As summer approaches, we prepare ourselves for those familiar seasonal scenes; someone wearing a themed apron struggling to light a barbeque, your neighbour hosing down everything in sight and your children high on excess daylight. If you are scratching your head as to how you can contain your kids’ hyperactivity this summer, consider hiring a bouncy castle. Invite all their friends around, stir up some iced drinks, and sit back while they bounce away the long evenings. Before you phone the bouncy castle hire service, make yourself aware of the following pointers:
Location
Before you find yourself looking at a giant PVC castle outside your window, make sure you have a flat, debris-free, pet-poo-free zone in your garden. Allow for a space of at least four feet around the castle.
Logistics
The bouncy castle hire service will deliver and set up your bouncy castle for you. Set up usually takes between 15-30 minutes and this includes a safety check. The bouncy castle will run off a regular power socket and will not consume an enormous amount of electricity.
Weather
Some bouncy castle hire services offer rain covers for their inflatables. Rain covers are suitable for light rain however in the event of extreme weather, such as high winds and heavy rain, the bouncy castle will have to be switched off.
Health and Safety
Behind every fun activity, these two words wait for their chance to pounce out and bite you, but not if you are prepared. Make sure your bouncy castle is not more than three years old and it is manufactured from flame-retardant PVC. Ask the bouncy castle hire company if they provide safety mats; these are special non-slip mats that are placed in front of the bouncy castle. Assign an adult supervisor and inform them of the potential hazards to look out for including: equipment failure or disconnection, litter blocking air vents, falling and slipping, injury caused by bad behaviour, entrapment, overcrowding and electrical hazards.
Insurance
Ask the bouncy castle hire service what type of insurance cover they offer. Most will offer cover in the event of an accident caused by faulty equipment. They generally do not offer cover for injuries caused by improper behaviour on the castle, because the hire is carried out under the agreement that adult supervision will be in place at all times.
Finally, when your bouncy castle is up and running, go over the rules with the kids. Tell them about the no-shoes rule and the maximum occupancy rule. You may need to discuss how long each person’s turn should be. Also, tell them to be aware of the smaller kids when they are leaping around.
This article was written by Jenna Crotty who recommends www.dublinbounce.ie for bouncy castle hire.