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Why I’ll Never Spend Another Thanksgiving Without an Inflatable!

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

Inflatables: A New Thanksgiving Tradition — Inflatables make the holidays easier for parents, and more fun for kids!

If Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday, you’re not alone! It’s the perfect culmination of food, family, and football! Whether your family is large or small, inflatable bounce houses can help make an already special holiday like Thanksgiving, even better! Thanksgiving is a time of gratitude, usually celebrated with a traditional, family-style meal. When planning for a day like Thanksgiving, one must be open minded. Sure, things might not go perfectly, but when the family gathers around the table, perfection no longer matters. When we’re surrounded by the people we love, all feels right in the world.

Food

When it comes to the food at Thanksgiving, you might associate this holiday with turkey, mashed potatoes, or pie. These are common dishes, but as America becomes increasingly diverse, so do our Thanksgiving meal time traditions. While every family is different in what they’re dishing up for the holiday, many holiday dishes like turkey, take hours to prepare. This can be big fun, especially if you love to cook!

While plenty of junior chefs will jump at the opportunity to help in the kitchen when they get the chance, Thanksgiving may not be an ideal time for kids to practice their cooking skills. In some cases kids in the kitchen can be quite dangerous, particularly when there is a boiling pot of potatoes on the stove top, and the turkey requires you open the oven for occasional basting. In these moments, an inflatable for home-use is the perfect distraction. With a back yard bounce house set up outside (or indoors if you have the space), kids can keep a safe distance from the kitchen, and have lots of fun while they’re at it!

Family

For many, family is what the holidays are all about. Whether your family is large or small, chances are you’ll be spending Thanksgiving with someone you love. This is a great time to catch up with your favorite relatives, and it allows your little ones to get to know their relatives better as well. Inflatable bounce and slide combos give kids a chance to show off for their grandparents, and it’s usually where you’ll find young cousins spending their time. Inflatables can help keep your family entertained before or after dinner, and they make for the perfect ice breaker for shy kids.

The beauty of adding an inflatable bounce house to your arsenal of Thanksgiving traditions is that it can be used all year long. Many Blast Zone inflatables can easily be set up indoors so your family can bounce whenever, in any weather. Many find that while inflatables make the holidays more fun for kids, they also make life a little easier for parents too! Kids today are more accustomed to constant entertainment. With an inflatable at your Thanksgiving celebration, you won’t find a bored soul in sight.

Festivity

Thanksgiving is a holiday surrounded in traditions. From the foods that are commonly shared on this day, to the activities that happen in between, Thanksgiving is filled with familiar festivities. It’s a holiday where establishing traditions is part of the fun, and when you find something that works, you keep it going each year! Many families celebrate in different ways, and inflatable bounce houses are a great way to amuse your little ones between football and family dinner.

Whether you’re planning on watching Thanksgiving day parades, piling onto the couch for a holiday film-fest, or simply hanging out around the house, inflatables are a great supplement to any family’s Thanksgiving festivities. With your own Blast Zone bounce house Thanksgiving will never be the same, it will be better! You might even find that when you have an inflatable of your own, you’ll break it out for Christmas, New Years Eve, or even on a random Tuesday, just because you can!

Every family has it’s own set of unique holiday traditions. Some have customs passed down from generation-to-generation, while others make the holidays their own with a modern spin on time-honored traditions. No two families celebrate Thanksgiving exactly alike. Whether your traditions are old or new, the memories made become the string that ties everything together. Once you’ve experienced Thanksgiving with a Blast Zone inflatable at your disposal, you’ll never want to go back. Inflatables are an easy way to infuse any holiday with wider smiles and belly laughs galore. Thanksgiving will be just the beginning!

Business Liability Insurance for Inflatables

December 16, 2016December 16, 2016 BlastZone 1 Comment

Our commercial grade customer base is always asking for more information on liability insurance for their inflatables. Being in the business of supplying premium quality commercial inflatables and not insurance, we found this question to be a little difficult to answer on our own.

When we decided to create a blog post about liability insurance for inflatables, we knew we’d want to get information straight from the source. We’re excited to present to our readers a guest post, written by Clark Edwards, Field Underwriter at Evolution Insurance Brokers and Prime Insurance Co.

Business Liability Insurance for Inflatables

If you charge the public for the use or rental of inflatable recreational products, it is essential that you purchase Commercial General Liability (CGL) insurance. Without liability insurance coverage, you are at risk of incurring expenses for legal defense and liability settlements. You could lose some or all of your assets in a lawsuit.

Liability waivers are not a substitute for liability insurance. Even the best waiver can be challenged, which would at the very least result in you paying for your own legal defense costs. Should it be necessary to pay a settlement, that expense would also have to come out of pocket.

