London karaoke bar Lucky Voice has already appeared on our pages once before, but we're compelled to mention it again for an initiative it recently announced on one of our favourite themes.

Specifically, through its new "Worthy Worker Mondays" program, Lucky Voice is offering two hours of free karaoke singing to registered charity workers, nurses, doctors and others "who dedicate their lives to the greater good." Teachers, firefighters, police officers, prison officers and social workers are also included, though the list of qualifying occupations isn't strictly limited, the company says, and not everyone in a party need qualify—just the person making the reservation. The offer is available for all room sizes between 5pm and 1am every Monday at Lucky Voice Soho and Lucky Voice Islington. A special cocktail will also be created each month and priced at just GBP 5. The Worthy Worker Mondays program is an ongoing one, with no planned end date, the company says.

On a side note, Lucky Voice has apparently been busy cooking up ideas lately, and is actually also in the midst of an effort that taps right into another longtime Springwise theme with a pop-up karaoke offering in a shop in London's Newburgh Quarter by Carnaby Street. Free singing will be available there every day from 12pm to 7pm through April 5.

Both programs are nice examples of free love, of course, but the Worthy Worker Mondays initiative adds a dash of sympathy and is a shining illustration of the corporate generosity that's increasingly valued—nay, demanded—by members of today's Generation G. How can *your* company give something back to the unsung heroes of the world?

Website: www.luckyvoice.com — bars.luckyvoice.com/files/specialoffer.pdf
Contact: louise@luckyvoice.com

Spotted by: Naomi

Roller coasters and ferris wheels are all very well as entertainment for some groups of consumers, but for others, there's nothing quite like the experience of operating heavy machinery. That, at least, is the premise behind Männerspielplatz, an amusement park for men that lets them get in touch with their inner construction worker.

For EUR 219, visitors to Männerspielplatz can shed their office trappings and get seriously dirty while playing with excavators, wheel loaders, Caterpillars, quads, Jeeps and more. The park, which is situated in an old factory site just outside Kassel, Germany, offers 18 stations for visitors to enjoy to their heart's content. Challenges include using a Komatsu Hanomag excavator to move huge stones; leveling the ground with a bulldozer; off-road riding on a Quad Unimog; and participating in an archery course. Participants must be at least 18 years old. A Class B license is required, and admission is limited to minimize waiting times.

By gratifying a lifelong fantasy that seems fairly universal among boys and men, Männerspielplatz provides an experience that could be taken directly from the pages of Pine and Gilmore's Experience Economy. It's also ripe for emulation in other parts of the world—one to bring to "Tim 'the Tool Man' Taylor" fans at a construction site near you...? (Related: Amusement park puts kids to work — Paying to break stuff at Sarah's Smash Shack — A man's kitchen.)

Website: www.maennerspielplatz.de
Contact: www.maennerspielplatz.de/kontakt.php

Spotted by: Wired via Judy McRae

Fitness gyms have been nichefying for some time now, as we noted in a post back in 2005. Adding a new twist to workouts for women, however, is a class from Reebok and Cirque du Soleil that simulates the feeling of flying.

Jukari Fit to Fly is a group exercise experience based on a new piece of equipment called the FlySet. Much like a free-hanging trapeze, the FlySet can be used for swinging, jumping, hanging, kicking, pulling up and strengthening. The equipment consists of a durable, three-stranded rope fixed to the ceiling with a 360-degree swivel point and an attachable FlyBar. Using that equipment, Fit to Fly classes offer an hour-long total body workout of cardio, strength, balance and core training for up to 12 people that's designed to provide a cure for the "workout blues." Reebok explains: "You'll flex and flutter, sweat and stretch, and swing from a FlySet. It's all about moving your body in a fun new way." Jukari Fit to Fly is named from a world dialect word meaning "to play" and is just the first in a series of special projects to result from Reebok's new partnership with Cirque du Soleil, the company says. The program is already available at Pure Fitness in Krakow, Poland, and Equinox in New York City, and will be opening soon in Hong Kong, Mexico City, Madrid, London, Munich, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montreal and Los Angeles. Coming later this month is also a collection of workout clothing for women tailored to the Jukari Fit to Fly experience.

More than half of all women feel exercise is a chore, and nearly two-thirds would work out more if it was more fun, according to Reebok's research. How else could a dose of fun be added to the workout experience—for women, men or kids? (Related: Gyms for kids use gaming to keep them hooked.)

Website: www.reebok.com/US/#/womens?view=jukariHome
Contact: www.reebok.com/US/customer-service/contact-us

Spotted by: Adverlab via Raymond Kollau

Dogs can wear a SNIF Tag to help their owners make new friends; now pet owners can return the favour by using Dogtree, a social networking site designed especially for dogs.

Australian Dogtree is a free service that aims to help dog owners find playmates and walking friends for their canine companions. To search for doggie friends, human users can simply enter their postal code; more advanced search options are also available, such as breed and size. Either way, the result is a list of other suitable canine members in their area. Once they find some that seem like a good match, dog owners can invite them through the site for a playdate or meeting. There are currently almost 600 members on Dogtree, and most elect to use their dog's photo and name as their username on the site.

Need we say more? Now that social networking has covered most of the developed world's human population, niche applications are coming fast and furious—and even extending to some of mankind's best friends. Cats may be less amenable to the social networking experience, we suspect, but how long before this comes to other sociable species? Advertisers of related products: get ready, or get involved!

Website: www.dogtree.com.au
Contact: www.dogtree.com.au/help_contact.php

Spotted by: Judy McRae

Sites that feature user reviews, photos and descriptions have already brought transparency to hotel rooms and airplane seats, to name just two of our favourite examples. Now the KaBOOM! Playspace Finder is bringing a similar type of openness to the world of playgrounds.

The KaBOOM! Playspace Finder, currently in beta, is a user-generated online directory from playground-focused nonprofit KaBOOM! that lets anyone enter, search for and rate play spaces in their community. Using the free site, parents, kids and community members in general can locate playgrounds, skate parks, sports fields and even ice rinks across North America. Some 11,800 play areas are listed on the Google Maps-based site, which can be searched by region or name; a search filter lets users focus in on specific types of parks. Users can also add photos and comments for each play space, as well as detailed descriptions including the playground equipment or amenities that are available there and an overall estimation of the spot's "play value." Community service credit and Girl Scout patches are even available for contributing to the Playspace Finder, KaBOOM! says. Ultimately, the Washington, D.C.-based group hopes the site will help alert local communities to recreational areas that need some help.

Darell Hammond, KaBOOM!'s cofounder and CEO, explains: “Play is a vital component of a child’s life, contributing to their physical, emotional, mental and social development. In light of our work and our vision, we felt it was our duty to provide a resource for locating great places to play. However, the success of this project relies upon people across the country providing data and reviews about their parks. So, get out to a park and play, but then come back and tell everyone about your experience—good or bad.”

Supported through a sponsorship by Kool-Aid, KaBOOM!'s Playspace Finder is yet another testament to the power of transparency to make things better. One to emulate in other parts of the world? (Related: Local tips for parents.)

Website: playspacefinder.kaboom.org
Contact: playspacefinder.kaboom.org/contact

Spotted by: Cecilia Biemann