Limited Options

Although rental companies will show you different variations of jumping castles or obstacle courses to choose from, you will most likely be limited by the amount of space you have, meaning you won’t be able to have more than one or two at your home. Smaller spaces may limit to one small bounce house eliminating obstacles or slides that are usually more popular. This is OK if you are having a smaller gathering, but if you are expecting a good number of kiddos, it might be difficult due to the limited capacity of the play arenas. Kids might be waiting around for their turn most of the time they are at the party, which means you will have to come up with more supplies and ideas for additional entertainment.

The nice thing about renting a facility that is built for these large playhouses is that they have plenty of space for plenty of slides, castles and much more. Some indoor play centers even offer multiple rooms that may have different themes or inflatables in each one. Another plus is that party venues often have arcade games or other activities, along with the inflatables. This would be best if you have older children that may get bored more easily doing the same thing throughout the designated “play” time.

Cost

The cost for each option can vary depending on how much you want to DIY at home or if you want to have everything done and ready to go for you. If you are renting the inflatables to bring to your home, you will also need to purchase food to put out or catering services. You also have the cost of decorations, drinks and goodie bags. Gathering and coordinating can be very timely not including the time spent cleaning before and after the party. To cut down on these costs, look up easy DIY decor or coupons for your local stores.

Places to have a birthday party for kids may seem spendy, but unlike bouncers for rent, most of the time they include more than just entertainment. Kids’ birthday party venues often offer packages that range from your basic food and drinks to food, decorations and take-home treats all included, so that you don’t have to worry about a thing. This option may save you money and will definitely save you time. Plus, if you have a bigger budget, some rental facilities have add-ons for purchase, like themed parties, pinatas, etc.

Watch the Weather

As much fun it is to have a backyard birthday party, it can quickly be ruined by bad or even windy weather. If you are having most of your entertainment indoors, this isn’t a problem, but if you have inflatables for rent set-up, you now have no option but to keep that outside and go to Plan B. If having your party outside, make sure to keep your eye out and have some backup games, just in case weather doesn’t stick to the forecast.

Climate-controlled arenas provide ease of mind that the party will be dry, not too hot and not too cold. The kids can play and jump around as much as they want without having to worry about putting on more layers or watching for thunder clouds.

Supervision Requirements

Renting is a good choice for you if the rental company you use offers to have a supervisor on premises during jump hours or if a parent has volunteered to watch the kiddos while they play. However, if the company does not offer that service or only does at a hefty price tag, this may not work for you and your budget. A great way to get around this is having the parents take turns supervising, but keep in mind that this takes away from their event experience and you also may not have a lot of adults stay to help, as many parents just drop their child off at the party and then pick them up afterwards.

Indoor playgrounds or indoor arenas are required to meet inflatable ride requirements, meaning they will always have trained staff to help you watch and ensure your children are being safe. This is usually no additional cost or is built into the overall cost of the rental.

Duration

When renting equipment, you will most likely be charged by the hour, with minimum or maximum requirements. This is completely fine if you only need the play area for one or two hours. If you want the kids to be able to play, eat, open gifts and then go back to playing though, this may be out of your budget due to the amount of hours you would need to rent the bounce houses. Take a look at your budget and ask around for estimates to decide what fits your party best.

Not doing an inflatable bouncer for rent may allow you to have a longer duration for play time without the extra cost. Venues set specific hours for each event and don’t take away the entertainment while the kids move on to other things. Public spaces, like parks, will probably be more lenient on your end time. Private spaces, on the other hand, are strict on the hours paid for, since other renters may be showing up right after you.

Setting and Cleaning Up

Unless a company specifically states they will provide a set-up and clean-up service, it relies solely on you. Most will provide instructions for tasks, since set-up is crucial for a safe and fun experience. You will also want to look at the policy of returned items. It can cost you if any of the equipment is returned dirty or damaged in any way. If you rent, the best way to protect yourself from damage or cleaning fees is to let all jumpers and climbers know of the rules and keep any food or drinks away from the play area.

Inflatable attractions are ready to go when you arrive! Set-up and clean-up are all a part of your rental contract so you don’t have to worry about blowing up the inflatables correctly or leaving behind a mess and having to pay extra. This is true for most, if not all facilities, but still make sure to read through your contract and know what is expected of you.

