I Loathe Bounce Houses

Last week was "Week of the Young Child". It's a great concept. A week celebrating the innocence and playful spirit of the little ones. The childcare center that I work at goes all out for WOYC. Each day was something different. Monday we all wore pajamas to school, saw a magician and tie dyed t-shirts. Tuesday was school spirit day and we ate pizza and homemade salads. Wednesday was sports day. We played sports inside (it rained) and wore sports apparel. Thursday was rainbow day and community helpers day. We wore tie dye and were visited by firemen and police dogs. Friday was green day, to celebrate Earth Day. We all wore green and planted flowers. We also had a big party to celebrate the end of the week. We invited parents to join us for an ice cream social and set up a bounce house in the playground. Various other things were scattered through the week, like a visit from a parent who works for LEGO and brought in huge creations, and a parent who put on a concert with his acoustic guitar. But the bounce house was a favorite.

The general consensus around the building was that WOYC is amazing for the children, but it's hell for the teachers.

Especially the bounce house.

When kids find out that there's going to be a bounce house, it's like feeding them crack. It's all they can think about and all they can talk about. And there's no way to hide it from them, because parents needed to contribute a few dollars towards renting the thing. They won't nap because all they can think about is the bounce house. They won't eat because all they can talk about is the bounce house.

We let each class have 2 turns in the bounce house. Once in the morning and once in the afternoon. The kids came to school wound up about the bounce house and left school wound up about the bounce house. And in between, all you heard was "BOUNCE HOUSE! BOUNCE HOUSE! BOUNCE HOUSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


And the kids get in this thing, and it's madness. They're jumping and they're screaming. They're smacking into each other and they're laughing hysterically. They fall down and their face gets jumped on, but their tears are of pure joy. A kid could break both their arms and shattered their pelvis in a 10 kid pile of bouncing insanity and they would still think the bounce house was the. greatest. thing. ever.

They come out of this thing with their hair all disheveled, plastic burns on their faces, hands, and knees, sore, bruised, out of breath, covered in dirt, sweat, and possibly some blood, smelling of dirty plastic, and probably missing at least one article of clothing, but they'll have the biggest smile on their face and beg to go back in as soon as possible.

I really do not get it.

And I do not like it either.





Don't forget my giveaway.