How Many Kids Can Fit In A Bounce House?

by Ann Mifsud

how many kids can fit in a bounce house

Deciding on a bounce house party for your kid is an amazing idea that promises hours of fun for all guests. Once you settle on the idea, you may find yourself asking a very pertinent question…how many kids can fit in a bounce house?

A Mini (10′) bounce house can hold up to 5 eight-year-olds. A Basic (13′) bounce house can take some 8 young children but not more than 4 teenagers at the same time. A Standard (15′) bounce house can support between 8 to 10 kids under the age of 8 and between 4 to 5 adolescents.

    Most professionally commercial rental bounce house companies can guide you on what size the inflatable should be depending on the number of kids you may wish to invite.

    Having said that, we want to give you a heads up before you actually contact a rental company to see whether your bounce house party idea suits what you have in mind for your kid’s party.

    When taking into consideration the inclusion of an inflatable attraction at your kid’s party, you need to roughly calculate the number of kids that will be attending in advance. This will help you know which size of inflatable bounce house you need for your kid’s upcoming party.

    Furthermore, the age and the size of the children that will be using the bounce house at any given time, need to be thought of as well. You wouldn’t want kids to bang into each other because of the limited space inside the bounce house you would have chosen.

    So here’s what to find below…

    1. How many kids can fit in a bounce house?

    Our extensive research on what experienced suppliers of inflatable bounce houses recommend, led us to clear indications on the number of users of bounce houses according to kids’ ages and size of the inflatable. These were our findings…

    Bounce House

    Average Size

    Age Range

    Number of Kids

    Mini

    10'x10'x10'

    under 8

    4 - 5

    8+

    not recommended

    Basic

    13'x13'x13'

    under 8

    6 - 8

    9 - 12

    5 - 6

    13+

    3 - 4

    Standard

    15'x15'x16'

    under 8

    8 - 10

    9 - 12

    6 - 8

    13+

    4 - 5

    Large

    18'x18'x13'

    under 13

    12

    13+

    6 - 8

    Jumbo

    20'x20'x14'

    under 13

    14

    13+

    8 - 10

    Combo

    25'x24'x16'

    28'x15'x16'

    under 13

    14

    13+

    6 - 10

    Obstacle Course

    30'x11'x7'

    (up to) 130'x19'x17'

    all

    2 (at a time)

    Slip 'n Slide

    8'x8'x10'

    (up to) 56'x18'x22'

    all

    1 (at a time)

    2. Is there a total weight limit for the use of bounce houses?

    There is a total weight limit on bounce houses. This is why kids’ ages is as important as the number of kids using the bounce house inflatable at any one time, when it comes to safety.

    The maximum allowed weight of a basic commercial 13’x13’ bounce house is 800 pounds (360 kg), whilst the standard 15’x15’ can take up to 1000 pounds (450kg) weight capacity. Large 18’x18’ inflatables and Jumbo bouncers can hold up to an aggregate weight of 1300 pounds (600kg).

    Important Tip: It is good to know that the average weight of a 5 year old is 40 lb (18kg), an 8 year old is 60 lb (27kg) and a 13 year old is 100 lb (45kg).

    Knowing how many kids you intend to invite and their approximate ages will help you put your mind at rest that you are not exceeding the maximum allowed weight.

    Pro Tip: When planning how kids will be spending their time using the bounce house, be mindful of whether you intend them to spend their time in free play, organized play, or a mix of both. This will give you an indication on whether you will be having all the kids using the bounce house at the same time or by taking it in turns.

    Of course this will only give you an estimate; nonetheless it should not be overlooked, as it will help you determine how many kids can use the bounce house at once.

    These figures can give you a rough idea of how many kids your inflatable can hold at a given time.

    Important: You should aim at providing a safety buffer by trying not to exceed 75% of the maximum weight limit.

    This safety buffer will allow for kids who may weigh more than their average counterparts when compared by age.

    The above table is a very conservative guideline for how many kids can jump in a bounce house at one time. The weight of the kids needs to be taken into consideration, alongside the fact that these kids will be jumping and tossing around within the inflatable.

    If you notice that you may be having too much weight on the bounce house at a given time, consider dividing the kids in groups. Limiting the number of kids does not mean the rest have to sit and watch. They can be having a ball in other organized games at the party venue. They then get to switch with the ones playing on the bounce house.

    If you have enough space and your budget allows it, consider renting a slightly larger bounce house than the one you need. This way, even if all the kids use the bounce house at the same time all the time, you can put your mind at rest that the inflatable is never over crowded.

    Alternatively, you might want to go for more than one bounce house. Like that, kids will automatically be divided between the different bounce houses.

    Final thoughts on how many kids can use a bounce house at a party

    If you have made up your mind to include a bounce house at your kid’s next party, you want to make sure that your bounce house can take the number of kids you intend to invite.

    There are a few criteria you may wish to keep in mind so that things run smoothly on the day of the event. Being mindful of the number of kids and their age will give you a clear indication on the size of bounce house you may want to rent.

    The table above is the best recommendation you could have to put your mind at rest. It takes into account the size of the bounce house in relation to the kids ages and the number of invitees.

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    Hi I'm Ann

    Hi I'm Ann

    Mom to three kids, I am the proud co-founder of Easy Kids' Parties. After a career in journalism and education, I diverted my skills to creating this website, with the aim of helping all those parents out there who wish to organize amazing and memorable parties for their kids but feel overwhelmed at the idea.  Discover more...

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