A BRIEF HISTORY INTO Bouncy Castles.

WHAT ARE BOUNCY CASTLES?

Kids love this big Bouncy thing in parties…

Bouncy Castles are seen as inflatable structures that are hired for fun and recreational activity in parties, schools, and other forms of festivities, especially for kids. Rental of bouncy castles have become a very big business in the rental industry due to the fact that almost every party held for kids always look into hiring a bouncy castle.

The surface of a bouncy castle is usually made up of PVC and nylon which is made thick and also made reinforced in order to prevent an early tear. After being transported to the venue where it will be needed, it is inflated by a blower which could be either electrically powered or gasoline powered, and it has a lifespan of at least 5 years. A lot of bouncy castles were made with unique specifications such as fully inflated walls with and foam mat in the case of a child falling out or jumping out of the structure. However, as the years go by, these specifications have been duly modified.

HISTORY OF BOUNCY CASTLES

The concept behind the creation of bouncing castles started in 1959 by a man known as John Scurlock. He was a professional Electrical Engineer, and at that time, he was experimenting with inflatable covers when he realized that his children loved playing in the air structure. The result of this discovery and invention led to several other inventions like the inflatable domes, tents, etc. The man came to the limelight when he invented the safety air cushion, which is widely used in various safety departments, especially to catch people jumping from very tall heights.

The Bouncy castle concept expanded and together with his wife Frances, they leased a warehouse in New Orleans, in the USA where they started their manufacturing company. By 1976, their manufacturing company was well grounded, and they decided to build their own facility to manufacture and rent out these products by themselves. As the years went by, their company grew bigger and better as they continued to manufacture and rent these products to several individuals.

One of the greatest inventions and modifications to bouncy castles was the creation of the Jupiter Jump to solve the problem of excessive heat inside the bouncy castles. The Jupiter Jump was made up of netted walls in between inflated columns. The netted wall helped greatly in the inflow and the outflow of air within the bouncy castle and also to help in adult supervision.

Frank Scurlock, son of the business owner John Scurlock, decided to expand the business to other parts of the United States under the name "Inflatable Zoo" and "Space Walk." To further improve the business, Frank Scurlock founded the first indoor play park for inflatables known as the Fun Factory in 1986. The second indoor park known as the Fun Flex was also created the following year. However, due to the value of the location of the property, these parks had to close down because their operating income was not enough to manage the property.

The Inflatable Zoo, which was part of the inventions by Frank Scurlock, consisted of a line of several inflatable animals.

HOW KIDS HAVE BENEFITTED FROM BOUNCY CASTLES OVER THE YEARS.

Over the years, it has been seen that a lot of kids love to play with inflatable products, especially products like the bouncy castle. These castles are regarded as a very key component in the creation of fun activities in parties and other festivities for kids. Asides being used as a means for fun and recreational activity, it also has a lot of physical, psychological, and sociological benefits for kids. Over the years, these benefits have helped several children grow healthier and become more socially and psychologically stable.

Improved Social Interaction skills for kids.

Playing inside bouncy castles, especially with friends and several children that are in the same age group has helped to foster social interaction. As a child, social interaction is one of the key things required for communication and healthy growth. While they are in these bouncy castles, they learn how to interact with one another, make new friends and also play with one another without having to harbor the thoughts of one person getting hurt in the process since it is a confined space.

Helped kids deal with obesity.

Jumping up and down a bouncy castle has been seen as a very good way for kids to exercise. Research has shown that kids required at least 20 minutes or exercise daily for kids. A lot of parents that have been dealing with child obesity issues have said that getting these bouncy castles have helped their children to tackle obesity, and they have experienced tremendous weight loss over-time. These parents recommend that parents dealing with obesity in their children should make sure that these children get involved in this recreational activity.

It has been a safe environment for kids to play

Bouncy castles have been seen as a safe playing environment for kids over the years. Inside these bouncy castles, you are less like likely to get injured or to get involved in an accident. That’s why, over the years, a lot of parents prefer these bouncy castles for their children to play in, especially the ones mounted at parties and recreational events were a lot of children will be playing in. These parents are more likely to let their guide down when their children are in their bouncy castle. However, over the years, one of the major problems with bouncy castles are usually overcrowding. In an event where these bouncy castles are not properly monitored, overcrowding could lead to serious damages. That’s why it is highly recommended that an adult should supervise these castles in order to reduce overcrowding.

It has improved children’s social & physical skill.

It is very important for a child to improve his/her physical skills, and over the years, these bouncy castles have helped to make that happen. Bouncy castles help kids to learn to balance, teaches them how to think in a forward direction, and helps them learn strategy. The child may not exhibit these skills immediately after playing in the bouncy castles, but on the long run, due to consistent involvement in these activities, the child will be more likely to exhibit a slightly higher level of reasoning. As a child, the physical skills are very important.

It has made a lot of kids happy.

Over the years, the involvement of children and young individuals to bouncy castles and other inflatable products used for fun and recreation has made a lot of them happy. Children tend to have a lot of fun when they are jumping up and down in these bouncy castles. It is one of the reasons why a lot of people, especially those organizing children’s parties and events, made the provision of bouncy castles their top priority.

CONCLUSION.

So, there you have it. Bouncy castles have evolved over the years. It has moved from just a simple experiment for the government to become the delight of every kid, especially at birthday parties and events. Bouncy castles are great.