In the event of a lawsuit, your liability insurance company would provide you with experienced, professional legal defense and pay any settlement necessary up to the limits of the policy. It is not possible to predict what limits of liability are adequate, but obviously the higher your limits are, the less likely it is that those limits would be exceeded by a claim settlement. If your insurance limits should be exceeded, the remainder of any settlement would have to come from your own assets. It would be wise to get prices for various limits of liability and purchase as much coverage as you are able to afford.

Here are some things to consider other than just price when looking for an insurance company to provide you with liability coverage:

What is their financial rating? (Look for some grade of an “A” rating from A.M. Best.)
How long have they been in business? Are the likely to stay in business?
What is their reputation for claims handling? Do they tend to just “roll over” and pay claims, or perhaps not pay when needed? Or do they aggressively defend claims?
Do they offer pay plans to ease the expense of purchasing coverage?

The premiums charged for this type of commercial liability insurance are often influenced by judgment factors. Commercial liability insurance is not like personal Auto or Homeowners insurance where a company’s rates are filed and fixed. Commercial underwriters can decrease or increase the premiums charged depending on how they view your business practices. For example, you can get the best rates available from an insurer by showing that you: 1) utilize well written waivers: 2) have effective written safety and training programs; 3) meet or exceed all industry standards; and 4) document good equipment maintenance practices. Demonstrating smart, careful, and safe business procedures to insurance underwriters can result in lower costs for you.

If you’re in need of Business Liability Insurance for Inflatables, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Mr. Edwards! You can find his contact information below:

Clark Edwards, Field Underwriter
Evolution Insurance Brokers and Prime Insurance Co.
clarke@eibdirect.com
(801) 304-3703

Get Summer Ready With Blast Zone Inflatables!

May 16, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

Summer is coming quickly, are you prepared? Summers are often a challenge for families. Kids are on break from school and they want some fun in the sun. Taking kids to the water park each day isn’t exactly practical, so how do you ensure that your kids are making fun summer memories the way that you did growing up? What if there was a way to make family fun more accessible? What if the place to be this summer was in your own back yard?

You can make that fantasy a reality with Blast Zone Inflatables! With inflatables, you can keep your kids entertained while also encouraging fun physical activity. You can keep kids active without even realizing that they’re exercising. You can also get hours of fun each day without the admission fees associated with amusement parks and summer fun programs. Having an inflatable at home is a great way for families everywhere to get ready for summer, and with the variety available at BlastZone.com there’s an inflatable to suit any family’s needs.

What if there was a way to make family fun more accessible? What if the place to be this summer was in your own back yard?

If you’ve got a group of high energy kids at home, a huge bounce house like the Big Ol Bouncer is perfect! This large capacity bouncer is a great way for kids to expend their energy while they’re out of school on summer break. The beauty of a backyard bounce house is getting kids outside again! Because it can hold up to six kids at a time, there’s also plenty of room for friends! You might be surprised to find that the sounds of laughter and the view of a bouncer in your yard is enough to attract even the shyest of neighborhood friends!

If a little variety is what your family craves, we have several combos with multiple features. The Sidekick Bounce House, Ball Pit, Slide and Hoop combo is always an exciting way to spend an afternoon. The colorful combo features a bounce area and a ball pit so kids can bounce and play until they’re legs get tired, and then crawl into the ball pit to practice their hoop skills. The multiple features of an inflatable combo mean that even if your little ones have different interests, there will be something for everyone to do!

Spray N Splash 2 — Bring the Water Park Home with You!

We all know that summer is all about staying cool in the heat, and if that’s your goal for the summer you are probably wondering, “what about water?” With the Great White Wild Slide, kids can beat the heat and really impress their friends! Water slides use much less water than a swimming pool would, making them a more economic option for summer fun as well. If sharks aren’t your thing, there are a bunch of fantastic slides to choose from, ranging in themes and color schemes.

If you’re looking for something to blow their minds, look no further than an incredible play park, with a bouncer, a water slide, a climbing wall and crawl tunnel all in one! You won’t need to pay to visit a water park again with an inflatable play park in your back yard. These exciting inflatables allow your kids and their friends to beat the heat and stay entertained all summer long! Because they can be used wet or dry, your family can enjoy them even as the seasons begin to change and the weather cools down.

No matter what kind of summer you’re planning, Blast Zone can help you to get summer ready with an inflatable perfect for you and your family!

Recap:

Summers are better with Blast Zone Inflatables!
With inflatables, kids get fun in the sun and plenty of exercise.
Having your own backyard inflatable cuts down on entertainment costs.
A huge bounce house is perfect for entertaining groups of kids.
Inflatable Combos give everyone something to do!
Water slides are an exciting way to beat the heat.
Inflatable play parks bring the amusement park to you with multiple features!
With a variety of choices, there is an inflatable for every family.

