Last updated on May 26th, 2021
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If the young people in your life just have way too much energy to burn, consider inviting them to jump and run in a bouncy castle. This fun form of activity (don’t even mention “exercise”) not only tires them out but also helps them to develop coordination, physical and social skills as many bouncy castles are multi-activity centres. We review a wide range of bouncy castles, including ones especially for kids three to five years old, giving their pros, cons and unique features along with our recommendation. Our Buyer’s Guide looks at three issues – certification, correct size and safety – that are key to your purchase decision.
Please note that any information we give as to the restrictions for the bouncy castle (maximum weight and number of children, etc.) plus any structure dimensions are to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing. Any information from the manufacturer of your bouncy castle overrules anything we say.
Note: we were unable to find a bouncy castle for adults that we would recommend – but we did look!
We review these bouncy castles:
- Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle – Best Pick for ages 3 to 5
- Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle – Best Multi- activity for ages 3 to 5
- Jump-o-lene Castle Bouncer – Best Budget pick for ages 3 to 5
- HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle – Best Pick for older children
- BeBoP Ultimate Combo Large – Best Multi-activity for older children
- BeBoP Total Wipeout Bouncy Castle and Water Slide Combo – Best Premium Pick
BEST PICK FOR CHILDREN AGED 3-5
BEST PICK FOR CHILDREN AGED 3-10
Best Bouncy Castles reviews
CHILDREN AGED 3-5 YEARS
1. Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle
BEST PICK
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The Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle provides the basics of a bouncy castle – the trampoline – in fun bright colours for kids aged between three and five years old (according to the box and not the sales blurb). All sides have netting to keep the children safely in and they clamber inside over the low inflated wall and through the tunnel-shaped open entry. There’s no “door” as such but the netting lets adults keep an eye on what the kids are up to inside.
You don’t need to assemble this Happy Hop bouncy castle beyond clearing the ground of any sharp objects. Just unfold the PVC structure, hook up the blower and wait a few minutes until it’s fully assembled. You do need to keep the blower constantly on while the castle is in use and some online reviewers say that it’s noisy, but that’s a complaint that’s found in all bouncy castle reviews. If you notice some leakage of air, don’t worry as that’s to stop the structure from becoming over-inflated and blowing out.
Your purchase comes with some stakes to hold the castle firmly to the lawn, and then it’s ready for use. Two children can bounce away at the same time as long as their combined weight is not more than 68kg. And you can be the fun parent as you pack the easily deflated bouncy castle in the included carry bag to take over to a friend’s home.
Pros
- Bouncy castle with a low wall and tall corner columns for kids three to five years old.
- Primary red, blue and yellow structure with paler green floor.
- Air blower keeps up a constant air stream to the castle.
- Ground anchors to hold the castle securely to the lawn.
- Repair kit included to fix punctures and tears.
- Netting all around sides of the structure to keep the kids in safely.
- Easy to deflate and roll up for storage.
- Carry bag included for easy transportation.
- Entry through a circular doorway in one wall.
- Maximum two children at any one time for a 68kg combined weight
- No assembly required.
- Complies with CE standards.
- Dimensions: 210cm (length); 200cm (width) and 160cm (height).
Cons
- No covering for doorway – it’s open.
- Additional leaks noticed quickly.
Our recommendation
The Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle provides little children with their own safe space for bouncing and springy running around, without larger ones taking up their space. This bouncy castle is simple to set up and inflates in just a few minutes. The constant blowing of air ensures that the structure remains firm and the bouncy area isn’t so large that little kids feel lost.
The Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle is our Best Pick for Best Bouncy Castle for Kids 3-5 years old. It’s scaled to their size and storing and transporting it is simple.
2. Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle
BEST MULTI-ACTIVITY PICK
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The Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle House Inflatable Trampoline Slide Water Pool 3 in 1 combines the fun of a bouncy castle with the excitement of a pool and the adventure of a waterslide. This octopus-themed unit is in softer primary colours for younger kids and has room for three of them on the structure at the same time.
