Rivka Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I was all set with the idea that Santa would bring our 2.5-year-old a mini trampoline. Then I made the mistake of showing my husband this. It's a small version of the bounce houses they rent for parties, about 6 feet square. $120 plus $30 shipping. We have a storage room off the playroom where we could set it up. I showed it to my husband saying, "We're not going to get something like this, right?" and his eyes lit up. He thinks it would be awesome. I kind of think it would too, BUT. - Holy cow, $150 for a two-year-old's Santa present. It's not that we don't have the money, it's that it's much more than I would normally spend. - I feel like it would have to be for both kids, or there would be terrible jealousy. But we've already bought my daughter's Santa present, an AG doll. If it's for both of them, he doesn't get something of his own from Santa. If it's for him, he's going to want to be able to tell her she can't play on it. - Part of me thinks they'd love it. Part of me thinks they'd bounce in it for ten minutes at a time and then go on to other things, and we'd be stuck with this giant plastic thing. - I can't help thinking that this is just not the sort of thing that normal people have in their houses. It seems so over-the-top. (My husband says: "Yeah, over-the-top AWESOME.") What says the Hive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 If I had room for it, I'd buy it. BTW, we have a mini trampoline and my boys love it. It gets daily use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Over the top AWESOME. They will never, ever, forget the year you got it. And, my littlest dude bounces *everywhere* he does not walk, there is no such thing, and would be in it every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest submarines Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 My neighbour had this when her DD was 3, and mine was 3 as well. They both loved, loved, loved it. What kind of a mini trampoline? Like a rebounder? They cost just as much, and are much more dangerous for a 2-3 year old. (And if you go for a cheaper model, they are unstable, not very bouncy, and don't last). But maybe we are talking about different trampolines. I'd suggest to DD that Santa would want her to share. :D This really can't be a gift for individual use, can it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unicorn. Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! They'll love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peachskittles Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I want one for me. :lol: I would totally get it for my 2 1/2yo if I had the funds. A mini trampoline is my other option that I would get for him so that would be a tough choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtnTeaching Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 What a great way to get the wiggles out year-round without having to worry about getting too hurt! Our basement ceiling would be too low, but if you have the room, this looks like a blast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 If they'd had it when mine were little, we would have bought it. I know it would have gotten a lot of use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Your little guy won't know how much things cost this year. You can buy him another little toy to make things even with her getting the doll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JessieC Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 It would be cool, but the sensible part of me says to go for the trampoline. A mom I know has one, and her kids are 6 and 7, and she says they still use it all the time. It is the one that has a bar on it to hold onto, and it's pretty bouncy. Plus then you don't have to worry about the sibling issues. Your husband sounds like the opposite of mine, who thinks he can whittle a couple of animals out of wood and the kids should be happy with that as their present. Yours sounds more fun. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forget-Me-Not Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Go for it. My friend and her DH picked one up randomly at a garage sale for a steal and their kids LOVED it and used it all the time. In the summer they'd spray the kids with hoses while they jumped. Maybe put the AG doll away for her birthday in April (assuming that's a birth date in your siggy) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 My 2yo would love one of those BUT the two reasons I wouldn't buy it - I hate large stuff like that in my house - the ones I have seen the airblower has to be turned on the whole time they are using it and it is LOUD and I couldn't stand the noise - I don't know if this one is like it though. We have a mini tramp that has the handle bar across it to hold onto -our 2yo loves that - however on the bouncy castle they get far more jumpability - they can really roll around. I took my kids to a place that had those bouncy castles becaue I thought 2yo would love it - he went on for 2 seconds and refused to go near it again - it was too unstable for him and he didn't like it. This is a kid that jumps on EVERYTHING at home and hangs upside down from the wardobe bars :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 - the ones I have seen the airblower has to be turned on the whole time they are using it and it is LOUD and I couldn't stand the noise - I don't know if this one is like it though. This is what I was wondering. If it's a quiet airblower and you have a room that isn't part of your regular living space then yes, I would get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Good question about the air blower.... Oh, one thing if you get a mini tramp. Explain to your kids that they are NOT to lie under the trampoline and try to hold it up while the sibling jumps on it. Broken bones will occur as a consequence. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We actually had one of those for years before I finally got rid of it. I found, honestly, that I rarely got it out for them to use unless it was a "special occasion". It was such a pain in the rear to unroll and set up and then reroll and put away that when it was down & they wanted to use it I generally wouldn't want to do it. Perhaps being able to leave it up all the time will help - are you willing to leave it unrolled and ready to inflate non-stop for the next couple of years? If it is out, it is easy to setup (which is nice) - even the kids can just plug it in and blow it up in a few minutes. Also, usually mine would just play with it for under 30 minutes and then be done for days/weeks (after the first "glow of newness" wore off, that is). Your older child is going to get more use out of it than a 2yo, so I'd agree with it being a joint gift. The good news is that if you keep it indoors and keep sharp objects off of it, it should last years and years!!! We got ours used, kept it for several years, then sold it on to someone else. :) My 5yo & 7yo boys are pretty rough on things, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Your little guy won't know how much things cost this year. You can buy him another little toy to make things even with her getting the doll. :iagree: Definitely get it, and get something inexpensive for your little guy so he and his sister both get the same number of gifts. My ds had something very similar when he was little, except that it also had a ball pit, and he LOVED it. His eyes lit up on Christmas morning, and he used that thing constantly. Your kids will love it! BTW, we also had a mini-trampoline and ds never used it after we got the big bouncy thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 (edited) Over the top AWESOME. They will never, ever, forget the year you got it. And, my littlest dude bounces *everywhere* he does not walk, there is no such thing, and would be in it every day. :iagree:I'm slightly biased, as I bought this Little Tikes 8"x8" Bouncer last week. It's for up to 3 kids up to age 8 with a combined weight of 250 lbs, so I figure we'll get lots of use out of it over the years for birthday parties in addition to playdates. I'd been contemplating for months and finally bought it. If you use code CCBD2011 you get an extra 5% off which brings its current total to about $175 w/tax. I don't mind the airblower. It comes w/a duffel bag that was roomy enough that I didn't have to struggle to get the bouncer and the blower in. Edited December 12, 2011 by AndyJoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJoy Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Your little guy won't know how much things cost this year. You can buy him another little toy to make things even with her getting the doll. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Do it! Sounds fun. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I would buy it. Go for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We had one (outside) and it was awesome. But, like mentioned, your choices are to roll and unroll it every time or leave it running. Do consider the electric cost of leaving it running all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2att Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We had one of these when my boys were small. It was great for birthday parties and playdates! We don't have a house big enough for it so we kept it in the garage and dragged it outside when the weather was nice, or just set it up in the garage if not. It really got a good bit of use and was quite durable, very worth the approx. $125 we paid for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunD Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I totally would, except my MIL beat me to it. All the grandkids love it. No, they don't jump as long as we would like considering the time spent setting it up every time. But they're kids! They're not going to get engrossed in something every afternoon. If you can live with the idea of them jumping a few minutes at a time (after the initial newness wears off) then go for it. It sounds like it would make your DH just as happy as the kids! Get the little one something else "big" but not expensive to even things out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I think this would get way more use than a mini-trampoline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amydavis Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I'd get him something small, to serve as his individual gift from Santa. Then, I would still get the bounce house as a joint gift. They'll love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 Could you get both? The mini trampoline for the 2 1/2 yo for daily use. The large jump house for a gift to split and special times, playdates, birthday parties and such. Really my friend who did have the space for a large jump thing mostly used it for playdates and even then would run it for a little while then turn it off then later turn it on again. While the trampoline might get daily use. I know we had a slide inside and when I had one that age and it was used daily till they wore it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmvaughan4 Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 There is this small trampoline too. It looks pretty nice and has good reviews. