🎉25 Fun Facts About Bounce Houses

1. The first bounce house was invented in 1959 by John Scurlock, a mechanical engineer from Louisiana.
2. They were originally called “Space Walks” because they looked like astronauts bouncing on the moon.
3. Bounce houses are also known as moon bounces, jumpers, bouncy castles, and inflatable jumpers depending on the region.
4. The world’s largest inflatable is over 1,000 feet long and is shaped like an obstacle course.
5. Some bounce houses can hold up to 100 people at once!
6. Inflatable castles became especially popular in the 1980s and 1990s for children’s birthday parties.
7. Water slide bounce houses were invented after people realized inflatables could be sealed and hold water at the base.
8. Bounce houses can be custom-designed into almost any shape, from dinosaurs to giant unicorns.
9. The average bounce house can be inflated in just 2–3 minutes using a commercial blower.
10. Deflating a bounce house only takes about 5 minutes.
11. There are indoor inflatable parks where bounce houses and slides are set up permanently for year-round play.
12. Some inflatables are designed as obstacle courses, complete with climbing walls, tunnels, and slides.
13. The tallest inflatable water slide ever made was over 50 feet tall.
14. Bounce houses are used for more than kids’ parties—corporate team-building, church events, city festivals, and even college parties rent them.
15. The heaviest bounce houses can weigh over 1,000 pounds.
16. Inflatable games now include mechanical bulls, rock walls, jousting arenas, bungee runs, and giant slides.
17. A bounce house can burn up to 150–200 calories per hour just from jumping around.
18. Bounce houses are anchored with stakes or sandbags to keep them secure during events.
19. The material used is usually heavy-duty vinyl or PVC that is fire-resistant and puncture-resistant.
20. Some inflatables are themed after movies, superheroes, and cartoons for extra kid-appeal.
21. The largest bounce house festival travels around the U.S. with inflatables bigger than most houses.
22. The bounce house business is a multi-billion-dollar industry worldwide.
23. Bounce houses are often combo units, meaning they combine a slide, bounce area, basketball hoop, and climbing wall in one inflatable.
24. Inflatables must be cleaned and sanitized after every rental to keep them safe for kids.
25. Adults love them too—there are adult-only bounce house parties in cities across the country!