bounce houses

The Best Toddler Bounce Houses & Inflatables

Because little kids enjoy bouncing around too. Pros and Cons of various bounce houses geared toward toddlers.

A toddler playing in a bounce house
We're all happy in a bounce house

Bounce houses, or “moonwalks” as some of us still like to call them, are a classic staple at fairs, festivals, or neighborhood barbeques. But for parents with energetic toddlers, an in-home bounce house can be the ticket you need to some hard-earned rest!

Toy manufacturers such as Banzai, Costway, Cloud 9 (the Crayon bounce house folks) and others have perfected the art of the inflatable playhouse with every feature under the sun.

But with so many options, how do you choose one that’s right for you?

Don’t worry – we’ve researched for you! Use this guide to narrow your search and find the best toddler bounce house for your family.

Top 6 Best Bounce Houses for Toddlers

We’ve explored the best of the best in bounce houses for toddlers and rounded up the top six across various categories. This guide will help launch your toddler into bounceland in no time. Just keep in mind that regularly cleaning your bounce house is super important for the health and safety of your toddler.

Blast Zone Little Bopper - Best Overall

While the Blast Zone Magic Castle is its best overall seller, the Little Bopper is Blast Zone’s best seller for kids under six. The versatile design combines safety features that parents love with fun colors and shapes that kids love.

Safety features include high walls and strong netting to fully enclose all four sides, as well as a bounce floor of commercial-grade vinyl and reinforced seams to ensure no unexpected pops.

With details like the bright colors and an entry slide, the Little Bopper is a favorite with kiddos.

Setup is easy with a heavy-duty blower included in the set. The whole house inflates in under two minutes, and when deflated, folds to the size of a sleeping bag. At 5’ high, this toddler bounce house fits indoors or outdoors. Note that the blower runs continuously while the bouncer is inflated.

Pros

  • Designed specifically for children under six
  • Blower included
  • Indoor/outdoor functionality
  • Includes slide
  • Two-minute inflate time
  • Soft safety netting
  • Commercial-grade materials

Cons

  • No extra features
  • The blower is not energy-efficient

Intex Jump O Lene Castle - Best Budget

If you’re looking for toddler inflatables that do the job and don’t break the bank, the Intext Jump O Lene Castle might be the choice for you. It’s much smaller than the other bouncy houses on our list but still provides a novel play area where your toddlers can burn all that extra energy from the cake and cotton candy at the birthday party.

The castle fits two kids of up to 120 pounds combined, so it is ideal for a small family rather than a large party. The floor is cushioned with a thick, bouncy double mattress to give it bounce and protection. All Intext materials are guaranteed NoTox, and the set includes repair patches.

While the quality is slightly lower than some of our other reviewed houses, it’s an excellent option for the price. Additionally, unlike some of the larger bounce houses, this one doesn’t require a blower to run the whole time it’s inflated, making it a far more energy-efficient option.

Pros

  • Good bargain
  • Great size for toddlers
  • NoTox guarantee
  • Energy-efficient

Cons

  • Lower-quality material

Little Tikes Jump ‘N Slide Bouncer - Biggest Bounce Area

While it doesn’t have a ton of bells and whistles attached, the Little Tikes Jump' ‘N Slide Bouncer is a classic bounce house in the best way – it’s all about bouncing!

With a jumping area measuring 12’ by 9’, the Little Tikes Bouncer has the largest bounce area of any on our list. The size makes it great for a group or birthday party. Despite the size, setup takes only a few minutes with a heavy-duty blower and stakes for securing the whole set.

For safety, the bounce house includes tall walls and soft mesh netting on all sides. The material is a sturdy polyester with reinforced seams. The bouncer is relatively large but still should be compact enough to fit indoors on a bad weather day.

One drawback to this model is that you have to leave the blower on the whole time it’s in use, which can rack up the energy bill over the long term.

Pros

  • Large bounce area
  • Easy setup
  • Strong polyester materials
  • Soft mesh safety netting
  • Heavy-duty blower

Cons

  • On the expensive end
  • The blower is not energy-efficient
  • Not a long slide

PicassoTiles Inflatable Bouncer House - Best with Basketball Hoop

The PicassoTiles bouncer house is doing a lot, and kids love it. It includes a reasonably large bounce area with a basketball hoop and a side “patio” with an optional shade cover for kids to crash.

This playhouse is perfect for a sport-loving family. The set includes a basketball hoop and four different balls – a basketball, soccer ball, football, and baseball.

The general play area splits into an open space with the basketball hoop and a more enclosed space with a removable shade cover. Multiple entry points allow for free movement, and the main entrance includes a full-width slide.

Tall sides and soft mesh netting keep kids safe. The play area is safe for up to three children of 250 pounds combined or lower. Like a few other options on this list, the bounce is ideal for the outdoors but can be fit indoors in bad weather. The blower keeps everything inflated but does have to be run continuously during play.

Pros

  • Commercial-grade materials
  • Heavy-duty ETL-certified blower
  • Safety netting
  • Versatile activities
  • Includes basketball hoop and sports balls
  • Removable shade cover included for the side
  • Fairly inexpensive

Cons

  • The blower is not energy-efficient

My Bouncer Little Castle Bounce House - Best with Ball Pit

If your lil kiddo loves a ball pit, look no further than My Bouncer’s Little Castle Bounce House. This bounce house has a medium-sized high bouncing area with a ball pit (with ball pit balls included) attached by a small arch through the mesh siding. The trampoline effect of ball pit balls ping-ponging around is sure to keep the kids mesmerized. Plus, the combo creates the feel of an obstacle course and remarkably versatile and interactive play.

The bounce house set includes a non-toxic, non PVC material playhouse, ground steaks, weight bag, and carrying case. The materials are sturdy but very safe, and a soft mesh netting covers every side. The manufacturer recommends purchasing additional larger balls, which is a slight drawback.

At just 6’ tall, this bounce house can fit indoors in a wide enough space. Setup is easy, with a blower that inflates the whole thing within three minutes. The blower runs while kids play, which can drain energy or run up your electric bill.

Pros

  • Versatile activities with ball pit and bounce house connected
  • Ball pit balls included
  • Indoor/outdoor functionality
  • Non-toxic materials
  • Safety netting
  • Easy setup

Cons

  • Blower not energy-efficient
  • May need to purchase more ball pit balls

Bountech Inflatable Water Slide - Best Water Features

If you want to go all out, this might be the playhouse for your family. The Bountech Inflatable Water Slide includes a large water slide with a fun hippo design, climbing wall, and splash pool with a water cannon. The best part is that it still won’t break the bank. If this interests you, check out our guide to inflatable pools with water slides.

The slide is made of puncture-resistant 300D and 600D oxford waterproof fabric. At the top of the climbing wall, a small landing has safety netting walls to prevent falls.

The whole thing can be set up in a few minutes with a heavy-duty blower, although the blower is not included. The set consists of ground stakes, accessories to make minor repairs, and a carrying case to make transportation easy.

Pros

  • All-in-one water park
  • Heavy-duty materials
  • Safety netting
  • Climbing wall and water slide included
  • Carrying bag, repairs, and assembly kit included
  • Not too expensive

Cons

  • Blower not included
  • Blower not energy-efficient

Wrapping up

Finding a toddler bounce house can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! With the fun variety of options, sizes, and functionality out there, you can find the perfect fit for your family.

And if you don't want to buy an inflatable bounce house for your toddler, do a quick search on Google for party rentals near me - it will (hopefully) return all of the local companies doing bounce house rentals.