Bouncy Bouncy...

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sun22beam

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Oh, why not start a new thread for this. We've got room, right?
:)
Ok, I'm just being the paranoid mom, but how many of you have been to a party with one of those inflatable jump things where a ton of kids pile in and haphazardly jump around? My 5 year old has a b-day party invite to one of these parties. I remember getting hurt every summer growing up playing in these. There will probably be 10 or so kids playing. Just looking for other opinions. Thanks in advance.
 
Kadin jumped in those for the first time this year at a carnival (he is 4). I was nervous...or as my husband calls it "paranoid and overprotective" Thankfully they only let 2 or 3 kids in a time - but occasionally they would still bump into each other. You arent paranoid - those things can be dangerous! Especially with older children who play rough. And if you think there is a chance of your child getting hurt - there is no such thing as paranoid - that is called mother's intution!
 
First of all, we have room for one more thread and this is it. :lol:

I had one of those at O's 3rd birthday and it was great. I've also been to many places, school functions and parties where they've had these and as long as there's a responsible adult watching and controlling who goes in and when, I've never had or seen a problem. In more public places they usually say all kids under 3 go now, kids between 4 and 7 go in 10 minutes or something like that. Also as long as there is something else for the kids to do, you can limit how many kids go in at once.
 
One of the magazine style programs (i.e. Dateline, 20/20, etc.) just recently did a small piece on the "bouncies" (or inflatable ER visits as I like to refer to them!). While they honestly did not declare them the most hazardous children's pasttime since knife-juggling, they did site the fact that they do generate numerous injuries every year due to the fact that either a) too many kids are jumping at once or b) adults or older/larger children who should NOT be in there, are. It is just to easy to soar into the face of another child as there is no way to control motions in a bouncy castle.

That being said, my little one has attended these type of parties with no injuries as a result. Personally they make me a wreck despite the fact we have (thankfully!) had no negative experiences (so far). Also, one of our more popular places here that does nothing but specifically host these parties has an incredibly competent and well trained staff that monitors the party constantly so that there are no shenanigans.
 
:unsure:But I love shenanigans...........:sad:
 
We have a bounce house / moon walk that we rent out. Our daughter loves it. She always wants to jump in it when we set it up for a cleaning after a rental.
 
I probably will just call the business and see what their rules are - i.e. how many kids they let in the thing at once. Maybe after talking with them, I will get an idea of how "monitored" the situation is. My concern is that I've been with these same mothers at the playground and at a birthday party recently. One mom pushed my child really hard on the swing without asking if he was ready, and he fell off backward and hit his head. She quickly looked at me and said "Oh, he's ok." WTH. I was the only parent supervising kids climbing up into a treehouse. One 5 year old was attempting to carry a large chair up with one hand while climbing with the other. Meanwhile another's 1 1/2 year old fell and hit his head on a basketball pole in the yard. People are busy chatting, and while I am focusing primarily on my own child's safety (which got diminished in an instant on the swing), I am scared to death for all the other kids playing and try to watch them too. The park is the same way with 90% of the other moms. There are kids dangling everywhere. I just tell my kids not to talk to the other kids while they are up high, because I am afraid a little 2 year old is going to get distracted while talking and fall off the edge down a good 7 feet or so. ugh
 
cam said:
We have a bounce house / moon walk that we rent out. Our daughter loves it. She always wants to jump in it when we set it up for a cleaning after a rental.
Click to expand...

How many kids get in? What ages?
 
I just remembered.......I was in charge of one these at a church carnival several years ago! I cant remember what age group I had, but it was separated into groups by age. I let only 4 in at a time (I think, it wasnt alot) and it was for 3 minutes. Here is a funny part: there was a plastic bag blowing around the back and it got stuck in the compressor thingy (such technical terms, I know) and the bouncy house started to deflate -ON TOP OF THE KIDS! I am claustrophobic so I am panicking for the kids and myself! I got halfway in the thing and started pulling kids out....I didnt know what the problem was, I was just trying to get them out - some were screaming some were crying....it was actually only a few seconds, probably not even 20 but it seemed like forever! I got them all out and somebody moved the bag or it blew away and the house went right back up....I went on break - my nerves were shot!

The fun part was before the carnival started they used the house to hold helium balloons and I got to jump up and get them all down.

The key is a responsible adult and either age limits or grouped together by size - not a free for all
 
The obstacle course bounce houses are more fun for the kids, but more "dangerous" if more than 4 kids are in there. When we rented one, we only let 2 kids race thru at a time to avoid them getting hurt. When we let 4 in there, they would come out holding their faces like "he kicked me in the face". Ha. No major injuries tho. I'd say if you do get a jump house, make sure that if 4-5 kids go in...they are the same height/weight more or less.
 
My church has these bounce houses regularly for different events. They do limit the number of kids and usually have the same ages together. However, from what you said about those moms, you might want to make sure someone will be supervising as it sounds like it might get a little crazy.... ;)

My son LOVES these things, btw!!
 
sweetwinter said:
...I actually grew up next door to the shenanigans:rapture:
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I grew up next to some hooligans! :yesnod: :rofl: but my kids never watched the Backyardigans
backyardigans.jpg
:tongue:
 
Touce' dear Preco! :fencing:

Meet up with ya later at Bennigans....I'll be in the cardigan....:teeth:
 
Bennigans went out of business.....guess you'll have to try again.....:lol:
 
So, Preco grew up next to hooligans,

Wonder what kind of people her neighbors grew up next to?
 
sun22beam said:
How many kids get in? What ages?
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for younger kids we usually only let 6 or so kids in at a time but for older kids depending on the age usually 3 maybe 4 at a time. Alot of kids like to get rough in them and we tell them that is not permitted. That is how a lot of the kids get hurt.
 
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