User:Anon423/sandbox/Inflatable Castle

Bouncy castles, placeholder lede...

History
One claim for invention goes to John Scurlock in 1958. Scurlock was a plastics specialist who taught at Tulane University and worked for NASA, and who also later invented the Space Walk safety air cushion, which is used by fire brigades responding to high-rise fires and stunt performers. According to his family, he was inspired in the late 1950s while designing inflatable tent covers for tennis courts. In 1958 he also founded Space Walk Inc. The family business ran an indoor amusement park in the 1980s, The Fun Factory, in Metairie, LA, but transitioned to and today continues to rent heavy-duty inflatables for occasions ranging from county fairs to children's birthday parties. The idea to rent inflatables for parties is attributed to Scurlock's wife Frances, who was running a business by 1969.

Bob Regehr is also credited for inventing the bouncy house in 1968, under the brand name Moon Walk.

As part of the space-themed toy trend sparked by the space race, 'The Moon Walk', a closed inflatable trampoline with a plastic roof designed for children's safety, was available for mail order in the 1975 Neiman Marcus catalog.

The original bouncy house was essentially an air pillow with a roof, but the hundreds of modern models include inflatable waterslides, basketball gyms, a game in which players attempt to knock each other over with a large inflatable wrecking ball, and characters licensed from multimedia franchises such as Frozen. Thousands of companies now rent inflatable castles in the United States. The market has also diversified to include lighter retail designs. By 2014, the industry was estimated to be worth $100 million.

The world's largest inflatable castle, The Big Bounce America, was certified in 2018 at 1062.252 m2. It included multiple zones, such as ball pits, a slide, inflatable forests, a basketball court, and a DJ booth. It was designed as an inflatable theme park for all ages, and toured the United States in the summer of 2019 as a traveling festival, including local food vendors and rest spaces for parents.

With adult play a growing trend, bouncy castle rentals have also seen increased popularity at weddings.

Inflatable bouncy houses, slides, pools, and other large outdoor toys for retail home use became more popular in the summer of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing a means for parents to entertain their children while maintaining social distancing. With schools and daycares closed, parents bought inflatables to occupy their children while working from home.



Invention of the bounce house is attributed to several people at different times, though roughly contemporaneous convergent invention is possible.

Slightly better sources unrelated to John Scurlock: - http://www.biha.org.uk/history-of-bouncy-castles/ - http://www.biha.org.uk/brief-history-of-bouncy-castles/ Contradicts NOLA article, casting doubt on credibility - https://iihf.ie/w/history-bouncy-castles/ also contradicts NOLA article Hopeful sources

- https://www.pipa.org.uk/pages/about-us

- http://www.moonwalkforum.com/

- http://www.sioto.org/mission.htm

- http://www.bouncycastleowner.com/ BIHA again?

- http://www.aaarides.org.au/ Australian Amusements Association (AAA)

- https://www.guidetoentertainment.net/a-houston-history-of-bounce-houses - lots of details, but awful sourcing; I don't trust them; search term "Jupiter Jump Scurlock"

The detestable self-published promotional stuff:

https://frankscurlock.com/

http://lakelawn.tributes.com/obituary/print/84198395

http://jumping.toys/history-of-bounce-houses/

Injuries
Injuries are common. According to Jim Barber, spokesman for the National Association of Amusement Ride Safety Officials, "It happens all the time. These are probably the most dangerous amusement devices they have. You see more injuries on inflatables than almost any other amusement ride you can think of – more than roller coasters."

More than 18,800 injuries were recorded in 2012 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, with an increasing trend since at least 2005. Most injuries occur due to falls or collisions with another child. Some severe injuries and a death were due to falls after wind lifted bouncy castles skyward. The most common injuries were fractures, strains, sprains, dislocations, contusions, abrasions, and lacerations. An estimated 88% of the injured were less than 15 years old. Frank Scurlock, son of inventor John Scurlock and manager of Space Walk, ascribes the increase to rising non-commercial use of inexpensive retail 'backyard' units, while bounce houses have become more common overall. The number of injuries is small, however, compared to the rate of playground injuries, estimated at over 270,000 in 2012.

While bouncy castle manufacturers adhere to voluntary standards, there is no national safety standard.

https://www.guidetoentertainment.net/a-houston-history-of-bounce-houses

https://www.cnn.com/2012/11/26/health/bounce-house-injuries/index.html