Plan a Memorable Birthday Party for Your Toddler

May 13, 2016May 9, 2016 BlastZone 3 Comments

When people plan birthday parties they are planning a special day not just for their children, but also for themselves. Children grow so fast, and a huge part of sharing your life with a young child is trying to slow down from time-to-time and enjoy it, even for just a day. You and your guests will surely remember the party for years to come, and look back at those early parties with fondness. Not only will your child remember more than you might expect, but those early positive experiences can have a lasting influence.

Memory and early childhood amnesia are still being studied today. While there are plenty of theories, the rules of memory retention in children have not yet been entirely decided. Just how much of life will your Toddler remember in the long run? Some say that children cannot retain memories until fluent language develops. Others suppose that young children cannot develop memories until they have developed a sense of self. A child’s memory improves as the section of the brain known as the hippocampus develops. While the average age for an adults earliest memory is around 3 years old, there are still plenty of people who report having earlier memories intact through adulthood. The capabilities for very young children to retain memories is still being studied and debated.

While your toddler may not be able to remember the explicit details of their lives before the age of 3 in the long run, the implicit memories still have a huge impact on children as they grow. Throwing an unforgettable birthday party for your toddler means that not only are you creating early childhood memories for your little one, but also that you are introducing them to new traditions which will repeat each year.

When you begin planning your Toddler’s birthday party, look to invite family and friends with children in the same age group. While younger children may not seem particularly social, it is important to introduce them to their peers so they can learn to socialize in the comfort of their parents’ presence. Inviting other toddlers also gives you the opportunity to socialize with other parents, possibly building life-long friendships for your kids.

The beauty of entertaining toddlers and young children is that you don’t need as much structure to keep them engaged. Toddlers typically do better with free play. Especially with mixed ages, many of your guests may be at different stages of play. While your toddler might enjoy playing with other children, some younger kids tend to prefer parallel play, meaning they play on their own beside other children.

You can plan for some party games, but be sure to keep them simple and easy to understand. When you are thinking of games keep in mind that your party guests will likely have varying degrees of sensory and motor development. For this reason, it is a good idea to make sure that games are fun without putting much emphasis on competition or prizes. Games like “pass-the-ball” or “follow-the-leader” are classics, but you can also experiment with group activities instead of games, such as coloring pages or easy crafts like paper masks.

It would also be a great idea to have some open play areas set up for the kids who may not be ready for guided play, or who don’t get into the party games. An easy way to do this is setting up a soft play area or a bouncer like the the Magic Castle Bounce House, which is a staple at many toddler parties. The Magic Castle is perfect for toddlers. It is also nice and compact which means it can be used indoors or outdoors. Because the Magic Castle can support three kids at a time, it makes for a great way to entertain your toddler and their friends. If you have a larger space for your party and are looking for a bouncer to accommodate more children, the Big Ol Bouncer is another great option for a toddler’s birthday bouncer.

When it comes to feeding your toddler-guests, easy finger foods are your new best friends. Keep things cute by cutting sandwiches into cool shapes using cookie cutters. You get food in fun shapes, and sandwiches are generally easy to make in a variety of flavors. Other easy toddler-friendly foods include pizza, bite-sized fruits and veggies, cookies, crackers, and juice boxes.

When it comes to a toddler’s birthday party, a big concern for hosts is entertaining the adults. If you have a bounce house set up, the toddlers will likely entertain themselves. It would be a good idea to have some entertainment or good conversation lined up for the parents, as well as some better food. Most of the time parents will keep themselves entertained on their own, by interacting with children and other grown-ups as well. Even so, it can’t hurt to think proactively and try your best to make sure that between the toddlers and the adults everyone has a good time. And as always, adult supervision is important in monitoring safe play, with or without a Bounce House.

Recap:

Toddler Birthdays are about making memories.
It is possible to plan a party that your toddler won’t forget.
Invite other toddlers.
Toddler parties don’t require as much structure to keep kids engaged.
Keep any games or activities simple.
Finger foods are your friend.
Be sure to keep your grown up guests in mind.

Spring Staycation: 5 Ways Inflatables Make Spring Break Even Better

March 14, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

5 ways inflatables make spring break better!

Spring break is coming up quickly, are you ready for it? When it comes to spring break, fun-and-sun is the name of the game. The seasons are turning and the weather is slowly beginning to warm up. While some families use spring break as an opportunity for travel, many opt to use this time for a little at-home adventure also known as a staycation. A staycation means staying local and enjoying your vacation time from the comfort of your own home.

These days families are busy and their schedules are not always perfectly in sync. While most school aged children receive a spring break each year, getting time off isn’t always as easy for adults. Staycations are an excellent way to accommodate families when their schedules don’t perfectly align, or when travel expenses become too much of a burden.