This structure has a square trampoline floor (140cm length and width) that’s enclosed by netting except for the open tunnel-shaped entry that leads onto the slide that ends up in the shallow pool. Children will love whooshing down the slide and splashing into the water at the bottom. Or you could fill the pool with coloured balls for a different experience. For those children who just don’t like pools, there’s a separate zippered entrance to the bouncy floor in one of netting side walls.
The fun continues with the four water sprayers arranged around the outside of the pool, ensuring that even those in the pool who won’t sit down become wet. The fifth water spray coming from the octopus’ mouth above the entrance adds another whimsical touch. There’s no controller for the water sprays; they’re on if you connect then to a water source and off if you don’t connect them.
This Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle House 3-in-1 is easy to assemble and comes with the usual blower (which remains on during play time), puncture kit, ground stakes and carry bag.
Pros
- Octopus theme bouncy castle and pool in softer blue, yellow and pink colours.
- Room for three children on the structure at the same time, aged three to ten years old.
- Pool has four water sprayers and there’s another one in the octopus’ mouth over the front door.
- Slide leads from the bouncy area to the pool.
- A separate zippered entrance to the bouncy bit is in one of the side walls.
- Air blower should be constantly on.
- Comes with ground stakes, a puncture kit and a carry bag.
- Certified to EU and UK standards.
- Maximum children load is 135kg.
- Dimensions (overall): 380cm (length); 200cm (width) and 180cm (height).
- Dimensions (trampoline): 140cm (length) and 140cm (width).
Cons
- No controllers on the water sprays.
Our recommendation
For complete summer fun, the Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle House Inflatable Trampoline Slide Water Pool 3 in 1 has it all – bouncing, sliding and a pool. This large structure allows for three children to play together, so cooperative skills are developed. The wet fun of the shallow pool is enhanced by the five water sprayers, and the separate entrance door to the bouncing area allows kids to, literally, run around in circles.
We recommend the Outsunny Kids Bounce Castle House Inflatable Trampoline Slide Water Pool 3 in 1 for those who want to give young kids their own, adult- and big kid-free, multi-activity play area.
3. Jump-o-lene Castle Bouncer
BEST BUDGET PICK
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The Jump-o-lene Castle Bouncer solves several common problems with one bouncy castle. It’s definitely a budget model for those care givers who don’t want to invest a lot of money in a bouncy castle. It works well as a hideaway as well as a bouncing space and it’s perfect for indoor use.
This PVC Jump-o-lene has inflatable walls as well as an inflatable floor and it’s all in one piece, with bright red, blue and yellow colours. The four corner towers have turrets on the top and the entrance way is an open arch in one wall. When a child is inside, they’re surrounded by soft surfaces which are very easy to clean with a damp cloth.
The maximum weight limit is 27kg per child for no more than two children. Details about this bouncy castle don’t say how tall the solid walls are, so smaller kids may not be able to see out if they can’t see over the wall. One wall does have small peepholes in it, but these maybe not enough for a clear view of the surroundings.
This is a budget castle and doesn’t come with a blower or pump. Online reviewers report that they’ve used anything from a hand pump to an electric pump to inflate this bouncy castle, which does take around one hour. You need to plan ahead for the children’s play time in the castle. You also need to be ready to re-inflate the castle if it starts to lose its structure through air loss. But even with these restrictions, users report that it’s worth it on rainy days to keep children active indoors.
Neither the manufacturer’s website (Intex) nor the user manual states if this product has been certified to CE and UK safety standards. Please email the company about this before purchasing this model.
Pros
- For children 3 to 6 years old.
- PVC bouncy castle in bright red, blue and yellow with turreted towers at the corner.
- Inflated with a pump (not included).
- Floor and walls all inflate to surround your child with soft surfaces.
- Entry is through an open archway in one wall.
