BOUNCING BACK
Buyers give new life to Jump-A-Lot
For 5-year-old Nathan Kimball, the giant inflatable houses at Jump-A-Lot become any number of make-believe, climbable castles. As he and a few other pint-size revelers bounced, slid and explored the open-air indoor playground, a handful of parents watched from the sidelines as the kids worked up a sweat.
“This place is great, the kids love it,” said Nathan’s mom, Jennifer, on their fourth visit. “They get to run and jump and get their energy out, which is nice. It’s a place they can throw things and not get into trouble.”
Inside the building just off Highway 95 in Hayden, the 5,500-square-foot indoor party zone is filled with seven inflatable houses, including a padded boxing arena, slides and a toddler area with a ball pit and minislide. With video games, a birthday room, party packages and free Wi-Fi rounding out the other options, the family owned business caters to the 14-and-under crowd while offering a reprieve for exhausted parents, said owners Jeremy and Erin Cooper.
“We’re a birthday party house first, open-jump second, and we’re just family-fun entertainment,” said Cooper as a group of kids played in the spacious adjoining room. “We encourage the adults to go in there and play with their kids, too, because it is a lot of fun.”
The couple, parents of three young children, initially learned about Jump-A-Lot after having a birthday party for their oldest son at the facility more than a year ago. Last spring, the original owners were forced to close the doors and the Coopers began looking into the business. They bought and redecorated the place and reopened in October.
“We just thought it was a great idea and we enjoyed it a lot,” Cooper recalled about their first visit to the building. “There isn’t really anything else like it in the area.”
Since Jump-A-Lot is focused on private parties, with an upstairs room as the dedicated present and cake area before the kids are funneled to the bounce houses next door, hours vary. Party packages start at about $165 plus tax, which covers 13 children and unlimited adults for a private 90 minute bounce session. Open jump times are available for $6 per hour per child.
As for birthdays, “All the parents need to bring are kids and cake. You can tire the kids out and leave the cleanup to us,” Cooper said. They provide food plates and utensils, fruit punch, a balloon bouquet, invitations and a kids’ goody bag.
“A lot of the parents bring their kids in before nap time or right before dinner,” Erin Cooper added. “It’s a great stress reliever for the adults.”
The business also has five inflatable bounce houses for off-site rentals.
In the seven months since the Cooper family resurrected the business, word of mouth has kept repeat customers coming. But the owners hope to expand into other groups. “We’re open to any type of private group party,” Cooper said.
With the boundless energy and creativity of their kids providing the entertainment, a group of parents sitting curbside agreed that Jump-A-Lot is a place well worth a visit for kids and adults.
On a short break from the action, Nathan said, “I like it because I get to do a lot of jumping and I get to join kids and we can play with anything we want.” With sweat beading across his forehead from the workout, he added, “It’s fun,” then bounded off after his friends.