Whether having the birthday party in the comfort of your own home and yard or renting out a spacious venue, your family will have the best time running around and jumping high in the sky on inflatables. Go through this checklist to see what fits your party style, time restraints and budget best! If you still have questions or want to see indoor rental options, visit https://www.pumpitupparty.com.

Indoor Activities

There are plenty of activities you can do right in the comfort of your home. Indoor play is especially needed in states that have harsh weather this time of year. One great idea is building a fort! I’m sure you remember gathering all the blankets and pillows in the house when you were younger and building a secret fortress. This activity keeps the kids entertained for hours, plus they can use it throughout the day and night, watching movies and playing games. If you are looking for something new to do, try a homemade archaeological dig. You can do this with brown sugar as the sand, or you can fill a bucket with water and treasures, place in the freezer and then chip away once it’s frozen for a dig in the ice age! Lastly, maybe your family loves to put on a show. Go ahead and have the kiddos use their imagination and create their own play or puppet show to show the rest of the family. This activity will keep everyone happy and doesn’t require any extra materials.

Outdoor Fun

If it’s a warmer day outside, a healthy way to play and avoid screen time is getting outside to burn off some energy. Here are some fun outdoor activities for kids! You can do arts and crafts in the driveway with chalk, create a hopscotch path or obstacle course to do with children around the neighborhood. If you enjoyed the archeological dig from above, similar outdoor activity is a treasure or scavenger hunt. You can help them out by hiding toys around the lawn or you can create a list of things that are already found in your backyard.

Another fun idea that the whole family can participate in is a car wash! Kids love to help when they are having fun doing it! Have an adult supervise to make sure everyone is being safe, but allow the kids to have fun covering the car in suds and spraying away the bubbles.

Arts and Crafts

Kids love to use their imagination and are crafty with all types of things. Some easy arts and crafts for kids to make are puppets, firework art or paint in a bag. For the puppets, all you need is an old sock and some markers. Firework art and paint in a bag both involve washable paint but aren’t too messy. For older children try the fireworks. Take a toilet paper roll, cut one end a little over half to create a type of fringe. Dip in the paint, swirl on canvas or paper, and voila! For toddlers, paint in a bag is perfect. Place small amounts of different colored paint on a plain piece of paper. Once you have five to seven paint spots, place the paper in a large Ziploc bag, and seal it tight. Then your little ones can smush the paint around all they want without the mess on their hands or your surfaces.

Still looking for ideas? Try making homemade airplanes out of art materials. Paper, popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners are some great options to make sure your plane flies high inside and outside!

Active Play

Staying active is the best strategy for finding kids’ screen-free activity ideas. This can be done indoors or outdoors. Going for a bike ride or hike are nice ways to get outside and work in some physical activity. You can even play a game of eye spy on your hike to make it more challenging. If it’s a colder day, try taking the family to an indoor play center. Places like Pump it Up offer a safe environment to play in, with larger-than-life inflatables and obstacle courses, the kids will have a blast. Lastly, maybe the kids are tired of the same old stuff. Encourage them to try something new, like learning to rollerblade or ice skate. Maybe even learn the rules of a sport they haven’t tried.

Bring Joy to Others

This is the best time of year to give back to your community and bring joy to others. Have the kids go through their toys and make a pile of things they don’t play with anymore that they can donate to a local charity. You could make a nice meal to go drop-off to a family member or friend. A handwritten note is a nice touch to add! The meal and card can also be a nice way to celebrate a birthday. Make a calendar of your family member’s birthdays and create a special card just for them. Finally, if your kiddos love animals, local animal shelters accept volunteers to come in and help out for the day.

Family Fun

After a long day at work, it’s nice to have some quality screen-free family time. You and the kids can play games, go on nature walks or pack up a picnic to enjoy in the park. Games always get people excited and ready to play. Short games that don’t require a lot of set-ups, like Minute to Win it, are an easy way to go.

An activity that is something different and you don’t do often is look at old family photos. Kids love to see pictures of their elders when they are their age and think it’s funny to see the old fashion and hair trends. Take some time, dig out the photo albums and take a ride down memory lane together.