Staycations are typically lauded by parents but dreaded by kids. Why? To some, “staycation” is seemingly synonymous with “Boring!”. When kids think of the word “staycation” they may be imagining an uneventful week in front of the TV, but with an inflatable you can change the meaning of the word.

During spring break, kids want to get outside and enjoy the warming temperatures. What better way to facilitate that than turning your own backyard into an amusement park with an inflatable? School will be far out of sight and mind the minute your little ones lay eyes on their bouncer or inflatable play park. If it’s warm enough, a water inflatable can make spring break feel more like summer.

We’ve got 5 ways inflatables can help make this year’s spring break staycation more fun! Grab your camera, because with the help of an inflatable you can make your family’s staycation one to remember.

Inflatables mean kids have a reason to get out of the house. A week or two off from school means a couple of things. It means sleeping in, it means no homework, and for some it means all of the TV and video games a kid could dream of. To some extent, there is no harm in a little on-screen entertainment. TV and video games aren’t entirely unproductive, but there is a whole world outdoors that goes unappreciated by plenty of young people. With an inflatable at your disposal, kids can spend some quality time outdoors bouncing and soaking up some vitamin D.

Parents save on travel expenses. A spring vacation is a great time to travel, but with a family in tow the costs can really add up. With an inflatable you can skip the admission costs altogether because you’ve got your own amusement park in your back yard! With an inflatable like the Shark Park 10-in-1 play park by Blast Zone, kids can spend the day bouncing, sliding, crawling, and climbing. Bringing the amusement park home with you means fun for your family without lines or crowds of people to slow them down.

There is room for friends. For a lot of kids, one of the highlights after a school break is sharing their experiences with their friends. Kids will typically offer excited retellings of their spring break happenings, but the best way to share the fun of spring break is to experience it together. With most Blast Zone inflatables, especially the larger ones like the Magic Castle Ultra 12 or the Ultra Croc, there is room for company! Because these inflatables can support several children at a time, and the eye-catching colors never fail to draw people in, friends and neighbors flock toward the fun!

Kids stay active while on break. There is a certain temptation during school breaks to place a large emphasis on relaxation. While yes, spring break is absolutely about taking a break from school and homework, it is also a great time to get moving. While television and digital media are great ways to spend some of your staycation, with an inflatable you might find that kids have better things to do than watch videos all day. An inflatable is a great incentive to get kids to stay active, and most of the time they don’t even realize they’re doing anything other than playing.

Inflatables last beyond spring break. When you consider an inflatable to ramp up the fun during spring break, you should keep in mind that the beauty of buying a bouncer is having it at your disposal for future events as well. This is especially significant considering that when spring break hits, it means that the warm summer weather is on its way! If you think inflatables make spring break better, just wait until summer vacation hits!

Once you have your own bouncer, it’s yours to use as you wish. This means birthday parties, family gatherings, or even just a little after school or weekend bouncing is made possible without any need to plan ahead or make reservations. You’ll never need to rent another bounce house again, and in the long run it really pays off.

Planning an epic spring break doesn’t have to be a burden. You can skip the travel planning and the associated costs without leaving your family stuck in the house with nothing to do. With inflatables, spring break is full of fun and it’s easy too. Setup is a cinch and inflatables typically pay for themselves after just a handful of uses. Before you know it, you’ll be watching your little ones bounce and slide in the sun. You may even be tempted to join them!

Throw a Princess Themed Birthday Party

March 1, 2016 BlastZone Leave a comment

When you’re young, a birthday is that one day a year where your family treats you like royalty. If you’ve got a little princess with a birthday coming up, you can make her big day extra special with a princess themed birthday party. Princesses are like celebrities to young girls. They look up to fictional princess characters in awe and admiration. Hosting a princess party for your girl means she and all her friends get to be something like a celebrity for a day.

Princess Parties are a treat for your little princess and all of her friends as well. While Princess-themed parties are fairly common, the beauty is how flexible the theme is. A great princess party can come in the form of a daytime bash or a sleepover. The details are key. As long as you’re able to put a royal spin on things, you’re set.

Start of by choosing a date and a venue. Typically themed parties are easiest to accomplish at home, but you may find a venue willing to work with your theme and help make the party magical. You’ll want to create a guest list and send out invitations about 3 weeks ahead of the party, giving guests plenty of time to RSVP. Be sure to inform guests of the theme and let them know if costumes are allowed or encouraged.

Once you have the “who?”, “what?”, “when?”, and “where?” decided, you can officially start planning for decor. Knowing the layout of your party space will allow you to plan your decor according to the princess theme. When it comes to a themed party, the decor is essential in helping party-goers get into character. It helps to create a plane of imagination where party guests really are princesses, and you want that feeling to last as long as the party does. You can use tulle, streamers and balloons to transform your room, with accents and details to focus the onto the princess theme .