- Maximum child weight is 27kgs and no more than two children at a time.
- Dimensions: 175cm (length); 175cm (width) and 135cm (height).
Cons
- Have to connect air pump when castle loses air inflation.
- Takes up to one hour to inflate fully.
Our recommendation
As a budget model, the Jump-o-lene Castle Bouncer provides an enclosed bouncy surface plus hideaway for young children but without some of the conveniences of a more expensive bouncy castle. It’s great for indoor use and its inflatable floor and walls mean that there’s soft surfaces on all sides. There’s more work for you in inflating it but the kids will be happy and active on it.
We recommend the Jump-o-lene Castle Bouncer as an indoors budget bouncy castle.
CHILDREN AGED 3-10 YEARS
4. HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle
BEST PICK
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The HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle provides an eye-catching primary-coloured structure in your garden for children aged three to ten years old. The towers on each corner have pointed turrets to give a serious castle-like vibe to the unit while the colour scheme screams fun.
The bouncing area is surrounded on three sides by netting to keep children enclosed and safe while the fourth side contains the large rectangular opening with some netting on its sides. The opening is uncovered but is above the bouncing floor level so seems to be difficult to accidentally bounce out of.
The somewhat steep inflatable slide leads up to the opening. The inflatable rails on the edges of the slide help with the climb, and it is more of a climb than a stroll, up the slide and there’s a drop-down to the bouncing floor. A side wall has an alternate entry through a Velcro’d opening in the netting. Older ones will love the adventurous, climbing element that this brings to the castle but children at the younger end of the age range (3+ years) may find it all a bit too much.
All the seams of this structure are double stitched for strength and to enable the castle to hold its shape when inflated, which takes around one minute. The material is heavy-weight 420D Oxford cloth that’s frequently used for outdoor furniture. All aspects of this bouncy castle – the fabric, the structure, the electrics and the blower – are certified to EN71 standards.
You leave the air blower running while the castle is in use to support the maximum weight load of 100kg (max three kids) on the entire structure and 45kg of kids bouncing away at one time.
Pros
- Castle is primary red, blue, yellow and green with turrets on all four corners.
- For kids 3 to 10 years old.
- Large rectangular opening on the front side is the entryway.
- Mesh netting on three sides to keep your energetic kids inside the bouncy castle.
- Inflatable slide (with side safety bumpers) to enter and exit the castle leads to the door opening.
- Alternate opening in netting in one side with Velcro closure.
- Structure and electric parts all fully certified.
- Air blower (included) is left running while the castle is in use.
- Two-way stitching on the seams keeps the castle in shape and strengthens the seams.
- Dimensions: 300cm (length); 180cm (width) and 160cm (height).Certified to EU and UK standards.
- Maximum weight load is 100kg with a maximum of three children at any one time for the whole structure.
- Maximum weight load for the jumping floor is 45kg.
Cons
- Entry way is large.
Our recommendation
The HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle Inflatable Bouncer is a bouncy castle with a touch of adventure for children between the ages of three and ten. It has quite a steep slide with a drop down to the bouncy floor that younger kids may not be able to manage, but they can use the alternate opening in a side netting wall. The primary colours are bright and there are no cute decals on the structure that may embarrass older children.
The HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle Inflatable is our Best Pick of Bouncy Castles. It’s better suited for older (5 – 10 years) children and provides some challenges for them.
5. BeBoP Ultimate Combo Large Kids Garden Bouncy Castle and Slide
BEST MULTI-ACTIVITY PICK
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The BeBoP Ultimate Combo Large Kids Garden Bouncy Castle and Slide moves beyond bouncing to a multi-activity centre with a great hiding place. This primary colour castle has two imposing steeple-topped towers in front on either side of a high and steep slide.
The steepness of the slide ends in a soft landing pad which seems to cry out for a paddling pool (not included) at the bottom. But don’t worry about safety, the slide has large inflatable railings on either side and a grand arch for kids to enter through. Netting on three sides of the castle ensures the safety (through not falling out) of the kids and the fourth side is taken up by the slide component of the castle.