Although it may not always seem like it, kids love to have some screen-free fun with friends, family, or just by themselves. Try out some of these activities and let us know which ones were your family’s favorite! For even more family fun and kids’ activities, check out – https://www.pumpitupparty.com/blog/outdoor-activities/

Breakfast

Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie

A quick and healthy breakfast choice for kids of all ages (or for yourself!) is a smoothie. You can make a smoothie almost out of anything but a yummy option that is different from the typical fruit mixture is an oatmeal cookie smoothie. To make it easy, just place all the ingredients on the counter and have the kiddos use the measuring cups, and place everything in the blender.

Ingredients: oats, pumpkin pie spice, milk or milk alternative, vanilla yogurt, brown sugar

Snack Break

We all know the best time during the work or school day is snack time. If you have children attending school from home, you may not always have the same break times as they do so it’s nice to have snack ideas that are under five minutes to make and not too messy. A great option is apple granola snackers. Pre-slice the apple and cover each slice with peanut butter. Then the kids can have their fun covering the slices with granola, raisins, or cinnamon.

Ingredients: apples, your favorite type of granola, cinnamon, peanut butter

Lunch

Lunchtime comes and goes quickly so a tasty lunch that you can premake is always nice. Especially if it is a meal that everyone in the family can enjoy. Pinwheels can be made the night before and can be made with different ingredients to fit each person’s favorite flavors. Typically they are made on a tortilla with a cream cheese spread, then topped with sandwich meat and veggies. While making them, have your child or children pick out three toppings each from what you already have in the fridge, place in the tortilla, wrap them up and refrigerate. During lunch, all you have to do is slice a couple of pinwheels and you are good to go!

Dinner

Kabobs

After a long day, it can be hard to work up the energy to make a full dinner so kabobs could be the solution. Kabobs will make everyone happy whether they are a fan of a good steak, vegetarian, or vegan. These are an especially great option if your family likes to grill! Even though the kids will have to keep their distance from the hot grill, they can still have just as much fun making the kabobs and placing the ingredients on the sticks, and handing them off to the cooker.

Ingredients (make it your own!): peppers, chicken, steak, onion, sweet potatoes

Mini Lasagna Cups

Wanting something a little more hearty for the wintertime? Try these yummy lasagna cups. Pasta dishes can be hours of preparation and cook time, but this recipe allows for this classic Italian dish to be served up in smaller portions. That way you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing out tons of leftovers!

No matter the cravings, you can make mealtime the best time for the whole family. Cooking at home and together will help you bond, eat healthier, and save money by staying in and not eating out. For exact measurements or more family meal ideas, visit www.foodnetwork.com.

Establish a daily routine

The most productive way to make sure that you and the little ones get work done is to make a regular schedule so that everybody knows what is required of them at what times. During school breaks, such as lunch, recess, or snack time, try to plan certain activities. If possible, set up your lunch break with your kids so that all of you can share a meal together. But assign an activity for each day for the smaller breaks. For instance, your kiddo could watch cartoons during their break on Fridays, and then they can work on a puzzle on Mondays.

Looking for activities outside the home? School or city supported sports, theater, or art programs are a great option, particularly for after virtual school. But these programs can fill up quickly when many parents are searching for alternative daycare options, so make sure you sign up early!

Expectations

Much like it will help your family stay on track by creating a daily routine, so will setting expectations for the entire family. It’s important that you, as well as your entire family, set goals for yourself, work, and family time. This can also help line up vacations and winter breaks between school and work.

If you do get the chance to line up vacations with winter school breaks or other time off, a local staycation is always a fun choice. It’s a fun way to help local museums, entertainment venues or zoos when exploring your hometown!

Finding childcare

When many parents face the challenge of a work and school overlapping and most daycare centers shuttered, they are searching for different childcare options. If you are looking for active camps to keep the kids busy, your local Pump It Up is a great choice. Pump It Up provides Open Jump or Camp Pump It Up. Both of which allow for supervised open play without having to rent out the entire facility. There are also some wonderful programs funded by the park and recreation department of your local community that will guarantee that your child is having fun when you are busy at work.