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We have both, get the mini trampoline. The bounce house is very cool and my kids love it but it has to be plugged in and turned on. When it is on, it's loud (louder than a fan on the highest setting). My girls have a lot of fun with it but it really isn't very practical when they just need to go bounce around for a few minutes and blow off steam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigger Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I'm biased - instead of the bounce house thing, I got DS a jumpolene since it had sides, but was smaller and didn't have a blower to worry about. He loved it and it lasted a couple of years. The link I posted is $49 and shipped on Prime for free. Intex, the company that makes the jumpolene, also has a colorful castle jumper similar to the one you posted - no blower - and it's also $49 + shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeturn Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 We've had an indoor tramp with handle for years and the kids still use it. A friend had one of the bouncy houses. It is loud and the fan must be running for it to be inflated. If you have a place to leave it out and just turn it on when they want to jump then that might work fine. In my house they would likely turn it on, jump a bit, run off and leave it running for long periods of time (which would drive me nuts), but as soon as I turned it off come running back to repeat the cycle. On the other hand, my 4yo has a special affinity for bounce houses. He spreads out a blanket and gets out the vacuum cleaner to pretend. We really should get him one but we have no space for it. I agree that he will have no idea of cost. If you go for the bounce house then get him another small Santa present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted December 12, 2011 Author Share Posted December 12, 2011 You guys are so helpful! I really appreciate everyone's thoughts. I didn't multi-quote all the "Yay! Awesome! Fun!" comments because there were so many of them, but it can be hard for me to let go and be that fun person so your encouragement definitely helped. Maybe put the AG doll away for her birthday in April (assuming that's a birth date in your siggy) That's a really intriguing idea! But my mother already bought dresses for the AG doll as her gift, which means that I'd have to ask her to re-shop. My 2yo would love one of those BUT the two reasons I wouldn't buy it - I hate large stuff like that in my house - the ones I have seen the airblower has to be turned on the whole time they are using it and it is LOUD and I couldn't stand the noise - I don't know if this one is like it though. We have a mini tramp that has the handle bar across it to hold onto -our 2yo loves that - however on the bouncy castle they get far more jumpability - they can really roll around. I took my kids to a place that had those bouncy castles becaue I thought 2yo would love it - he went on for 2 seconds and refused to go near it again - it was too unstable for him and he didn't like it. This is a kid that jumps on EVERYTHING at home and hangs upside down from the wardobe bars :001_huh: It sounds like your feelings are a lot like mine. The blower does have to be constantly on, and although the ad copy says it's "quiet" who really knows. It would be in the storage room off our basement playroom, though, which is about as far from the quiet parts of the house as you could ask. Still, realistically speaking, the 2yo isn't going to want to hang out in the storage room without Mommy. We have tried bounce houses at the fair and at a birthday party, and both kids loved them. So the general idea, at least, is pre-approved. Oh, one thing if you get a mini tramp. Explain to your kids that they are NOT to lie under the trampoline and try to hold it up while the sibling jumps on it. Broken bones will occur as a consequence. Oh. My. Gosh. File that one under "things I never thought I'd have to say..." I hope everyone recovered smoothly! We actually had one of those for years before I finally got rid of it. I found, honestly, that I rarely got it out for them to use unless it was a "special occasion". It was such a pain in the rear to unroll and set up and then reroll and put away that when it was down & they wanted to use it I generally wouldn't want to do it. Perhaps being able to leave it up all the time will help - are you willing to leave it unrolled and ready to inflate non-stop for the next couple of years? If it is out, it is easy to setup (which is nice) - even the kids can just plug it in and blow it up in a few minutes. Also, usually mine would just play with it for under 30 minutes and then be done for days/weeks (after the first "glow of newness" wore off, that is). Your older child is going to get more use out of it than a 2yo, so I'd agree with it being a joint gift. The good news is that if you keep it indoors and keep sharp objects off of it, it should last years and years!!! We got ours used, kept it for several years, then sold it on to someone else. :) My 5yo & 7yo boys are pretty rough on things, too! Very helpful, thanks! Was the blower super noisy? I think that if we shifted things in the