that have sprung up, a couple copied our unique screen per player format but were forced to abandon our design after a Intellectual Property Judge ruled in our favour. Most other UK video game party businesses have followed the cramped US style party bus which has shared large screens down one side and benches down the other. This format makes it very difficult to keep a social distance from other players. Other vehicles have a face to face or screens positioned near the ceiling (which is literally a pain in the neck!!). The iBox is leading the way in providing its customers a safe personalised space for each player. Please also look at some of our other measures below which will provide a lot of reassurance for not only yourself but for all other parents.

Covid-19 may well be with us for the next year or so, the iBox has come up with a solution to try and get back to a ‘new normal‘. Our Safeguards have already provided assurance to parents and children for our initial parties.

New Safeguard measures as of July 4th 2020 (subject to changes of Government guidelines):
• All surfaces, handles, screens & controllers disinfected before each party.
• Temperature checks before entry. Anyone with a high temperature over 38˚ will not be able to participate in the iBox.
• Hand washing on entry and exit of the iBox.
• We recommend everyone wear a Face covering.
• Perspex Booths installed between each screen.
• We will keep the iBox well ventilated.
• The iBox will only allow one person per screen/console for the duration of the party.
• We will not be able to run our Fifa league competition (which requires two children per screen and children moving about in the vehicle) Children will still be able to play Fifa.
• We await to hear details of whether we can still operate from the family venues we have teamed up with, if your party is booked at a family venue then an alternative location will most likely be required.

Other recommendations to make your party as safe as possible:
Most children’s parties last 2 hours from drop off to pickup. Where budget allows, opting for a 2 hour party will allow you to keep all children in their protected space for the duration. Leaving your home a child free zone (some parents like that). On arrival they can go inside the iBox, you could bring food onboard at any point during that time (it could be sandwiches, pizza on paper plates or Happy meals for example). We do insist that the children don’t play and eat at the same time but as you can imagine they only spend 5-10 mins eating as they’re keen to get back on with the games. One bin liner is usually all it takes to clear everything away. Once the 2 hrs is up they get collected and you will have just experienced and hosted the most stress free party!!

We hope we have taken enough steps to assure you, please feel free to ‘share’ the slideshow below to other parents, as it will hopefully provide assurance to them. Please visit our Rates & Bookings page to contact us about your party.

 

With the Govt announcing the Covid-19 alert level is down from 4 to 3, the iBox is taking bookings from July 4th onwards, please see our many safety measures.

Posted by TheiBox on Friday, 19 June 2020

fuzzy-eds-lofthouse-gate-wakefield-xbox-parties

We are pleased to announce another fantastic location for your children’s party. A lot of parents like the option of hosting their party away from their home, the thought of having 9 to 12 children tearing round their house doesn’t appeal to everyone!!. The iBox has teamed up with over 25 North West family friendly venues, all of which offer kids meals, ample parking and of course the option to drop the children off and have a drink or meal whilst waiting to take their child home. This is our first venue to team up with our new Yorkshire based vehicle. If you would like to book the iBox at this location, you pay us for our entertainment and then pay Fuzzy Ed’s for the food and play area time. We can co-ordinate the bookings for you.

Xbox parties around Wakefield

The Sun Pub on Leeds Road, Lofthouse Gate, Wakefield (WF3 3HF) certainly ticks all the right boxes as it houses a play area called ‘Fuzzy Eds’, Cold meals and play in Fuzzy Ed’s are from £7.99 per head, hot food and play area time are from £9.99 per head.

The iBox is often described as ‘the Best Party ever’, we offer Minecraft, Fifa & Multiplayer parties for children 7 years upwards. Our birthday party entertainment lasts anywhere from 60 mins, 90 mins and 2hrs. Everything is self contained in our fleet of vehicles. We can entertain between 9 – 12 children per vehicle and can double capacity by linking two vehicles together.

sun pub wakefield xbox party ideas

Please contact us to book, via our enquiry form or call Ben on 07966 360880.