Family, relatives or in-home daycare are other options for childcare. Friends or family members may have children the same age and are happy to arrange playdates at home so you can work for a few hours in peace. You can return the favor and take turns if they need some time to focus as well. Also, in-home daycare is a nice option for those looking for a professional caretaker. Often they have fewer children at once and are state-regulated.

Other ways to get it to work

If you’ve been through the list and are still having some difficulty, consider a solution that is closer to home. When you work, your kids can find plenty to do without them having to come to you every few minutes. Encourage them to play outdoors if the weather allows for some fresh air! If your children are too young outside by themselves, try a different activity. Letting them pick their favorite movie and meal for their “lunch” period in the afternoon is fun and will keep their attention for hours. This will not work for every day of the week, of course, but it is a great choice for a little extra treat once in a while.

Finally, looking for a place to join family or friends and have the kids play while you all focus on work? You can rent a private venue! This may sound pricey, but if you split the price with family or friends facing the same problem you are, the price will drastically decrease. Indoor facilities like Pump It Up offer an indoor playground with larger-than-life inflatables that are sanitized after each event for the health and protection of your child.

We know that these days have been full of change and it’s not easy to adapt to working from home with little ones, but you are sure to find the best match for your family with these ideas. For more information about how Pump It Up camps and services can provide supervision and fun memories, visit https://www.pumpitupparty.com/.

You read the article carefully to make sure you can do it, assemble your supply list (what’s another 20-ish items and a new tool…after all, you’re creating memories) and trek to the store. In your mind you have a plan of attack that would make even the best CEO or football coach jealous. Nothing can stop you now. You’re well on your way to winning the award for world’s best parent.

Well, nothing except the fact that most of the posts on Pinterest or sites like it are done by professional party planners, super crafty people, or others with too much time on their hands or a combination of all.

Don’t worry. You’re not alone. In fact, you’re in the majority. We even made this to make you feel a little bit better.

What’s your most epic DIY fail? Let’s have a group therapy session in the comment section below!

A Smash Cake

The best part of any kids 1st birthday party is watching the young guest of honor enjoying their cake. And by “enjoying their cake” we mean smearing it all over their hands, face, the table and anything else that is within arms reach. With that in mind, rather than giving them a slice of a larger cake that all the guests will partake in, why not give them their own smaller version to have fun with?

Smash cakes have become all the rage for moms wanting to do just that. The best part? They can fit any theme you want. Most local bakeries now offer them but if you’re feeling adventurous, here are some great tips on how to make your own homemade version as well.

Photography is Key

While your kid might not fully remember their 1st birthday party, you’ll definitely want a way to share with them just how much fun they had. Plus, you’ll want a way to remember and share just how cute your little one was on their big day. In a world where it’s easy to share our memories digitally, it’s important to get the right photography. Whether it’s a friend with the family camera, your significant other with the iPhone or hiring a professional photographer, you’ll want to have all angles of the day covered so you have the perfect keepsake from an important day!

A Second Set of Eyes and Hands

If you’re playing party host or hostess it’s going to become incredibly difficult to deal with the guests needs, serve food and mingle as well as take care of your special birthday child. Asking for help is key. Have a grandparent, significant other, trusted babysitter or friend help with one of the two roles — we suggest have them run the party so you can focus on your little one — that way you can make sure everyone’s needs are taken care of.

Balloons!

Babies love balloons. Balloons are great for kids birthday parties. It’s a perfect marriage. Just make sure that you get the right kind of balloons. Avoid the typical latex balloons as they pop easily and the pieces become extreme choking hazards for your tiny guests. There are plenty of foil options available that are more visually appealing to young children and also eliminate the potential hazard.

Take it Easy

Don’t plan a four hour soirée with multiple course meal or a shindig with hundreds of guests either. Keep things simple and short. Babies get tired and bored easily. Don’t over plan in an effort to make things “perfect” for your little one. They’ll have a good time if you do and if you’re relaxed. Really, for them they’ll want to make a mess of the cake and move around with the other kids. Don’t make things so complex that you can’t enjoy the day because if you don’t, they won’t.

What You Need to Make a Great Kids 1st Birthday Party