The best fun for kids and parents! (kidsinfo.ba)
It’s no secret that the Sarajevo-based Fox in a Box, which is celebrating its fifth birthday this year, is the most exciting place in the city when it comes to hosting children’s birthday parties — as well as other special occasions. It’s a place where children aged eight and up can have an amazing time, while parents enjoy the experience just as much. In addition to fun, learning is guaranteed, along with gaining experiences that you’ll be retelling to friends for a long time.
The entire Fox in a Box concept is based on games that, as explained by manager Admir Avdić, primarily require teamwork and are adapted for both children and adults.
“Parents are most fascinated when their kids come home and tell them what they managed to solve. They often add that they themselves wouldn’t have been able to solve it — which is often true. Children aged 10 or 12 actually play these games much better than adults. The reason is that children aren’t afraid to try. In 30 seconds, they’ll come up with 30 ideas, try them out in another 10 seconds, and eventually find a solution. If they don’t, they’ll ask for help, learn something new, and keep going — they don’t give up. The games aren’t overly complex, but teamwork is essential, because no one person has all the skills needed to complete every step within 60 minutes. That’s what ultimately determines success,” Avdić explains.
Among their offerings are games such as “The Bank Job,” “The Bunker,” and “Coming Home.”
“What makes the games especially interesting is that they are structured as mysteries — missions that children must solve on their own — which strongly motivates them to finish the game. They play the main roles, and depending on the game, they might be robbing a bank with friends, searching for a diamond, saving the world from disaster, or assembling a robot to hear its stories about traveling the world. If needed, we provide help through hints, but we try not to let them hear our voices. When they request help, they receive one of the images we’ve been developing for years, giving them the feeling that they solved everything on their own. What’s also important is that what they learn sticks with them — they remember it easily and don’t forget it. Besides geography, the games also incorporate mathematics and real-life skills they’ll definitely need,” Avdić emphasizes.
However, if you decide to celebrate a child’s birthday at this fun-filled venue, that’s far from all they offer.
“When it comes to birthday parties, we have great partnerships with two businesses on our street. One is Bubble Waffle Market, where they make waffle cakes, along with juices and snacks, and the children spend time after the game in a beautifully decorated space. When the weather allows for outdoor celebrations, there’s Vozdra Smoothie Bar, where they prepare a cupcake cake and freshly squeezed juices for the birthday child and guests. Everything is located on Sime Milutinovića Street 15/I, which is a pedestrian zone — perfect for birthday parties. As for parents, there are four cafés at the other end of the street where they can relax while the kids are having fun,” he explains.
For those more interested in outdoor games, Fox in a Box also has something to offer.
“The latest outdoor game we developed is ‘Agent Test,’ adapted for children. It can be played at Vrelo Bosne or other larger outdoor locations, with 20 to 30 players competing against each other. Within this game, participants go through target practice and spatial orientation exercises. They receive tasks and maps containing riddles that reveal what they need to find. There’s also a dexterity challenge where teams build the Eiffel Tower out of spaghetti. We’ve applied the team-building formula here, just adapted it for younger players,” Avdić says.
What’s especially worth noting is that Fox in a Box games can be played by as few as two players, but also by much larger groups. Game participation can be booked through the Fox in a Box website, while for birthday party arrangements they recommend calling +387 61 101 007 or +387 61 139 743 to more easily coordinate all the details.