Invention of Bouncy Castles

A bouncy castle (also known as an inflatable castle or, in the US, a moonwalk) is an inflatable edifice, traditionally mimicking the appearance of a castle. It is used for entertainment, typically by young children. Participants enter the structure, usually situated outdoors, and can jump about on the springy walls and floor of the interior, bouncing about rather like on a trampoline. We often hear children frequently referring to them as jumping castles, regardless of whether they actually have a castle shape.

The bouncy castle was originally designed by university students in England around 1961 for a fundraising event. Bouncy castles are now available not only in castle shapes, but also in many others including popular cartoon, movie and childrens' book characters. New variations on the general design have resulted in inflatable slides, interactive games and climbing walls. The variety of shapes has made them popular with some installation artists.

The surfaces of bounce houses are typically composed of thick, reinforced PVC and nylon, and the castle is inflated using an electrical or petrol (gasoline) powered fan, known as a blower