storage room around we could leave it unrolled. Because I can easily see myself turning down their requests to play with it if it meant that I had to clear a space, get it out of the closet, and unroll it. When it's down, is it kind of like a big mat? Could you walk across it to get to the other side? It's good to hear how durable it is. You're right that it would probably have resale value. I'd get him something small, to serve as his individual gift from Santa. Then, I would still get the bounce house as a joint gift. They'll love it! This option never occurred to me, but it's very sensible. He even pointed out some big cheap trucks when we were buying Christmas decorations at Marshall's. Hmm. We have both, get the mini trampoline. The bounce house is very cool and my kids love it but it has to be plugged in and turned on. When it is on, it's loud (louder than a fan on the highest setting). My girls have a lot of fun with it but it really isn't very practical when they just need to go bounce around for a few minutes and blow off steam. So it turns out to be more of a special event kind of thing than a daily play kind of thing? That makes sense. I'm biased - instead of the bounce house thing, I got DS a jumpolene since it had sides, but was smaller and didn't have a blower to worry about. He loved it and it lasted a couple of years. The link I posted is $49 and shipped on Prime for free. Intex, the company that makes the jumpolene, also has a colorful castle jumper similar to the one you posted - no blower - and it's also $49 + shipping. Tigger, I was actually looking at the jumpolene first. I was deterred by the number of Amazon reviewers who said that the seams came undone and that it only lasted them a couple of months. If I could be sure that it would last as long as yours, I'd buy it in a heartbeat! We've had an indoor tramp with handle for years and the kids still use it. A friend had one of the bouncy houses. It is loud and the fan must be running for it to be inflated. If you have a place to leave it out and just turn it on when they want to jump then that might work fine. In my house they would likely turn it on, jump a bit, run off and leave it running for long periods of time (which would drive me nuts), but as soon as I turned it off come running back to repeat the cycle. That's what I'm picturing too! Your husband sounds like the opposite of mine, who thinks he can whittle a couple of animals out of wood and the kids should be happy with that as their present. Yours sounds more fun. :) :D Let me tell you, he was a lot more enthusiastic about spending $$$ on a bounce house than on a historical doll. I'm going to have him read all these responses, but then if he still thinks it's a great idea I'll go along. I don't want to be the killjoy - and I don't want to shoot him down when he gets excited about a Christmas thing, given that I am usually the one that does the gift planning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 I would totally get that if I could hide it in the house somewhere, my kids were little, and we lived with long winters (which we do). If you think giving it to one would be a problem, I would make it a joint gift and give your son a present about the same size as the AG box, but not as costly. Maybe a Lego set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K&Rs Mom Posted December 12, 2011 Share Posted December 12, 2011 - Part of me thinks they'd love it. Part of me thinks they'd bounce in it for ten minutes at a time and then go on to other things, and we'd be stuck with this giant plastic thing. I'm pretty sure this is what would happen here. No matter how cool, all of their stuff goes in cycles like this - favorite for a day, then ignored for a month. The mini-trampoline takes up less room and they can't really grow out of it (I'm assuming the kind like adults would use for exercise). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black_midori Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Very helpful, thanks! Was the blower super noisy? I think that if we shifted things in the storage room around we could leave it unrolled. Because I can easily see myself turning down their requests to play with it if it meant that I had to clear a space, get it out of the closet, and unroll it. When it's down, is it kind of like a big mat? Could you walk across it to get to the other side? It's good to hear how durable it is. You're right that it would probably have resale value. I would think that inside the blower would be quite loud. We always used ours outside, and sitting at the computer just inside the door from it I could definitely hear it blowing. I'd have to assume that the noise we be amplified significantly if in an enclosed space - but probably not beyond toleration levels! When not inflated, it does lay down like a big mat. You would want to be careful walking across it (folds to trip on and you don't want to tear it accidentally), but it would totally be possible. In fact, you might grab a cheap Walmart "mud rug" to throw on top of it and then be less concerned about leaving it out! I definitely didn't get that thing out as often as they asked me to, and then they stopped asking as much since they knew I wasn't likely to do it (vicious cycle!). Being able to just leave it out would likely have meant much greater use! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 When mine was little, we got him a Jumpolene. It was a great hit! I didn't think it was particularly safe. The kids enjoyed bouncing out of it as well as bouncing in it. But it was a great toy. When he wasn't bouncing in it, it was a great place to sit and read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pink&bluemommy Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I have friends who have an actual trampoline in their house, upstairs in a vaulted bedroom, for their girls with sensory issues. Its not huge, but not super small either. Its awesome I think! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 We decided to go for it! :party: We'll get the little guy a big cheap truck or something from Santa, and then make the bounce house a joint present. Thanks to everyone who recommended doing that! My husband is even thinking that we could leave a trail of clues to the basement storage room, where they'd find the bouncer set up and ready. I kind of feel like we've lost our minds, but I'm rolling with it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 I have friends who have an actual trampoline in their house, upstairs in a vaulted bedroom, for their girls with sensory issues. Its not huge, but not super small either. Its awesome I think! I had a friend when I was growing up whose bedroom was mostly filled with a jungle gym. I think his bed was in the middle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In2why Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I had a friend when I was growing up whose bedroom was mostly filled with a jungle gym. I think his bed was in the middle. This just made me remember the show Dharma. I loved the bedroom she grew up in that had the trampoline for her bed. I was a grown woman and seriously envious of her bedroom lol. I am glad you decided to get it! The kids will love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I was all set with the idea that Santa would bring our 2.5-year-old a mini trampoline. Then I made the mistake of showing my husband this. It's a small version of the bounce houses they rent for parties, about 6 feet square. $120 plus $30 shipping. We have a storage room off the playroom where we could set it up. I showed it to my husband saying, "We're not going to get something like this, right?" and his eyes lit up. He thinks it would be awesome. I kind of think it would too, BUT. - Holy cow, $150 for a two-year-old's Santa present. It's not that we don't have the money, it's that it's much more than I would normally spend. - I feel like it would have to be for both kids, or there would be terrible jealousy. But we've already bought my daughter's Santa present, an AG doll. If it's for both of them, he doesn't get something of his own from Santa. If it's for him, he's going to want to be able to tell her she can't play on it. - Part of me thinks they'd love it. Part of me thinks they'd bounce in it for ten minutes at a time and then go on to other things, and we'd be stuck with this giant plastic thing. - I can't help thinking that this is just not the sort of thing that normal people have in their houses. It seems so over-the-top. (My husband says: "Yeah, over-the-top AWESOME.") What says the Hive? If you can afford it, you should get it. I found a new-in-box jump-o-lene at a thrift store and got it for my 3rd dd's b-day. Best.present.ever. It was a blast! It lasted a year and got a hole. It was worth the price we paid. My little guy really needs a bouncy toy (to save my couch) but I haven't found anything decent in my price range. If you really don't think he would share *his* bouncy toy, can Santa get him something else? A gigantic fire truck or something obnoxious but not terribly expensive. He doesn't really know how much AG girls cost does he? And then the bouncy thing can be to both kids from Santa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silliness7 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 We decided to go for it! :party: We'll get the little guy a big cheap truck or something from Santa, and then make the bounce house a joint present. Thanks to everyone who recommended doing that! My husband is even thinking that we could leave a trail of clues to the basement storage room, where they'd find the bouncer set up and ready. I kind of feel like we've lost our minds, but I'm rolling with it. :D Oh yes!! You *must* have a scavenger hunt to find it. Too fun. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
enviromommy Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 Buy it! Buy it! Buy it! They'll love it! :iagree: And so will my children, when we come over to use it. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivka Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 :iagree:And so will my children, when we come over to use it. :tongue_smilie: Hee! Thanks for reminding me to focus on what's REALLY important. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I agree with the others. Go for it. Get it as a together gift and get your little guy a truck or action figure all his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieC Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I see you are already getting it, but I wanted to tell you that I had a bounce house set up in the middle of my house one winter when my kids were 2 & 4 and they loved it! The neighborhood kids still talk about the bounce house in the living room so it was definitely a fond memory for several kids. The bonus was my kids got more exercise that winter than they would have otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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