Discovering ways to keep kids amused at a party or barbecue isn't always straightforward particularly if you have a group which vary in age.

That said, I always found that a bouncy castle solved the problem! The youngsters (and adults!) would bounce and have a great time for hours no matter how old they were. It is great fun and a great workout - the down side is the hassle and the cost of having to hire one for each party.

Then I realised that you could actually purchase a bouncy castle, which would bring a great deal of fun for the youngsters on a more regular basis and which in the long run cost a whole lot less. So that is what I did as did a couple of my friends. We all purchased bouncy castles, so, we have got together and written a review of each one.

Bouncy Castle Review 1:-

Castle Inflatable Bounce House With Slide By Inflatable Impressions

I bought this for my two youngsters aged 3 and 6 years respectively and they think that this bouncy castle is the best thing ever and I have to say I agree with them!

The first thing to say about the inflatable bounce house is that it is not too big. so, if the weather turns against you you can let the kids play on it in a basement or a garage. It also means you don't have to have a massive very big yard to use it outside either!

I discovered that three youngsters can bounce happily without bumping into each other. My only issue is that the entrance opening is only held together with Velcro and if a child should fall against it they might fall out and injure themselves - I fixed this by placing a blow up mattress outside!

It comes with its own "blower" and inflates speedily, it is also very fast to dismantle again. The blower is not overly noisy and certainly keeps good air pressure inside the bouncy castle while the youngsters play.

I was pleasantly surprised that for the price this bouncy castle is very well made and seems to be very robust. One purchase I have no regrets about!

Some Important Facts:

Dimensions: 12' X 9' and 7' High

Maximum Players: 3

Maximum Weight: 250lbs

Inflation Time: 2 Minutes

Comes with: UL blower motor, ground stakes and carry bag.

Bouncy Castle Review 2:-

Blast Zone Magic Castle Inflatable Bouncer By Blast Zone

My friend bought this for her small son and his friends, here is what she had to say about this bouncy castle.

The Blast Zone Magic Castle Inflatable bouncer is wonderful quality for a reasonably low cost. The colours are bright - exactly as you see in the promotional photographs!

It has high, net outer walls which are ideal for safety and the platform for bouncing on is lovely and flat.

It can be put up in no time at all and put away just as fast. The blower is a little aggravating - it sounds a bit like a hair-dryer, but after a while you tend not to notice it too much.

I have allowed up to 4 toddlers playing happily in this bouncy castle but for the older kids I put a limit of two at a time!

My small moan would be that on a hot summers day the youngsters have no protection from the sun - their hats come off when they bounce! A detachable sun screen would be an ideal addition. My second grumble is the amount of power the blower uses, boy does it spin the meter round but, such is life!

Overall we are all very happy with our bouncy castle and look forward to many hours of enjoyment for years to come.

Some Important Facts:

Dimensions: 8.5' W x 11' L x 8' H

Maximum Players: 3

Maximum Weight: 300lbs

Inflation Time: Around 2 Minutes

Comes with: UL Blower and Stakes

Bouncy Castle Review 3:-

Ultimate Combo Inflatable Bounce House By Bounceland

My second friend bought this Rolls Royce of bouncy castles for her three youngsters it looks impressive but what did she and her kids think?

WOW! That was my first word when I saw this bouncy castle fully inflated in the back yard. Then OMG! that slide looks high!

The honest truth is that this is the most appreciated few hundred bucks I have ever spent because the kids spend hours entertaining themselves in their bouncy castle.

It goes up and deflates quickly and simply and appears to be manufactured to a high standard using excellent quality materials. The blower I find a little noisy but I suppose is par for the course.

The actual bounce platform is quite small but there are so many other bits to this bouncy castle that the kids can spend ages playing and never bounce once! The additional activity areas include a ball bit, basketball hoops, the slide (which I have to say does have safety netting at the top) a tunnel as well as areas to climb.

I have had 6 small children to play in this bouncy castle without any hassle but I would say that this will vary depending on the size and age of the youngsters.

This has been a fantastic investment, the children love it and can play for a long time - we had our first birthday party the other week with the "new bouncy castle" and it went down a treat. Who needs to pay for entertainment when you can have an Ultimate Combo Inflatable Bounce House in the yard!

Some Important Facts:

Dimensions: L 12 ftxW 10 ft xH 8.5 ft.

Maximum Players: 4

Maximum Weight: 400lbs

Inflation Time: Less Than 1 Minute

Comes with: Strong UL Blower

Whilst we all encourage our kids to have fun and they all love their bouncy castles safety has to be a priority. Please follow all the manufactures instructions carefully and ensure that there is always adult supervision.

I hope that these reviews have been useful and help you decide which bouncy castle to purchase for your little terrors.