Did you know that June is National Safety Month? In order to keep everyone safe and happy, we put together this article to let you in on some tips for bounce houses and other inflatables. 

These structures are fun, exhilarating, and a great way to stay entertained - but there are a few precautions that you need to take when you use them. We want you to use your inflatables safely so you and your family can continue to use them for a long time to come! 

As your children are playing, you should be holding down the fort. Here’s the safety checklist that you should be thinking about:

Always Supervise

Bounce houses and other inflatables are exciting for children - the perfect places to get their imagination going wild. They’ll think of all sorts of ways to play, and those ways aren’t always safe. To prevent injury, always have at least one adult supervising the inflatable to make sure that nothing gets out of hand - it also helps if this particular adult has first aid training. 

Ensure Proper Setup

To avoid the risk of a bounce house blowing away, make sure that it’s tied down correctly. Instructions vary depending on what inflatable you’re using, so talk to us and we can help you with the process. 

Keep Certain Items Out

There are a few key items that should never go inside a bounce house or any other type of inflatable. These items include: anything sharp (these can injure children and cause damage to the inflatable), food and drink (choking hazards and mess), hard toys (could be landed on and cause injury), jewelry and glasses (jewelry can cause injury, and glasses can break). Make sure to check children before they enter the inflatable to make sure they are not carrying any such items. 

Consistently Monitor

Bounce houses are for bouncing, not acrobatics. These types of tricks are the number-one cause for injury with inflatables, so it’s important not to allow this activity. 

Remove Shoes

Shoes can damage the bounce house and hurt children if they are landed on. They are also more likely to get caught in the bounce house than a foot in a sock. 

Ensure a Flat Location

The inflatable should be placed on flat ground with no interfering tree branches, power lines, or other such hazards. The entrance should always be open so entering and exiting is simple. 

Choose an Appropriate Inflatable

We offer inflatables that are appropriate for toddlers and preschool-age children, and also those that are appropriate for preteens. Depending on the age of children that you are hosting, make sure to choose the correct inflatable. If you are hosting a diverse age range, consider renting more than one inflatable. 

Watch the Numbers

Limit the amount of children bouncing depending on the size of the inflatable. To learn more about the number of children that each of our inflatables can handle, talk to one of our staff members. 

Make the Water Decision

Some inflatables can be used either wet or dry. Before you get the party started, make the decision on whether or not you’re going to use water. 

Keep an Eye on Weather

In the summer, it’s important to place the bounce house in the shade and moisten it to keep it cool. A hot inflatable can burn children’s skin. If rain is coming and your inflatable cannot get wet, it’s time to deflate and store. High winds can be dangerous for inflatables, even if they are tied down well. Deflate it if you can, before the wind, and at the very least make sure no one is playing inside when the wind hits. As a rule of thumb, you should never have an inflated bounce house with winds over 15mph, and definitely not over 25mph. 

Other Important Guidelines

Here are a few more straightforward safety guidelines for the use of an inflatable:

• Keep everyone out of the blower area at all times
• Don’t attempt to move inflatables by yourself - they are very heavy
• Always connect a GFCI extension cord adapter to an extension cord before plugging it into a power source
• Check the GFCI cord at least once during your event
• Check with utility companies before staking the unit into the ground
• Spread tarps under the inflatable in order to protect it
• Keep an eye out for deflation (sagging, wrinkling, distortion) and remove children from the inflatable if you notice such signs 
• Spectators should remain outside the inflatable, 3 feet away

Staying Safe With Your Inflatable

At Pogo Bounce House, we want you to have fun with your bounce houses and other inflatables - but we want you to stay safe, too. Use this bounce house safety checklist not only in the month of June, but all year round, to make sure that you’re getting the most out of your inflatable experience!