History Of Bounce Houses

Flash back in time to when you were a kid pulling up in your family’s station wagon for a church event or neighborhood birthday party. Remember the awe and excitement you experienced if in the front yard or parking lot there was a bounce house. Your heart leapt and you undoubtedly spent the next few hours bouncing and jumping to your heart’s content.

Inflatable bounce houses still have that effect on children today. They are an undeniable hit at any party and can entertain children for hours. Luckily, they are also much safer than the ones you bounced on as a kid. Improved standards and technology have made kids bounce houses better than ever.

The idea of bounce houses was conceptualized in the late 1950s

The idea for bounce houses came to John Scurlock of Indiana in 1959 while he was watching his employees play on an inflatable cover for a tennis court. A mechanical engineer, Scurlock had already built inflatable domes, signs, and tents. He is also the man behind the safety air cushion employed by fire fighters and police officers to rescue people jumping from great heights. Before that moment he had never seen the purpose of inflatables for pure fun and enjoyment.

Before long, Scurlock was in the business of inflatable bounce house rentals. Branded as “Space Walk” and “Inflatable Zoo,” these inflatables for rent quickly caught on as the ultimate children’s party trend. Early issues have since been resolved. For example, the early bounce houses were not enclosed which created a significant safety hazard. When Scurlock and his son Frank worked to enclose them a greenhouse effect was produced making the inside of the kids bounce houses incredibly hot during the summer. In the 1970s, netted walls were introduced allowing a cool breeze to drift through the inflatable fun houses.

Bounce houses have become a staple of kids’ parties and events, bringing joy and laughter to millions of children (and adults) around the world.

Now bounce house rentals for kids parties are better than ever. Beyond a simple jumping pad, bounce houses can have slides and obstacle courses. A huge assortment of themes, colors, and styles exists to fit into any themed children’s birthday party or neighborhood event.

Take for example the collection of inflatable bounce house rentals from Clowns.com. The classic castle bounce house models exist – one in primary colors and another pink castle. In addition there is a themed bounce house for virtually every children’s storybook character, television performer, and superhero. Choose from classic characters like Mickey Mouse, Tinkerbell, and Hello Kitty. Top off a themed Toy Story party, Backyardigans party, of Dora and Diego party with a themed bounce house. There are also inflatable bounce house rentals with themes like Disney’s Cars, Batman, Superman, Yo Gabba Gabba, and Disney Princesses.

And bounce house rentals aren’t what they used to be. Slides and obstacle courses abound in the most deluxe models. Clowns.com offers an exciting Double Lane Slide and a Choo Choo Train slide. Celebrate a team of little leaguers with the Batter Up inflatable or send teams of children through the Justice League Challenge obstacle course or Batman Challenge obstacle course.

Looking for bounce house rental?

We have a wide selection of bounce houses to choose from, so you can find the perfect one for your event.

Our bounce houses are top-of-the-line in terms of quality and safety, so you can rest assured your little ones are safe while having a blast.

Our bounce houses are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized after every use, so you can be sure they’re germ-free.

Call us today at 516-577-0000 to book an inflatable bounce house or waterslide today!