How Windy Is Too Windy for a Bounce House?
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission says that if it’s windy outside, don’t use a bounce house: maximum wind speed should be no more than 15 to 25 mph. If the tops of the trees are swaying, it may be too windy.
At a glance
Wind is the weather that matters most for a bounce house. The federal safety agency’s guidance is short: if it’s windy, don’t use one.
- CPSC: maximum wind speed no more than 15 to 25 mph.
- A quick check: if the tops of the trees are swaying, it may be too windy.
- Anchoring: staked and anchored on a flat, even surface, away from branches, power lines and fences.
- Your booking: tell us before the crew leaves the warehouse and there is no cancellation fee.
- CPSC wind limit
- 15–25 mph
- ER injuries, 2018
- 18,000+
- Soft play
- No blower
- Notice
- Before the crew leaves
What the safety agency says
“If a bounce house is not properly secured to the ground, a gust of wind can send it airborne with children inside,” the US Consumer Product Safety Commission warned in 2019. It estimated more than 18,000 bounce house injuries treated in hospital emergency departments in 2018.
- If it’s windy outside, don’t use a bounce house. Maximum wind speed should be no more than 15 to 25 mph.
- Follow the maker’s setup instructions.
- Stake and anchor it on a flat, even surface.
- Keep it away from tree branches, power lines and fences.
- Keep children away from generators and air pumps.
- Supervise. Only children of about the same age and size jumping together, within the maximum occupancy, with no tumbling, wrestling or flips, and an adult watching at all times.
Source: US CPSC news release, August 8, 2019.
Checking the forecast for your party
- Look at the hourly forecast for your address, for the hours of the party, including gusts, a few days out and again the day before.
- On the day, look up: CPSC’s own rule of thumb is that if the tops of the trees are swaying, it may be too windy.
- Plan the spot with wind in mind: flat ground, room to anchor, and well clear of branches, wires and fences.
Have a date in mind?
See what’s free for your party date, live, and book online in a few minutes. Delivery, setup and pickup included.
What happens to your booking
Tell us before the crew leaves the warehouse and there is no cancellation fee: move the party to a new date, subject to availability, or keep your payment as an in-house credit for future rentals. Once the crew has arrived and set up, the rental is charged in full, so make the call early. How booking works has the full terms.
Low-wind alternatives
Soft play, ball pits, slides and kids tables are not inflatable and have no blower, and they all set up indoors. See rainy-day and indoor rentals.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
What wind speed is too high for a bounce house?
The US CPSC says that if it’s windy, don’t use a bounce house, and that maximum wind speed should be no more than 15 to 25 mph (CPSC).
How can I tell if it’s too windy without a gauge?
CPSC’s rule of thumb: if the tops of the trees are swaying, it may be too windy to let children play inside a bounce house.
What if the forecast is windy for my party?
Tell us before the crew leaves the warehouse and there is no cancellation fee. You can move the party, subject to availability, keep the payment as an in-house credit, or switch to soft play.
What can I rent instead of a bounce house if it’s windy?
Soft play and ball pits are not inflatable and need no blower, and they set up indoors too.
Keep planning
Planning around the weather?
See what’s free for your party date, live, and book online in a few minutes. Delivery, setup and pickup included.