Other activities within this bouncy castle include a basketball hoop – your purchase includes an inflatable ball – and an accuracy ball throwing game through three marked holes in the back wall. All this, plus the bouncing surface, keeps kids active and having fun.
You do need to run the included air blower while the castle is in use to keep the structure rigid. The seams of the fabric are double stitched to keep the various sections strongly together. This castle can handle a maximum load weight of 152kg on the structure and 38kg per child. That’s three or four children playing together but this bouncy castle is solely for home use.
Pros
- Suitable for children 3 to 10 years of age.
- Primary red, blue and yellow colours for a bright structure.
- Double-stitched seams give extra strength and last a long time.
- Enter by the high inflated slide (with high side bumpers) which has hand and foot holds on the interior side for safe descent.
- Three sides have netting to keep the kids safely in; the fourth wall is almost filled with the slide structure.
- A tunnel underneath the slide makes a good hiding place and there’s a basketball hoop as well.
- Comes with storage bag, anchor stakes and a repair kit as well as the blower and a basketball.
- Three open circles in one side wall are the throwing accuracy game.
- Certified to EU and UK standards.
- Dimensions (overall): 400cm (length); 275cm (width) and 240cm (height).
- Max weight load per child is 38kg and 145cm maximum height.
- Max weight load for the structure is 152kg.
Our recommendation
The BeBoP Ultimate Combo Large Kids Garden Bouncy Castle and Slide lets kids bounce, slide, climb, hide, play basketball (inflatable ball included) and work on their ball throwing accuracy. These solitary or social activities are done within the safety of netting walls and double stitched fabric seams that hold the castle in shape along with the constantly flowing air. A carry bag lets you pack all this fun up and take it on the road with you.
We recommend the BeBoP Ultimate Combo Large Kids Garden Bouncy Castle and Slide for active and adventurous kids with many outdoor activity interests.
6. BeBoP Total Wipeout Bouncy Castle and Inflatable Water Slide Combo
BEST PREMIUM PICK
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The BeBoP Total Wipeout Bouncy Castle and Inflatable Water Slide Combo is the ultimate in bouncy castles. If you often seem to have a group of children playing in your garden, keep them amused and active for hours with this multi-activity structure. Four children can play at the same time here and even have races on the water slide.
The fun could start in the bouncy castle area by entering through the Velcro-fastened opening on the side wall. After bouncing to their heart’s content, the child then climbs up the back of the slide using the hand and foot holds and stands under the rain shower under the arch. Once their friendly competitor arrives, they both slide down their own water slide lane on the water stream from the top. Splashing into the pool, they’re met with a stream of water fired from the water canon by another play mate.
Safety is of prime concern here. There’s netting all around the bouncy castle section and the sides of the slide have several heights of safety barriers. The top of the slide is enclosed by the shower arch.
The fabric of this BeBop bouncy castle combo is laminated PVC and nylon. These are strong and durable fabrics that withstand the air pressure from the constantly blowing air blower that’s included in the package.
The maximum weight load for the entire structure is 152kg and no more than 38kg per child. Make sure to have only have four or few children on this castle combo, even if their total weight is less than the maximum.
Pros
- Combination bouncy castle and water slide with dual side-by-side lanes.
- Constructed from durable and weatherproof lightweight laminated PVC and nylon.
- For children aged three years to ten years old.
- Multi-activity centred for different kinds of interests.
- Handles and foot holds in the climbing tower that’s the back side of the slide.
- Includes blower fan, anchor pegs, the water tube, canopy water spray and a repair kit.
- Maximum weight load is 152kg of children but no more than 38kg per child, max of 4 children.
- Certified to EU and UK standards.
- Dimensions: 5m (length) x 3m (width) x 2.4m (height).
