Worlds Largest Bouncy Castle
Posted By: ENTS STORE | Posted Date: Tuesday, January 30, 2024
How did bouncy castles go from an inflatable tennis court cover to a GUINNESS WORLD RECORD breaker.
According to the Guinness World Records the largest Bouncing Castle is 1,421 m² (15,295.51 ft²) and was achieved by JUMBO JUMP (Pakistan), in Karachi, Pakistan on 20 November 2023 with a capacity of 200 people.
But who first thought of getting some air tight material, sewing it together and adding a blower so that kids could safely bounce and play?
According to BOUNCE USA the first inflatable structure was designed in 1959 by John Scurlock in Shreveport, Louisiana who was experimenting with inflatable covers for tennis courts when he noticed his employees enjoyed jumping on the covers.
picture courtesy: BOUNCE USA
He was a mechanical engineer and liked physics. Scurlock was a pioneer of inflatable domes, inflatable tents, inflatable signs and his greatest achievement was the invention of the safety air cushion that is used by fire and rescue departments to catch people jumping from buildings or heights.
The name given to such structures varies around the world such as: Bounce Houses, Bouncies, Moon Bounces, Astrojumps, Moonwalks, Jolly Jumps and Spacewalks. Brinca Brinca is another name commonly used by Latinos, is Spanish for Jump Jump. Bouncy Castles or Inflatable Castles are used in Ireland, the UK, New Zealand and parts of Australia. Air Playground Equipment is used in Japan, and Jumping Castles in Australia, Canada, South Africa and Arizona in the United States.
Article: Paul Hanna
Photos: Times / Bounce USA