Bouncy castles used to be an item for children to enjoy at a carnival or fete, or maybe a birthday party or special celebration - hired for the day or paid for per session.
These days commercial they are an expensive item to rent. You can pay around £100 pounds or more for hire for up to one day. If you were to hire twice a year, you're looking at £200 plus - more or less the price of a starting level purchase.
As a result, it's becoming increasingly more financially attractive to the consumer to buy their own bouncy castle, to be used during the summer, packed away and then reused in future years.
So with that in mind, what are the factors that need to be considered before purchasing in what is a reasonably new market to many consumers? Here are a few things to think about:
How much space?
The size is important to consider. This is often mentioned in the product title and will usually refer to the width of the unit.
8ft to 12ft are a good choice for a small garden with just a few bouncers, 10ft to 15ft suits a medium sized garden with a bit of extra space, and a 15ft plus is best sited in a large garden to accommodate plenty of jumpers.
It's best to measure your garden to work out how much free space you have before purchasing if size is going to be an issue.
What comes with it?
The most important thing to check is that your bouncy castle comes with an electric fan or blower.
These continually blow air into the unit making it...well...bouncy, and therefore you'll find things a little limp without one. Most will come with a fan (not much good without it) but it's best to check.
Carry bags are anther handy item to look out for - it might look fun when it's inflated but when it's time to pack up, trying to drag an entire bouncy castle to the garage without a hold-all isn't much fun. It's also a compact and convenient way to store over the winter, keeping everything clean and tidy.
Anchor pegs secure everything to the ground to protect against wind or over energetic children. Most will stipulate if anchor kits are provided, and it's a good idea if they are.
Additional features such as slides, plastic ball pits (the classic) and sporting accessories such as basketball rings, football goals and even climbing walls are a great way of increasing your children's interest by expanding playtime options.
