A slip and slide is an easy way to keep children amused for hours. The entertainment can be
made at home with tarps or heavy plastic. The biggest problem will be ensuring that the surface
is slippery enough – water alone seldom works efficiently.
The key to any entertainment is ensuring safety. Be sure to set it up away from utility lines,
fences, structures, sprinkler heads and other items that can cause an injury if children slide into
them.
Plastic
A successful slip and slide begins with choosing the best plastic for the task. Visqueen is a good
choice as it’s highly durable. Select plastic that’s at least 6 mil.
Water Flow
Water is a critical element in a slip and slide and must flow from the top to the bottom. The
device must have a steady stream of liquid available at all times to avoid dry areas that can
result in friction burns. It can be helpful to place holes in an old hose and place it at points along
the way to ensure saturation of the plastic. There should be good drainage to avoid turning a
pristine lawn into a mud pit.
Extra Lubrication
A bottle of tearless baby shampoo will work wonders for ensuring a lubricated surface. Many
people use dishwashing liquid, but it’s never a good idea. The soap will get in youngsters’ eyes,
resulting in irritation and pain.
Some have found that rubbing household wax paper over the plastic makes for a slippery
surface. Other alternatives include olive oil, baby oil or vegetable oil. Just remember that oils
are difficult to remove from the skin without a shower. Try to locate an environmentally-
friendly lubricant.
Other Considerations
A responsible adult should always be available to ensure the safety of users. Don’t let another
slider take their turn until the person before them has cleared the plastic. Unsupervised slip and
slides can result in serious injuries if basic, common sense safety precautions aren’t observed.
A backyard bounce house rental is an excellent idea for any party where children ages 6 to 12
will be in attendance. There are some things that you’ll need to do to ensure a successful party.
Placement
You’ll need to ensure you have a clear and open space sufficient for the size of the bounce
house. You’ll also require an open and easily accessible path to where the inflatable will be set
up when it’s delivered. The bounce house must be established away from any utility lines,
fences, buildings or other potential hazards.
The location where the inflatable will be set up must be smooth and free of rocks, sticks,
sprinkler heads and other items that could damage it. You’ll also need a nearby source of
electricity to power the generator that will keep the bounce house inflated. The optimal
distance from a power source is 25 ft. or less.
Responsible Monitor
A responsible adult to monitor the bounce house is critical. No child under the age of 6 should
be allowed in a bounce house. The monitor will need to have children remove their shoes,
along with any objects that could possibly puncture the inflatable.
Food is never allowed in a bounce house. The monitoring adult will also be responsible for not
letting too many children in the bounce house at one time and ensuring that those in the
bounce house are of a similar size and weight.
Refreshments
Children burn a lot of energy in a bounce house. They’ll need food, along with beverages to
remain sufficiently hydrated. There are machines that can be rented to warm hotdogs and
buns, and to provide snow cones, popcorn and cotton candy. While soda is popular with
youngsters, water is better for hydration in the South Florida climate. Consider fruit flavored
water for a refreshing, tasty and healthy beverage.
Water slides and bounce houses are among the many inflatables available to rent for backyard
parties. While they provide hours of fun for children and adults of all ages, you can turn your
next party into a truly memorable event by adding fun food machines and carnival games to the
roster of activities.
People of all ages enjoy testing their skill and luck at carnival games. You can transform your
own party into a carnival midway with inflatables. The food machines and games that are
offered will elevate any personal party. They’re equally applicable for fund-raising events, non-
profit organizations, school activities, and even business promotions.
Food Machines
Refreshments are essential for any gathering. People burn a lot of energy when they’re
enjoying themselves. A wide range of fun food machines are available to provide perennial
favorites that replenish energy for the next round of games. The machines include those for
warming hotdogs and buns, along with those for providing cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn,
and pucker powder dispensers with 6 flavors.
Carnival Games
Everyone likes games and there are an array of inflatable game booths and games from which
to choose. They include basketball toss, balloon break, magic ball, tic-tac-toe, and ring toss.
They also encompass the milk bottle game, bullseye, shooting gallery, feed the monkey, frog
flinger, and rattlesnake roundup. The ever-popular bounce house, skee ball and whack a mole
are also available.
Other Options
Inflatable tiki bars and saloons are available to set the mood for themed parties or just for fun.
They’re not bounce houses and can be used as a base to keep partiers hydrated. There are also
rides that can be rented, including a mechanical bull. With the extensive range of carnival
games and fun food machines from which to choose, it’s easy to create an environment of fun
festivities that will be remembered long after the day is done.
Bounce houses are one of the most popular inflatable rentals for children ages 6 to 12. If you’re
considering renting one of the amusements, there are some things to keep in mind, especially
placement.
Surface
Grass is the preferred surface for a bounce house, but the entertainments can also be set up on
cement or concrete – providing the surface is smooth. The inflatables can be placed on smooth
gravel, but it’s not a good idea in terms of child safety.
Even asphalt is acceptable, providing it’s in the shade. Asphalt can reach temperatures of 125°
F. on a 75-degree day, posing a danger to children and the inflatable. Bounce houses should
never be placed near water or on a slope.
Obstacles
Safety should lead the way when setting up a bounce house. Make sure the ground where the
bounce house will set is free of sticks, rocks and other sharp objects such as sprinkler heads.
Never place a bounce house near power lines or other utilities, fences, structures, or low
hanging branches.
Keep in mind that children often stumble when they exit a bounce house and can fall. There
should be ample space on all sides of the bounce house that’s clear of any objects that
youngsters may potentially fall on.
Bounce House Supervision
Your bounce house rental will provide hours of fun for youngsters, but children should never be
left alone in the amusement. You’re going to need a responsible adult to supervise usage for
safety. Only children age 6 to 12 should be allowed in a bounce house. Youngsters under the
age of 6 don’t have the coordination, strength or balance to right themselves if they fall.
The adult will also need to ensure that children remove their shoes, jewelry and glasses before
entering and don’t have any sharp objects in their pockets that could puncture the bounce
house. Take care to limit the number of children using it at one time and ensure that
youngsters of the same height, weight and build use the device at the same time. The ripples
created by jumping can knock smaller children off their feet and lead to injury.
