Bouncy Castle 101: All you Need to Know About a Safe Bouncy Castle: If you have been to an amusement park, then you know for a fact that the bouncy castle is an important piece for fun and excitement. In fact, these days, almost every child will request to have a bouncy castle for their birthday party.
It is therefore correct to say that a bouncy castle is a necessity for the young ones. However, in as much as this piece of fun is much wanted, not every Tom, Dick and Harry understands the important nitty-gritty of the same.
If you intend to hire or purchase a bouncy castle for your kid’s party or any other important event where you will need to keep the children entertained, you need to find the best in the market. If this is your first time, we are at your service right here.
We are here to give you every little detail that may be important to you when buying or hiring a bouncy castle.
So, (please) read on and get some important tips about choosing a safe bouncy castle and how to keep the castle clean at all times.
How to make the bouncy castle safe for your little ones
To be honest, bouncy castles are designed to be strong. Being made of PVC or nylon, they are certainly heavy duty.
However, experts say that not all bouncy castles are safe for use. And for this reason, we have some tips and tricks for you to use when you want to keep the kids safe and comfortable in a castle.
- Ensure that you are hiring or buying from a reputable company – Now that going out is an important part of family leisure, hundreds of people, especially parents, are looking for reliable companies to hire playing items and houses from. So, if you have decided to buy or hire a bouncy castle for your little ones to enjoy being up in the air, then you must ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company; a company that has had a remarkable track record when it comes to providing services to their clients.
- Check with the company how long the castle has been in use – Experts say that castles that have been in use for over 3 years are more likely to be faulty. So, if you are hiring one that has been in use for such a prolonged period of time, then it is important that you seek an inspection clearance. Have enough proof to show that the equipment is safe and ready for use.
- Ensure that you get someone to set up the castle for you – Inflating a bouncy castle may seem like one of the easiest things to do (after all, it’s just a big balloon). Well, truth be told, for a castle to be fully inflated, it needs skill and keenness. So, to ensure that everyone is safe and that the bounce the castle gives is thrilling enough for the kids, please call in a professional to inflate the castle for you. If you cannot get a Bouncy Castle Singapore expert to set it up for you, then be sure to follow every instruction in the manual regardless of how pointless it might seem.
- Ensure that your electric blower (if any) is in good shape – If you intend to get a big bouncy castle, then you should consider hiring a castle blower as well. The good news is that almost every company that rents out castles also rents out electric blowers to their clients so that they can easily inflate their castles. That said, just like it is an important thing to inspect and confirm that the bouncy castle is safe, you also need to give the same energy when inspecting the blowers. Go for what is high quality and easy to use.
- Have a professional with you throughout – God forbid but what would happen if the castle came trembling down and trapping your little ones inside? You need all the professional support and help even when it seems like you don’t need it. So, when hiring your equipment, request the company to give you someone to monitor the equipment while in use even if it means paying some extra money.
- Clear all the sharp objects around your setup location – Not every ground is safe for a bouncy castle. You must be aware that any sharp objects around your setup location will pierce the castle, which can be annoying, not only to you but also to the little ones that were all excited about the experience. Mind you, sharp objects are not just stones, sticks and branches. It also means that you should watch your kids ensure that they do not bring sharp items like their colouring pencils, scissors and knives into the castle. In addition to this, the children playing in the castle should be barefoot because there are some shoes that might puncture the bouncing house.
- When it’s too windy, do not set up – Let’s be honest for a minute here; strong winds will not work in your favour. Truth be told, most bouncy houses are designed to withstand up to 25 MPH. So, ensure that you consult your company and find out if the castle will be able to withstand a moderate and gentle breeze. However, even when the hiring company assures you that their castles are strong, please evacuate the children from the castle and deflate it as soon as the breeze becomes too strong.
- Ensure that the kids bouncing are of age – Yes, the bouncing castle is for kids but at the end of the day, the kids need to be strong enough to withstand the heights that they will be exposed to. Some children are too young to be put on a bouncy castle even if it is under a grownup’s supervision. So (please) do not overlook the age restriction. In addition to this, do not allow little ones to jump with older children.
How to clean up the bouncy castle after use
You have to remember that the bouncy castle will be used by many kids. So, whether you like it or not, the castle will be a breeding zone for bacteria, something that might end up affecting your children’s health. Therefore, to keep the kids safe from infections, you must clean the castle and sanitize it before use, especially if it is a rental one.
- Keep the castle fully inflated – You cannot clean up a deflated castle. You must inflate it fully so that all areas are reachable for cleaning.
- Sweep off all the debris with a soft brush – Remember that the castle can easily be pierced or punctured, so do not attempt to use a hand broom to sweep off the debris.
- Use warm water and some liquid soap – Cleaning up is not a hassle like many would assume. In fact, it is something that you can do yourself other than paying someone to do it for you. Once you have swept off all the debris, get a bucket of warm water and liquid soap and one of your soft towels and clean the castle, leaving no spot untouched.
- Dry off the bouncy house – Once you have cleaned the bouncy castle, get a dry soft towel for drying. However, you must remember to dry off one area after another, leaving all the areas spotlessly clean and dry.
- Clean the outside once the inside is clean – When cleaning a bouncy castle, you work from inside to outside. So once you are done cleaning the inside of the bouncy house, scrub the outside and leave it for some time to dry only if the day is bright and sunny. However, if it is cool outside, you can use a dry towel to dry off the outside.
- The last thing to do will be vacuuming – It may sound crazy after all the washing and drying that you will have done but trust you me, vacuuming your bouncy house is important. The vacuum gets rid of any sand particles that may make the children uncomfortable. So, yes, this is important, especially when it concerns their safety and comfort.
The rundown
- Do not compromise on quality
- Ensure that you put your kids in a clean bouncy castle
- Ensure that the safety measures are observed
- Deal with a company that is reputable
- When the weather is bad, keep off
- Don’t go for a bouncy house that has been in use for more than 3 years
- Have a professional and first aid expert close; accidents do happen
- Keep an eye on all the children at all times; do not leave them unsupervised
As a final point, a bouncy castle will make the event livelier, especially for the children, and without a doubt, the parents and guardians will have less on their plate since these lovely attention seekers will be occupied. And just to ensure that the children have a good time, you can get a bouncy castle that also has a ladder and slide. So, there you have it; choose wisely.
