Have you ever wondered why you could hardly find a child with a phobia for bounce houses like you will find those who fear clowns, heights, or even swimming?
This is simply because, asides from the fact that bouncing up and down can be exhilarating, it also helps these kids’ imagination run wild, which helps them develop creative juices that they need?
Bounce houses differ in size and design, and so too do the weight of jumpers they can carry at any time.
They all have a weight limit that must be adhered to for optimal fun and safety reasons. Guess by now you are ready to shoot me with your questions.
How Are Bounce Houses Beneficial to Kids?
When kids jump in these bouncy houses, it gives many feelings like flying in the skies or even like astronauts floating in space; this feeling is truly incredible.
Bounce houses also provide healthy fun for kids, which helps them keep fit, burn calories, and maintain balance.
Asides from the good it does to kids, bounce houses help them socialize with other kids and even help them develop life skills like endurance which they need.
What Games Can Kids Play in Bounce Houses?
There is a wide range of games that kids can play in bounce house together with their toys.
As I said, in a bounce house, kids can live in a world of their own with games like a new Kingdom in which they can use their toys as people, with two being a king and a queen in their bouncy castle.
They can also play “bounce stop,” a game in which children bounce at the start of the music, and when the music stops, they stop too, and anyone still jumping when the music stops is out of the game.
There are loads of games that are safe to be played in a bounce house; feel free to add as many games as you can as your kids bounce away in these beautiful houses.
I want to buy a bounce house; what should I look out for?
Sometimes you want to buy a unit of a bounce instead of always renting one; these are a few things to consider before making a purchasing decision:
- Buy durable ones: While used bounce house might be cheap, they are a risk because their life span might have been reached already and might not last since most bounce house has a life span of 2 to 3 years; hence durability is one key consideration.
- The number of jumpers: The more the number of children using the unit, the bigger the size to be bought.
- Safety: Ensure that the unit is safe enough for the kids; a test could be done before finalizing the deal.
- Price: ensure that you are getting good value for money, and to ensure this, you must do all market research to get the best deal.
- Warranty: getting a warranty helps transfer the cost of repairs or replacing a bounce house that malfunctions.
What Safety Precautions Must I Take When Setting Up a Bounce House?
The place of safety in setting up and using a bounce house can never be overemphasized because if the setup is faulty, then there is no safety precaution taken later that would suffice.
These are few precautionary measures taken when setting up a bounce house:
- The setup of the bounce house should be done safely, and this can be done firstly by ensuring that the ground size is adequate to fit the house, and at least a 7 feet space should be placed between the bounce house and the blower.
- If the bounce house is laid indoors, weights can be used to anchor the unit. If the bounce house is to be set outside, then anchoring stakes should be used.
- Ensure that there’s enough height clearance in the location where the bounce house will be sited
- Ensure that there is adequate adult supervision.
- Stop the kids from being over adventurous and doing somersaults and other stunts in the bounce house.
- The bounce house must be placed on level ground away from places that can become a safety concern like trees and power cables.
- The unit must be installed and anchored according to manufacturer instructions.
- Bounce units should always be set up when the weather is calm and not too windy.
What Is the Bounce House Weight Limit?
The weight limit of bounce houses varies depending on size, height, and the material used in making it.
The average weight a bounce house can bear optimally is usually from 300 to 1200 pounds.
How Much Does A 13 X 13 Bounce House Weight?
The design of a unit will determine its weight; for instance, a water bounce house will be heavier than a plain one.
Averagely, a 13 × 13 bounce house will weigh about 130 pounds. The advantage of this unit is that two persons can comfortably move it around.
How Many Kids Can Fit in A 13 × 13 Bounce House?
The following table shows the number of children that fit comfortably in a 13 × 13 bounce house.
Age range | Maximum occupants |
8 years and younger | 9 |
9 to 12 years | 6 |
Teenagers | 4 |
Adults | 3 |
How Many Children Can Fit in A 15 × 15 Bounce House?
The following numbers of kids can fit into a 15 × 15 bounce house?
Age range | Maximum number of people |
8 years and younger | 10 |
9 to 12 years | 8 |
Teenagers | 5 |
Adults | 4 |
Where Do I Find the Weight Limit?
The weight limit of a bounce house is also written on the side of the bounce house itself; it will also contain other relevant information like the maximum number of jumpers, the minimum recommended age for jumpers, the suggested height, and safety precautions.
What Are the Individual Limits for Bounce House?
The individual weight limit for different sizes of bounce houses can be seen below.