Cons
- Reinforced seams sometimes come apart.
- Not all parts of the castle are in view from the outside at the same time.
Our recommendation
The BeBoP Total Wipeout Bouncy Castle and Inflatable Water Slide Combo is a whole summer of kids’ fun in one structure. Kids who don’t like to slide can play in the bouncy castle part, use the climbing wall part of the slide and then run around the outside to the pool. The two water slide lanes encourage friendly competition or older children helping the younger ones. On cooler days, fill the pool with pit balls for a different kind of play.
We recommend the BeBoP Total Wipeout Bouncy Castle and Inflatable Water Slide Combo for older children or for younger kids with constant and close adult supervision. It’s the ultimate bouncy castle combo for everyone.
Buyer’s Guide
Our Buyer’s Guide details the two most important issues to consider when deciding which bouncy castle to buy. Plus our usual reminder about safety.
Certification
Safety is important when buying any kind of children’s toy or other item. Certification lets you know that the product has been tested to particular high standards and is safe for children to use. Prior to Brexit (January 2021) the CE certification identified items which conformed to EU (and hence UK) safety standards. Bouncy castles and water slides had to reach the EN71 standards. This indicated that they’re when these items are used along the manufacturer’s guidelines, flammability, material strength, stability and entrapment of limbs.
Post January 1 2021, a new marking, UKCA, replaces the CE certification. But CE is still OK to use until January 1 2021.
Size
A common complaint in online reviews for bouncy castles is that the products users receive are unexpectedly small. While some people genuinely were sent differently sized castles to that advertised, others stated that their models looked larger in the photos on the sellers’ website. This applies to anything you buy online, not just bouncy castles, but we focus on them here as our example.
And there’s a reason for that. If you look carefully at the sales photos, you may see that the bouncy castle has been edited onto different backgrounds that make it seem large by the way it’s placed or what it’s set against. In addition, the kids bouncing happily in the castle may also have been added in digitally. This may make it appear as if the castle is larger than it is and that a young person who looks to be around, say, 12 years old fits comfortably inside it.
The lesson here is – ignore the sales photos. Go by the measurements of the bouncy castle and get these from the manufacturer’s website. That’s what we do. Sometimes the dimensions of the products are difficult to find, so we look closely at the photos on the sales and brand websites to see if there’s a picture of the box the product comes in. We sometimes luck out and are able to read information from the box. Yes, it’s a lot of work but it’s important to us to be as accurate as we can be, and it’s a lot of work for you to return the product if it’s the wrong size.
Once you have the accurate measurements, go into your garden and use string to outline the bouncy castle dimensions. Get the kids to jump up and down and move around in the space to see if it’s big enough.
Safety
Safety is a big issue with us so make sure that the kids using the bouncy castle have close adult supervision at all times. And that the adult or adults can see all parts of the bouncy castle structure at once. Plus, use the ground stakes that are usually included in your purchase if you’re putting the castle outdoors.
Final Conclusion
Bouncy castles provide so many benefits for children. Jumping up and down and running on a bouncy surface seems like fun and not exercise, and burns up excess energy quickly. This activity also needs good balance and body coordination as well as leg strength. Stamina and endurance come into play as well for long play sessions. Plus it can also be a social activity that requires cooperation if the kids are not to bump into each other. And the bouncy castle is usually outside, in the fresh air. And did we mention that kids love it?
Our Best Pick of bouncy castle for children aged three to five years is the Happy Hop 9003 Bouncy Castle. This is a suitably sized bouncy castle that two little ones can bounce on together.
Our Best Pick of bouncy castle for older kids is the HOMCOM Kids Bouncy Castle Inflatable Bouncer. This castle has a fairly steep slide with a drop down to the bouncing floor that will appeal to adventurous types.
As well as a bouncy castle, you may want to consider a mud kitchen, a climbing frame, a playhouse or a play swing set to keep children active and engaged when outdoors.
Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