For a princess party, simple ways to keep your theme are to utilize a royal color scheme. Gold or Silver with accent colors of your choice is a great way to capture the elegance and luxury of royalty while still decorating with a color scheme that your little princess will love. Pink is a popular color among princesses, but unless you’re throwing a surprise party, ask your princess for her input!

Your little lady may be more enthusiastic about decision making that you’d think. Ask her to help with decisions regarding decor, food, and activities. This allows her personality to really show through. It ensures that she’ll love her party, and allows her friends to get a feel for who she is and what she likes. You can have her help choose the food or simply serve her favorites. The beauty of a princess party is that you can choose pretty much any food. At a princess party, presentation is everything. You can find plastic great party ware that mimics the look of fine silver or check for fancy-looking serving trays at thrift stores.

Entertaining your princesses doesn’t need to be difficult. Give them the royal treatment. Recruit some helpers if possible and create a glam station. Use body glitter, stickers, barrettes and stick-on jewels to help guests get into character. When guests get settled in, they can be transformed into princesses with party favors like crowns or tiaras and DIY wands made with art supplies like popsicle sticks and construction paper. You can keep princesses entertained with games like pin-the-kiss-on-the-frog-prince and pass the poison apple (think “hot-potato”). Classic party games like musical chairs can also be made to fit the theme with the right music.

Many birthday parties include a bouncer and your princess party need be no different. The Princess Dreamland Bounce House by Blast Zone is the perfect scene for a royal ball. Princesses can check their wands at the door and then bounce, twirl, and dance the day away. Good luck getting them to come out before midnight! Turn on the tunes and watch them go. The Princess Castle Combo comes with a slide, and can be used with water, adding another element to their royal regalement. Of course, adult supervision is important in monitoring safe play, with or without a Bounce House.

Don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting more excited about hosting the princess party than you may have initially intended. It can be a lot of fun and the magic of make believe can be contagious. Have fun with it and don’t be too caught up hosting to enjoy playing along a bit. Finally, be sure to take plenty of photos. A princess party is the kind of affair you won’t easily forget, but it is also definitely an occasion worth sharing. When you see your little princess all decked out with her favorite friends, you’ll want to take plenty of pictures.

Recap:

Themed Parties put a fun twist on an otherwise ordinary birthday celebration.
A Princess Party is a great way to make the birthday girl feel extra special.
Select a date and venue, and make sure they can accommodate a themed event.
Set up your royal food and decor.
Put a fancy princess spin on your games and entertainment.
Have fun and take plenty of photos.

Inflatables: The Perfect Toy For Toddlers

February 19, 2016October 31, 2016 BlastZone 1 Comment

Young children can be hard to shop for, especially toddlers. While there are plenty of developmental toys on the market, at the rate that toddlers grow it can be hard to find the perfect toy to suit their development for more than a few months. Between the ages 2 years and 5 years, physical growth begins to slow from infancy, while children’s cognitive development picks up. In addition, their sensory and motor skills also start to develop. Toddler Jumpers are the perfect toy as kids start to explore their space. A soft and compact bouncer is just the thing as they start crawling, walking, jumping, and climbing.

When it comes to choosing the perfect inflatable for toddlers, space and price are both things to be considered. With the Blast Zone Little Bopper, you get an amazing quality toddler bouncy house with a compact size and price. Its portable size means it can be used indoors or outside, or can be taken with you just about anywhere. As long as you have an electrical outlet nearby, you have a space for your Little Bopper Bounce House.

While the Little Bopper has a great price and a nice, compact size, there are also larger options if you are looking for a bounce house with a bit more growing room for your toddler. The Magic Castle is not only larger, but also has a higher weight capacity. While the Little Bopper can support children up to 75 lbs each, the Magic Castle Bounce House can support children up to 100 lbs each. This makes the Magic Castle Bounce House another great option for a growing toddler. The Magic Castle is still compact enough to fit inside for indoor bouncing, while being big enough to offer some growing room.

The Magic Castle and the Little Bopper can both support 2 or more children, making both bouncers perfect for times when your toddler might have company, such as a birthday party or play date. Little ones love to be active, and a bounce house is the perfect toddler toy to facilitate that. As kids start learning all of the cool things that they can do with their bodies, they’ll jump at the opportunity to test it out. With a bouncer, you can rest assured that any failures to launch will be met with an air supported bounce surface, keeping kids comfortable as they experiment with their development.

Recap:

A bounce house is the perfect toy for Toddlers.
Compact bouncers like the Little Bopper mean big fun and portability in one package.
Bouncers are great for solo playtime or for fun with friends.
Toddlers love exploring their development by walking, running, climbing and jumping.
A soft bouncer facilitates the Toddler’s sense of adventure.
A soft landing surface gives parents peace of mind while Toddlers are on the move.

