WHAT SIZE BOUNCY CASTLE DO I NEED?
Inflatable equipment, especially bouncy castles, are firm favourites of children (and adults!) across the globe thanks to their unique mixture of fun, interactivity and ease of use. From trampoline parks to soft play centres or even for outdoor use, investing in a bouncy castle is a great way of providing a relatively inexpensive new feature for your facility. But what size is the most appropriate for you and your needs? Here are five things to consider:
WHAT SPACE DO YOU HAVE FOR A BOUNCY CASTLE?
This may seem pretty obvious but it’s important to choose an inflatable product that fits the space that you have available. There is no standard size of bouncy castle but with the knowledge and experience of our dedicated team we can find a solution for you whether you have more or less space due to the custom and bespoke nature of our products.
It’s also important to remember that space needs to be allocated for things such as crash mats for children getting off the bouncy castle, an area to prepare children before they go on it for shoes etc and so forth – the practical elements to a bouncy castle are just as important as the actual experience on it! Furthermore, legislation for bouncy castles prohibits children accessing the rear or sides of the bouncy castle – especially important if this feature is for outside.
CONSIDER YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Any prospective addition to your facility needs to fit in and complement what is already existing there, from colour scheme to design, especially if this bouncy castle is for indoor use. You may have the space to have the world’s biggest bouncy castle in your play area but if this obstructs parents’ vision into the existing soft play, obscures any other features or becomes a barrier between the play area and the nearby facilities then this might not be the right solution for you.
Alternatively, if this is outside then the space to anchor the bouncy castle to the ground needs to be taken into consideration in order for this to comply with the relevant safety legislations. The local competition is also a consideration – if nobody else nearby has a bouncy castle as part of their business then it could be worth the investment to secure additional visitors to your facility.
WHO IS THIS FOR?
If you are interested in investing in a bouncy castle, you should have an idea of who you want using this before you do so. All bouncy castles come with their unique guide on recommended visitor numbers but people of varying sizes should not mix as this causes risk and potential injury for all – especially true of younger users. If you are expanding onto a baby or toddler area then you will want a different size to if you are looking at new features for your junior area – or even for adults. It may even be worth investing in a few smaller bouncy castles for different users rather than a bigger one for just one group.
WHEN WOULD THE BOUNCY CASTLE BE USED?
Some sites, especially trampoline or soft play areas may invest in a bouncy castle outside to attract visitors during the summer which is traditionally a quieter time for play businesses, especially in warmer weather. However, this comes at a potential cost to the number of visitors your facility can accommodate overall if this bouncy castle takes up car parking space. Finding the right balance between what may be financially viable vs practically possible is something that House of Play can help you with. However, if the bouncy castle would be used all year round indoors, then this should affect the size (and cost) you would want to invest in.
HOW IMPORTANT IS THE POTENTIAL BOUNCY CASTLE TO YOUR BUSINESS?
Like any play equipment, the spend at your facility for new equipment such as a bouncy castle needs to be appropriate for the number of visitors you expect for it in order to make a sensible investment. with the money you spend on it. If your facility is always busy, you will return the investment of a bouncy castle quicker than if you are not. If you are unsure as to what the most appropriate size would be for your project then please contact us on 01302 846876 as we can help use our experience to help you find the right one for you.