If you’re wondering whether a backyard bounce house is worth the investment, my answer is an easy yes.
Over the past few years, our family has owned two different inflatable bounce houses—a traditional dry bounce house and a colorful water slide bounce house—and they’ve easily become some of our kids’ favorite outdoor toys. They’ve been the highlight of birthday parties, summer afternoons, and countless playdates.
While we love both, they each serve a different purpose. One has been perfect for our younger kids, while the other has completely transformed our backyard into a mini water park during the summer.
In this post, I’m sharing our honest experience after owning both, including the pros and cons of each and which one I’d recommend depending on your family’s ages and how you plan to use it.
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Our Favorite Backyard Bounce House
If I could only recommend one bounce house, this would be it.
We originally bought it for my daughter’s Lisa Frank birthday party, and it ended up being the biggest hit of the day. (If you’re planning a colorful party, be sure to check out my Lisa Frank Birthday Party Ideas for all of our decorations, DIY projects, and party inspiration!)
I love that this bounce house can be used with or without water. During the summer, we simply attach the included water hoses with the Velcro straps, connect the garden hose, and in just a few minutes it transforms into a backyard water park. When we don’t want the water feature, it works just as well as a regular bounce house.
See the inflatable bounce house with slide and splash pool we recommend.
The kids especially love the two slides, bounce area, splash pool, water sprayer, squirt gun, and ball pit, so there is always something to do. We’ve used it for birthday parties, family get-togethers, and everyday summer fun, and it has been worth every penny.
Why We Love It
- ✔️ Works as both a dry bounce house and water slide
- ✔️ Easy setup (about 5 minutes)
- ✔️ Two slides and multiple play areas
- ✔️ Perfect for birthday parties and summer afternoons
- ✔️ Keeps several kids entertained at once
👉 Shop Our Favorite Bounce House on Amazon
Best Bounce House for Younger Kids
Although the water slide bounce house is our favorite overall, I still absolutely love this one for younger kids.
We bought this bounce house a few years before adding the water slide version, and it has been one of the best backyard purchases we’ve made. My kids still get excited every time we inflate it.
One of the things I love most is that it isn’t just a bounce house. It also has a fun tunnel to crawl through, a fort-like play area, a climbing wall, and a smaller slide that has been perfect for younger kids. It gives little ones several ways to play instead of just bouncing, and I’ve always appreciated that it feels less overwhelming than some of the extra-large inflatables.
We’ve used this bounce house for birthday parties, family gatherings, and everyday afternoons outside, and it has held up incredibly well over the years.
Why We Love It
- ✔️ Perfect for toddlers and younger kids
- ✔️ Bounce house, tunnel, fort, and slide all in one
- ✔️ Easy to set up
- ✔️ Great for everyday backyard play
- ✔️ Has held up for years
🛒 Shop Our Favorite Dry Bounce House on Amazon
Why We Decided to Buy Our Own Bounce Houses
One of the biggest reasons we decided to buy our own bounce house was because of the cost of rentals. In our area, renting a bounce house for a birthday party typically costs $300–400. When we realized we could actually buy one for around the same price, the decision was easy.
We loved our first bounce house so much that my mom bought the same one for her house, and before long, we ended up with one at our house too! It has been one of our favorite purchases for birthday parties, summer afternoons, family get-togethers, and neighborhood playdates.
Then, when I was planning my daughter’s Lisa Frank birthday party, I found the colorful water slide bounce house that matched the party perfectly. We set up all three bounce houses—our original one, my mom’s, and the new water slide bounce house—and it turned into the ultimate backyard party. The kids bounced, climbed, splashed, and played for hours, and it was easily one of the biggest highlights of the day.
Looking back, buying our own bounce houses has given us so much more value than renting one for a single afternoon. We’ve used them again and again, making memories long after the birthday parties were over.
🛒 Shop Our Family’s Favorite Bounce Houses
These are the two bounce houses our family has personally owned, used, and loved for years.
🎉 Our Favorite Water Slide Bounce House
🏰 Our Favorite Dry Bounce House for Younger Kids
Final Thoughts
If you’re thinking about buying a backyard bounce house, I can honestly say it’s been one of the best investments we’ve made for our family. Between birthday parties, summer afternoons, family gatherings, and everyday play, we’ve gotten so much use out of ours over the years.
Whether you’re looking for a bounce house with a water slide or a great option for younger kids, I hope our experience helps you find the perfect fit for your family. No matter which one you choose, you’re creating a fun way to get kids outside, active, and making memories together.
🎉 See Our Bounce Houses in Action
Looking for birthday party inspiration? We’ve used our bounce houses for several of our favorite celebrations over the years! Check out these party ideas to see how we’ve incorporated them into our backyard parties.
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