Throw a Pirate Themed Birthday Party with a Pirate Inflatable

February 3, 2016 BlastZone 2 Comments

Themed parties aren’t just for grown ups. In fact, kids might actually be more impressed by a well executed themed party than anyone over the age of twelve would be. Themed parties can be just as structured and memorable as a regular birthday themed party, if not more.

Planning

The first step in planning a Pirate themed party is to select your date and venue. You’ll want to plan around other community events and any other potential birthdays. Scheduling conflicts with other parties can mean your guests only show up for half of the party, if they come at all. While for some this may be guesswork, you can try to avoid this awkward situation by asking a few of the parents you plan to invite. Throw out your desired dates to see if it would work for your perspective guests. If it seems open for the majority, it’s probably safe to start planning.

If you are thinking of holding the party at a venue, you’ll want to call ahead to confirm they’ll allow your themed decor and games. Typically, your own home or backyard is a great place to hold a themed birthday party because you have no limitations on decor or entertainment.

You’ll want to create pirate themed invitations and send them with plenty of time for guests to clear their schedules and then RSVP. For birthday parties, it is generally recommended that you send out invitations 3 weeks ahead of time and request an RSVP one week before the party. This gives people time to move things around in their schedules if needed, and you have a week to follow up with people who have not yet responded. Be sure to send a themed invitation, and mention on the invite that it is a themed party. This allows them to come prepared. If costumes are encouraged, let your guests know in the invitations!

When planning a themed party, the theme should go beyond just the decor. You’ll want to see that theme in all aspects of the party, including food and entertainment. While Pirate themed decor is easy to find at most party stores, you can stretch your budget by choosing a color scheme to go along with your theme. In addition to the standard plates, cups, and napkins, you can use an ocean theme to keep your decor cohesive. You can use blue cloths with fishing net thrown on top to create a sea-themed table covers, and use party beads or costume jewelry as treasure to be laid out strategically.

The final part of planning an amazing Pirate themed birthday party is to plan the food. You can create your own pirate themed creations or go with some pre-packaged options like Pirate’s Booty and Chips Ahoy cookies. For a fun home-made creation, try filling a punch bowl with sprite, sugar, water and coconut extract for a yummy island punch. To mimic ocean water, you can add a drop or two of blue food coloring.

Execution

On the day of the party, be sure to set up the food and decor ahead of time so that all of your guests get the full experience. Placing the finishing touches as guests arrive may help to save on time, but it can away some of the magic. You may notice their excitement building as your guests look around and see your commitment to the pirate theme. As people arrive you can pass out eye patches, pirate hats or other pirate themed favors. Passing out an eye patch for each child is great because it encourages kids to get into character. You can also hang a list of pirate lingo and encourage all guests (parents included) to speak like a pirate. Getting silly with the kids is a sure way to loosen up any accompanying adults who may feel uncomfortable, especially if you don’t know each other as well as the kids do.

A good party is nothing without awesome party games. You can create a fun pirate themed twist on most classic party games like pin the tail on the donkey. Try pin the “X” on the treasure map instead. A treasure hunt is also a fun way to get kids working together. Even games like a three-legged race can be piratized by simply changing the name! Games are a great idea for some guided fun, but you can also keep it simple with free-play or hired entertainment.

A great party needs entertainment and choosing the entertainment for a themed party doesn’t have to be a huge challenge. The standard options are still there, just with a pirate themed twist. A clown is only an eye-patch away from being a pirate clown, and balloon animals can be swapped for balloon swords! And what is a birthday party without a bouncer? A Pirate Themed inflatable from Blast Zone such as the Pirate Blaster should do the trick! With a bouncer and slide, your party guests have their very own pirate ship to play on.

When you’re throwing a themed party, the number one rule is to make sure that you enjoy it! Themed parties are sure to set the celebration apart from an ordinary affair no matter how far you decide to take the theme. It can be great fun planning and making sure that the details are on-theme, but it doesn’t have to be perfect. Have fun with it and take plenty of photos! Your Pirate party is sure to be an unforgettable event for you and for your guests, and the photos will be a treat to the family and friends who couldn’t make it!

Recap:

Themed parties are fun and memorable.
A Pirate Theme is a classic recipe for adventure.
Select a date and venue, and make sure they’re Pirate-friendly.
Set up your Pirate themed food and decor.
Put a Pirate spin on your games and entertainment.
Have fun and take plenty of photos!

5 Creative Ways to Use an Inflatable at Home

January 4, 2016January 9, 2018 BlastZone Leave a comment

5 creative ways to use an inflatable.

