June 4, 2008
Inflatable Water Slides
The kids are out of school or will be soon and it is time to organize activities for the summer! We think that the inflatable water slides are a great backyard activity that will keep the kids cool in the heat and entertained for hours. And although they may seem kind of pricey with ranges from $200 to $800, compare that to a day at a public waterpark and it’s a bargain. Afterall, you’ll have your waterslide all summer. Now there have been instances when the waterslides are packed away for the year and then when opened up there is a big disappointment when they no longer hold air. My suggestion is to budget as though it will only last one year and then it’s a bonus if you get another year out of your waterslide. The other problem with the waterslides is getting them back in their original bag. Have you ever tried to get anthing inflatable back in it’s bag? You’ll have to figure out a way to store it folded up the best you can.
The inflatable water slides became popular in 2006 with the original Banzai Falls water slide. Last year, Little Tikes came out with two water parks and Banzai added several new water slides. There are other brands but Banzai and Little Tikes continue to be the most popular water slides in 2008. If you are expecting to have more than one or two kids playing at a time, the double sildes will keep everyone moving. There are several this year. One of the newest and biggest is the Banzai Vortex Spin and Slide Aqua Park (also called the Banzai Pipeline Twist Aqua Park). It has two huge slides and a large splash pool. Two water cannons add to the fun!
The Banzai Sidewinder Falls was the most popular waterslide in 2007 and it’s back this year. The Sidewinder waterslide comes packaged with body board and water blaster guns or with cannons. It has a climbing wall, large water slide and tunnel.
Little Tikes also has a hit this year with their Super Splash Waterpark and Crashing Waves Water Slide. The Little Tikes Super Splash has a long slide, water cannons, spray to keep the slides wet and bouncy obstacle course. There are lots of activities to keep several kids active and engaged at once!
There are also two double slides - Banzai Double Drop Falls and Banzai Double Drop Raceway which are back this year. These would be great for Birthday parties where you want to get some racing game activities. They could be complemented with inexpensive racing Slip n Slides.
Enough said, take a look at the entire product line of backyard waterslides here. If you can’t find the slide you’re looking for it either doesn’t exist or it’s out of stock. Big tip, check the shipping charges. Amazon has several with free shipping and Walmart has free shipping site to store on most of their waterslides.
Amazon is showing the LEGO Indiana Jones Jungle Duel from the new movie as the current bestselling Indiana Jones toy. It’s a 90 piece playset for only $9.99 and suitable for ages 6 and up. It comes with Indiana Jones, Mutt Williams, and Irina Spalkoi minifigures.
The scene is the intricate Temple of the Crystal Skull with moving parts. It comes with several minifigures. This LEGO set is suggested for ages 8 and up.
Of course the Indiana Jones action figures will be popular toys and the ones that crack the whip and speak famous phrases will be a conversation piece at your Indiana Jones party. Popular phrases include Trust me! Snakes, why did it have to be snakes? and I hate these guys.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian won the box office race this week-end, coming in number 1 with Iron Man in second place. It’s a movie the whole family will love and there are some great toys too. The castle play set is quite detailed with rotating disks, functional doors and windows, drawbridge, lights and sound. You’ll need to pick up the action figures to go with it as none are included. The action figiures include Prince Caspian Peter, King Miraz, Prince Caspian Glenstorm, Peepiceek (the mouse), and Lucy Pevensie.
The Chronicles of Narnia Monopoly game includes scenes from both Prince Caspian and the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It comes with collectible pewter tokens of Miraz’s helmet, Peter’s sword, Susan’s horn, Peter’s shield, Lucy’s cordial and Peter’s helmet.
The Narnia toys would not be complete without the role playing shield and sword. Combine these with some awesome new Lucy and Prince Caspian costumes from Disney and have great fun now and popular costumes for Halloween.
The Speed Racer movie came in 2nd to Iron Man at the box office this past week-end. Although the movie may not have been the biggest hit, the toys are cool and we know that boys will love the cars! There are several different versions of the remote controlled speed racer cars. The Mattel Speed Racer Hero Battle Morph Mach 6 pictured here is one of the most popular ones and is suggested for ages 4 and up.
The LEGO sets are designed for the pre-teen ages of 9 - 14. This one comes with 3 cars, Speed’s Mach 6 race car, Gray Ghost’s car, and Cannonball Taylor’s car. Eight minifigures are also included.
The Speed Racer Special Effects Steering Wheel has interactive play with lights and sounds. The kids dodge the bad guys by turning right or left and the wrong move brings on crashing noises.
Iron Man was a hit at the box office this past week-end with $100.8 million in sales for the weekend, the second highest opening for a movie that was not a sequel . Both the kids and the critics loved this superhero!
There are several Iron Man action figures and some are selling out already, so grab them if you want them. The Iron Man Action Figure with Repulsor Power both speaks “I am Iron Man” and launches a repulsor projectile. It is suitable for ages 4 and up.
There is a cool Iron Man Trike for ages 2 and up. Your toddler will love it!
The backyard bouncers this year are incredible. The Little Tikes Bounce n Slide Jumper is a classic bouncer and slide for ages 3 and up. It measures 9′ x 12′ x 6′ high and of course is made of puncture resistant material. It’s a great purchase for a birthday party. Why rent, this bouncer is only $198! Little Tikes has several other backyard bouncers in cluding a sports center which are also well made and fun.
Mo Aire also has some great bouncers with a little more flashy designs. Their smallest features a tropical paradise with palm trees. A larger Mo Aire Jolly Giant Air Fun System is 11H x 10W x 12D and includes a slide and game toss ring. This would also make a great home bouncer for a Birthday party.
Shooting Star Design has several new themed bouncers this year including a Safari Bouncer, Disco Jumper, Buzz Lightyear Bounce House, Magic Dragon Bounce House, Dodge Ball Bounce House and more! The Dodge Ball Bounce House is 20′ x 20′ x 10′ and includes dodge balls. We like the combination of sports and bounce!
For the budding gymnast, a trampoline can offer hours of outdoor fun. There are many sizes available. Be sure to purchase an enclosure so that your jumper doesn’t bounce right off the trampoline! There are also small invidual jumpers with handles so that toddlers can jump along just like their big brother or sister!
boots for adults state that a patented t-spring system transforms walking, jumping, or running into an exhilarating bounce and is easy on the joints. There are also extreme pogo sticks with up to 1200 pounds of thrust. That means that a 170 pound person can get up to 5 feet of elevation. Safety gear (helmets, knee pads, etc) is recommended for these activities (shame on the manufacturers for not showing it in their promotional pictures). My niece Hannah is having a great time in her moon shoes and yes she is wearing her helmet!
Most of the Horton Hears a Who toys are aimed at the under 4 crowd. There are plush animals, finger puppets, and even a Horton blankie! For the toddler that wants to carry something around, the plush Horton or blankie will do the trick. If your child likes to dress like their favorite character, there are clothes too and even a Horton hat. 
All kids love to hear their favorite Dr. Seuss stories over and over again and the Dr. Seuss Horton Hears a Who Pop-up Book will get lots of use as they re-live the movie! There is also a Horton Hears a Who book with DVD (not from the movie, that won’t be out for a while) that is highly rated for its educational value and fun factor!
I like the Little Tikes Super Splash Water Park. The inflatable water slides get bigger and better each year. They are fun for both boys and girls and they appeal to a wide range of ages. It can be a fun way to invite the neighborhood kids over or the highlight of a birthday party. The Little Tikes water slides get good marks for durability too.