Size of bounce house | Maximum weight in pounds |
Small | 300 |
Medium | 600 |
Combo | 1000 |
Water | 1200 |
Large | 1200 |
What Is the Maximum Occupancy Limit for Bounce House?
The maximum occupancy limit is determined by the weight and the kids bouncing on a given unit. For instance, the maximum weight that a small bounce house can hold is 300 pounds, so 300/60=5.
What this means is that five kids weighing 60 pounds is the maximum occupancy limit of the unit. You can do the calculation for any other size.
What If You Exceed the Weight Limit?
Exceeding the weight limit of a bounce house is not good for your kids; neither is it on the bounce house itself. The following can occur because of exceeding the weight limit.
- This is the primary cause of wear and tear for a bounce house. This means you will have to replace the unit earlier than you should.
- This will nullify the warranty (if you had any) on the purchase of the unit.
- The blower motor will get damaged and must be replaced, which means spending cash that could have been used for other purposes.
- There will be a tear in the material that must be fixed, which means more money spent needlessly.
- Children will bump more into each other, which means they can easily hurt themselves in the process.
Can You Over Inflate a Bounce House?
Have you noticed that the blower of a bounce house is never turned off even when the unit is fully inflated? It is because a bounce house is designed so that air can escape from it (there must be a scientific rationale for this).
Hence, if the blower is turned off, subsequently, the bounce house will deflate. So, the answer to this question is No. A bounce house can never be overinflated or burst like a balloon because air is always escaping from it.
How Long Does It Take a Bounce House to Inflate?
A few factors will determine the time it will take to inflate a bounce house including.
- The size of the unit: the smaller the size, the faster the time it will take.
- The age of the bounce house: older bounce houses leak air faster, so the older the unit, the slower it will take the unit to inflate.
- The size of the blower: the bigger the blower, the faster the unit inflates.
- A rip in the bounce house will slow the inflating process and lead to more time need for inflating the house.
- The design is also a factor that can affect the time for inflating the house. For example, a slide bounce house will inflate slower than a plain unit.
All things being equal, it will take about four minutes to inflate a 13 × 13 unit, six minutes for a 15 × 15 bounce house, and about 7 minutes for larger units.
Can You Put a Bounce House on Rocks?
We highly discourage setting up a bounce house on a rock because the hardness of the stone can puncture the unit, and there will be no place to anchor the bounce house.
Kids can also get hurt when jumping in the bounce house because rocks cannot cushion their falls.
Secondly, if they mistakenly fall out of the unit, it will portend trouble because there is no clearance around the bounce house for a safe landing.
Can You Put a Bounce House on Concrete?
Some bounce house rental companies will outrightly say No; some, however, will agree if you do the needful. Before a bounce house can be placed on some concrete, there must be enough weight to support the house, and the recommended weight is a thunderbolt because it is impractical to use sandbags since you will have to use many of them.
The surrounding of the floor must be covered with cushion material in the event a jumper falls out of the bounce house; then, his fall is cushioned.
Does A Bounce House Have to Be on Grass?
The grass is the best place to set up a bounce house because of the softness of the grass and the firmness of the ground it is laid on.
However, there are other great grounds for setting up a bounce house, including your driveway, on asphalt, and even indoors. As for gravels, mulch, and the likes are a big NO because they can puncture the houses.
We must mention here that the ground must be clear of all toys, yard furniture, hoses, or anything that puncture the bounce house, even if you place it on grass.
Are There Risks Associated with Kids Playing on Bounce Houses
Many of the dangers or risks associated with kids playing in bounce houses are gratefully avoidable if the unit is installed correctly, all safety precautions obeyed, and adequate adult supervision carried out.
Injuries, bruises, concussions, bloody noses, and broken limbs are common with children playing in the bounce houses where either the unit was not properly installed, anchored, or poor adult supervision.
We will conclude by reminding you that before you run off to get a bounce house for the kids, be sure to watch out for the durability, warranty, and price to get value for money.
Also, put safety as the foremost consideration in setting up your bounce unit and ensure your kids comply with these safety measures for their good.
Conclusion
All bounce houses have a weight limit that must not be exceeded if you want to get the best out of them, and failure to comply has sure consequences.
So, when next you see kids jumping up and down in a bounce house, don’t just think of it as them having fun; see it for what it truly is “A time spent strengthening their young lungs, bones, minds, and emotions.” It has benefits not just now but in years to come.
You May Also Like:
- 15 X 15 Bounce House Weight Limit
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- Factors to Consider Before Moving Swing Set
Hope this article helped you determine the Bounce House Weight Limit. You may also want to check out our article on Moving a Swing Set Yourself Vs. Hiring Swing Set Professional Movers.
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