To some people the appeal of a bounce house is a mystery. Perhaps for lack of personal experience, some might wonder why it is that kids flock to something so simple. The primary objective in a bounce house is to bounce, which could raise some questions among the non-believers. “What’s so fun about that?” they might ask themselves. If you have ever experienced an inflatable bounce house while growing up, you probably get it.

Remember the excitement and curiosity that struck you the first time that you spotted a bouncy castle? From afar it’s a colorful palace that appears to be made up of giant balloons! Up close it’s a safe place to get silly, play games, and defy gravity all at once! Once inside, you’d quickly realize that bouncing was just the beginning. For children, this magical, giant balloon castle could open the windows and doors of your mind. Bouncing definitely happens, but it happens in between the fun and games that are inspired by the bounce house.

Bouncers are not just good for jumping up and down repeatedly, they inspire all kinds of creative play for children. If you’re not convinced that there is more to a bouncer than just bouncing, check out these 5 creative ways to use an inflatable at home.

Set The Stage!

1. Hold a Talent Show or a Dance Contest, using your inflatable as the stage. Arrange a few chairs in front of your bouncer for the viewers. Short on playmates? Mom and Dad, or even a few stuffed animals and toys can act as the audience or judges as the little ones take turns showing off their stuff. With a raised bounce platform, an inflatable makes for an excellent stage. The Superstar Inflatable Party Moonwalk is big enough for one star on the “stage” or for a group performance. The soft bounce platform is great for gravity defying dance moves and the mesh walls allow for visibility from all sides.

2. Have a look-a-like contest. While everyone is inside of the bouncer, call out animals or their favorite characters to imitate. You can draw animals and characters out of a hat or make them up as you go along. One by one, call out a character or animal and give everyone playing time to do their best imitation. The bouncy element adds to the fun and also helps kids really get into character, especially when imitating jumping animals like a frog or kangaroo.

To add a competitive element, grant points to the best imitation each round. Have an adult or extra player stand outside to judge and keep score. The player with the most “best imitation” points at the end of the game wins!

3. Play Crack the Egg. Have everyone playing form a circle in the bounce castle, while one person sits in the center. The person in the center is the “egg” and must curl up into a ball, wrapping their arms around their knees. Using their powerful bouncing legs, the surrounding players bounce around the “egg” trying to get them to let go of their knees, thus cracking the egg.

4. Try some classic games like Red Light, Green Light or Simon Says. Many of us remember these classic games played outside with family or neighborhood friends as children. Both games call for a leader, while the rest of the participants follow the instructions given. In Red Light, Green Light the leader instructs players to bounce and then freeze. When the leader calls out “green light!” everyone starts bouncing. As soon as the leader calls out “red light!” everyone must freeze. Anyone who moves is “out” and the last player “in” wins!

Similarly, with Simon Says the leader is Simon and must speak in third person. When the leader says “Simon says bounce in a circle” everyone must bounce in a circle. The players should listen carefully because they only want to do what Simon says. If the leader simply tells them to sit down on the bounce floor, but does not include “Simon says…” it doesn’t count. Anyone to follow an instruction given without “Simon says…” is “out”. Much like Red Light, Green Light, the last person “in” wins!

Have an adventure in the world of make believe!

5. Play make-believe, using your inflatable to create the world around you. The coolest thing about watching kids as they play is how they can utilize their surroundings to create an entire world of make believe. Inflatables can help to set the scene for many epic adventures.

You’d be amazed to see how easily an adventure develops with an inflatable. The Misty Kingdom can easily become a fortress or a grand palace for your royal highnesses. The Pirate Blaster becomes home to the toughest swash-bucklers on the seven seas! The Rainforest Rapids means kids can spend their days exploring the canopy with monkeys, snakes and sloths! Because the only limitations in the world of make-believe come from within, the possibilities for play are endless.

Guided play is great, but for most kids all you need is a little inspiration. Blast Zone Inflatables are about more than just bouncing. They offer inspiration and an environment that encourages creativity and playfulness.

Recap:

Bounce Houses may seem like they only serve one purpose.
There is more to an inflatable than just bouncing.
There are many different games that can be played in a bouncer.
Game ideas include talent shows, athletic games, and classic games like Simon Says.
Inflatables inspire imagination and creativity.

Bounce Away the Rainy Day Blues: A Guide to Using Inflatables Indoors

November 24, 2015April 18, 2018 BlastZone 1 Comment

Bounce away the rainy day blues with Blast Zone! — Bounce away the rainy day blues!

Rain, Rain, Go Away. Or stay all day, we’ll still get to play! This is the cheer you’d hear if you had an inflatable. We get asked all the time, “can you put a bounce house inside?” The answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!”

