Written by Lindsey Bruggerman
It seems like just yesterday I was canceling all the plans I had for my daughter’s 1st birthday party (thanks COVID 2020) and now here I am writing about her 3rd!
Time is a thief, and I can’t believe her 3rd party is over. It was the BEST day, and perfect for my daughter who is still learning social skills that she missed out on while the world was shut down for half of her life. When trying to figure out a plan for this party, I knew that there would need to be activities that she could do alone—we’ve done the princesses before, and that just didn’t work for her.
So I decided to go simple and brought in a bounce house (we used Jump Into Bliss).
Having never had a bounce house party before, here’s a few tips and tricks for other bounce house newbie parents hosting a party.
XO,
Lindsey
- Measure your backyard
Most bounce house companies offer multiple sized options, so even if your backyard is a little small don’t assume you can’t make it work! (See Amy’s recent birthday party for a small bounce house option that was perfect for her small backyard)
Also, we say backyard, because it’s much trickier to find vendors who will set-up bounce houses at parks, so really backyard parties are best for easy booking of bounce houses. Also, they’ll need access to a plug, so be sure to have a free outlet nearby (they do have extension cords, but just be aware of the cords!)
- Have the themed selected before you book
Anyone else remember when bounce houses used to be just the three primary colors?
The solid color options are so abundant now—we went with a white one for my daughter’s Candyland themed party, but they’re so versatile to fit into any theme! Jump Into Bliss had a unique option with sheer white curtains as well as the classic castle style bounce house that we went with—I also saw they have a hot pink bounce house that would be so fun for a Barbie themed party, just saying! 😊
- Book balloon décor
Guys, the balloon trend is so worth it!
Plus, if your kids are anything like mine and want to keep celebrating their birthday for a few days/weeks after the party, the balloons last long enough to make their birthdays last longer than Hannukah.
Air-O Dynamic was the vendor we used, and it was beautiful.
Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting, but it completely elevated the party and really brought my theme of Candyland together. If you aren’t a Pinterest mom, balloon décor is for you!! Honestly, it breathed life into the theme without me having to piece together little tiny details from Party City, Amazon and a crafting attempt that as a mom of three, I just don’t have time for.
Be sure when booking your balloons to let them know if you want them to attach to a bounce house; there’s a special type of adhesive they use that makes it easy to remove! (Also, another hack—they set-it up for you, so you don’t have to fiddle around hanging balloons.)
PS: With Arizona sunshine, even in the spring/fall, balloons can still pop easily in the sun. If you have the space, position your bounce house where it won’t have full sun on the front side. Or, tell your balloon vendor so they choose lighter colored balloons instead of dark ones that heat quicker.
- Have an outdoor carpet outside of the bounce house
Bounce houses request shoes not be worn while jumping.
The outdoor carpet was a nice landing strip for kids to have a place to take off their shoes before jumping in, and helped from getting dried grass stuck to their feet after they were done jumping (and dragging it into my house!).
- Pad the pick-up time
Having vendors come back to tear down after the party is over is worth it’s weight in gold, but be sure to pad the pickup time a little bit so that after the real party is over, your kiddos can continue to bounce while you clean up the party a little less interrupted, plus they can use up some of the sugar high they’re sure to have gotten!
For more birthday ideas, check out our other birthday bash posts
