There Ain’t No Party Like an Indoor Bounce House Party!
Why confine your bounce house to outdoor summer play? Winter weather doesn’t mean you can’t jump into some fun. Let’s talk about how to host an indoor bounce house party!
Close your eyes and imagine a bounce house. You probably just conjured up an image of outdoor summertime fun, right? Parents sipping iced tea while the kids are jumping and playing on a beautiful, warm, breezy summer afternoon?
Most people don’t know there’s such a thing as an indoor bounce house party. You’d be surprised how many bounce house owners never even consider it. But yes, bounce houses can be used indoors. It’s perfectly safe, provided you set it up correctly of course. And that means you can use your new bounce house all year round, too.
You shouldn’t set up a bounce house outdoors in winter weather. Freezing cold damages vinyl, and you shouldn’t let people jump in your bounce house wearing ducky boots, either. But setting up your bounce house indoors is easy, provided you have enough space to do it correctly.
Exactly how much space are we talking about here? Are there other things we need to take into consideration when setting up a bounce house party indoors? And just how safe is it for my kid to do all of this bouncing with a tummy full of eggnog after a big Christmas party? We’re going to answer all of these questions and more! Well, maybe not the eggnog one. But the other ones, for sure!
How Much Space is Needed to Set Up a Bounce House Indoors?
So let’s start with the biggest and most obvious question: how much space will you need for setting up a bounce house indoors? And what can you do if you don’t quite have enough space to set up an indoor bounce house safely?
Let’s start with some numbers you likely already know: the raw dimensions of your bounce house. You’ll need accurate, fully inflated measures of length, width, and height. If you’re not sure, contact the company who sold it to you. If that happens to be Pogo bounce house, you can reach us at 716-566-5806.
The next step seems self explanatory: measure up the room you want to set up in. But there are some other things we need to take into consideration here other than just bounce house size. After all, your indoor bounce house isn’t the only thing you want at your party. You’ll probably want snacks and beverages and music, too. Oh, and people. Can’t forget those!
You’ll want at least 6 to 8 feet of clearance around the bounce house, plus whatever additional space you need for the rest of the party.
Bounce houses are big. Even our smallest vinyl crossover bounce houses are going to eat up lots of space. A modest rainbow crossover bounce house is still 13’x12’ and over 14’ tall. That’s not going to fit in most peoples’ living rooms. Not if you expect to have other stuff happening indoors too.
Some of you will have enough space for all of the above. And if you’re one of them, great! Otherwise, you may not be able to host your indoor bounce house party in your own home. But hey, don’t give up! There are alternatives here!
Hosting a Bounce House Party Away from Home
Hosting an indoor bounce house party someplace other than at home may not seem appealing, but let’s really examine this option for a moment. After all, the perks of hosting your party elsewhere are difficult to argue with.
- You’ll have more space for everything (and everyone, too)
- You can invite a lot more people
- You can invite a broader range of people; the work friends, neighbors, and other families you may not have otherwise invited, but still want to include
- Parking will presumably be a lot easier to deal with
- Your personal property and belongings aren’t exposed to accidental damage. Definitely a consideration when setting up an indoor bounce house!
Okay, well that’s all well and good, but where exactly can you host one of these big indoor bounce house parties? That’s going to largely depend on where you live and what resources are available around town.
Most areas have rental halls with modest prices. Try calling your local VA hall or Knights of Columbus to see if they have halls available, and be sure to tell them you want to set up a bounce house, too. Otherwise, a quick internet search for rental halls and/or banquet halls should point you in the right direction.
Some of you may luck out contacting your local school and asking to use the gymnasium on a particular night, especially if you’re backed with PTA support. And there are surely lots of other locations around town that might be available, too.
Indoor Bounce House Safety 101
So how do you set up an indoor bounce house? Is it the same as setting one up outdoors? What, if anything, do you need to do differently?
The short answer: an indoor bounce house setup is almost identical to an indoor one. But you of course want to maintain good bounce house safety at all times, so let’s examine the key differences:
- You must have at least 6 to 8 feet of clearance to safely operate the bounce house indoors. I know we just said that a few minutes ago, but it’s super important!
- Check overhead clearance, too! You’ll want to make sure there’s ample overhead space. Remember, bounce houses move around while in use. You don’t want your bounce house slapping into lighting fixtures or hitting other ceiling elements over and over again.
- You’ll anchor the bounce house using filled sandbags, rather than stakes (please don’t drive stakes into hardwood!)
- You’ll still want to use a tarp, and you may want to put a blanket or some thicker carpeting beneath that tarp. Don’t set up your bounce house on a hard surface without protecting it a little. This will reduce slipping and prevent the scuffing of both your bounce house and the floor, too.
- Use safety mats near the entrance and exit areas, especially on hard floors. You don’t want kids taking a tumble and getting hurt!
Whether you’re hosting a big family reunion party centered around the holiday season, or helping out your church or PTA for a winter fundraiser or mixer, an indoor bounce house is going to be a huge hit with your guests. Give Pogo a call today at 716-566-5806 and we’ll help you find the perfect vinyl crossover or commercial inflatable for your needs!