Gone are the days where a rainy day meant kids sat at the window, watching listlessly as the rain poured down outside. We live in an age where modern homes are equipped with indoor entertainment. Television and video games may pass the time, but they don’t leave much room for expression. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. While consumable media may be a quick and easy means to an end, getting kids up and playing is an end in itself.

Children can sit for hours without realizing that there is rain falling outside because they are tuned into their screens and tuned out of the world around them. This is no way to sharpen their minds. As the rain starts to roll in, what kids need is true interactivity. If you give kids something awesome to play with, they will create a narrative to go along with it. They don’t need to be spoon fed a storyline the way they are with television or video games. They have the gift of imagination, something that many adults don’t have.

When people think of bouncers, they think birthday parties or community events. These are the bouncers of the past. Today, Blast Zone inflatables come in a wide range of shapes and sizes that allow for a multitude of different uses. One of the many uses being bouncing around at home. Maybe it’s rainy outside, or maybe it’s too hot to play outside safely. Weather conditions definitely play a big role when considering using an inflatable indoors, but perhaps the weather isn’t the reason. You don’t need any reason in particular to set up inside, all you need is a little space.

Rainy days are better with bouncers… Inflatables offer more creative freedom than TV or Video Games…

Making Space

When you’re considering setting up your inflatable indoors or thinking of purchasing a bouncer to be used inside, the first thing to consider is location. Where will you be setting your inflatable up? In a playroom? A basement? Living room? There are no rules! Just be sure to measure your area before hand to ensure that you have the space. We typically recommend at least one foot of extra space on either side of the inflatable to provide a little bit of wiggle room. Even when they are anchored, bouncers tend to move around a bit when they are in use.

In addition to the wiggle room allowed on each side, keep in mind that the blower attaches in the back of most inflatables (though some inflatables feature the blower attachment on the side). You should allow five to six feet of room behind the inflatable for the blower. When you’ve figured out how much available space that you have indoors, compare that with the measurements of the inflatable on our website. The Magic Castle and the Little Bopper are both compact favorites for indoor use.

You can find the inflated dimensions for each item in the “specs” section of the product page. Alternately, you may contact the Blast Zone support team for that information by calling 877-889-4685. Keep in mind that the dimensions on the site cover the inflatable, but you will want to add the additional 1 foot of space for each side plus the 6 feet of space for the blower when determining the fit.

Anchoring

Once you’ve determined where you will set up your inflatable and which bouncer is going to be the best fit for you, it’s time to set up. When setting up an inflatable, the primary concern is safety. Always make sure that your inflatable is properly anchored. When you’re using your inflatable in the grass, you can anchor it using the yellow anchoring stakes but on solid surfaces such as carpet you will need to anchor using weight.

Sandbags for indoor anchoring can purchased for a discounted price when they are added on with the purchase of an inflatable. Our sandbags can be filled with about 25 lbs of sand per each bag. You may not know how to anchor a bounce house indoors, but its as easy as connecting your bounce house to the easy-to-use sandbags.

Placement

Now that you’ve got your inflatable in it’s place and you’ve anchored your inflatable, you can finish setting up. You may have noticed that your setup instructions warn against setting inflatables up on carpet. The general reason for this is to keep you mindful of the surface that you are setting up on. Some carpeted surfaces can be very hard, such as industrial carpeting without padding, but most homes use a standard type of carpeting that is much softer. The main point of the precaution is to advise against using on hard surfaces.

If you feel you’d like additional padding around the entry way, you can also place a blanket, folded or otherwise, to your liking, underneath the entry ramp. Generally, we advise the use of common-sense safety practices at all times. If your location seems unsafe for any reason, do not set up your inflatable there! This would include very hard surfaces, area rugs that are not secured onto the flooring, obstructions, cramped spaces, etc.

Save your furniture from becoming a jungle gym!

Ready, Set, Bounce!

That’s it. You’re ready to have some fun. Simply attach and turn on the included blower and you’ll have an indoor bounce center right there in your own home! If you’ve found a dedicated spot for your inflatable such as a playroom, you can leave your inflatable there between uses. Simply switch off the blower and let it deflate until the next use. If you’re using common living areas for temporary bouncing, you can fold it up when you’re done and store it in a closet or under the bed. It fits neatly into the included storage bag so you don’t have to think about it when it is not being used.

Rainy days don’t have to put a damper on the fun, and your little ones can keep moving even when outdoor play is not possible. Kids get to expend some of that boundless energy, flex their mind-muscles and your furniture maintains its appropriate use instead of becoming a rainy day jungle gym. With indoor bouncing, everyone wins!

Recap:

Rainy days are better with bouncers
Inflatables offer more creative freedom than TV or Video Games
A wide selection means there is a bouncer to fit in most homes
Weighted anchoring and soft carpet surfaces allow children to bounce indoors safely
Having a bouncer means your furniture won’t become a jungle gym