PLEASE NOTE: This post was written in 2012, and while it should still give you a good overview of the experience, it is also possible that it may contain some outdated information. Please check their website for the most current information, especially about things like schedules and pricing.
2012 POST
Cut to the chase. Take me to the Momsense.
Before we get started with today’s post, I just want to remind you of two things:
1. We are so excited to have welcomed our newest OAAM team member earlier this week! In case you missed them, see pics of Mandy’s new baby girl here. She’s gorgeous!
2. There is still time to Share A Haircut by taking your little one to Hair Cuttery for his or her back-to-school or end-of-summer haircut. Read about this wonderful opportunity to give back in your own community here.
So now that we’ve got those two business items out of the way, are you ready to have some fun today? I hope so, because we are headed to Jumpin Jonnies in Vernon, Connecticut for, as Tigger would say, some ‘bouncy trouncy flouncy pouncy fun fun fun fun fun’!
Last winter we spent a lot of time scoping out indoor play spaces like Stay and Play, My Gym, The Bright Spot, and TimberGyms. Well, turns out the reason we love ’em in the winter is the same reason we love ’em in the summer: climate control! I love to be outdoors whenever I can, but I have to confess that I have been avoiding the playgrounds lately due to the high temps and hot sun. So an indoor (and air-conditioned!) place to play during these dog days of summer sounds like sweet relief.
Jumpin Jonnies is located just up I-84 in Vernon. It’s an easy drive from almost anywhere near Hartford, and the establishment is easy to find thanks to its unique building with the rounded window front. Granted, it doesn’t initially look like a bounce arena from the outside, but there is a colorful sign right by the road that is hard to miss. There’s a nice big parking lot too.
Once you step inside though, you know you are in kiddie wonderland thanks to the plethora of amphibian-themed decor.
Open bounce is $7.50 {plus tax} per child, and you pay at the counter above. Adults and children under 2 are free. But before you get too excited about that, let me clarify that children under 2 are free because they are not, as a rule, allowed on the inflatables. This is primarily for safety reasons, as you can imagine what it would be like for a little tike to be bouncing next to a rambunctious 8-year-old.
However, if the arena is not busy, Jon (the proprietor) will let you in to play with your under-2-year-old. But like I said, only if it is really not busy. Fortunately for us, it was really not busy the day we visited with Boo (who was just 22-months at the time), so we were allowed to play (free of charge!). We took off our shoes and stashed them in the handy cubbies (shown in the above photo), and went in to explore.
This place is huge! The website says 12,000+ square feet. I’m not an expert in area surveying, but I do live in a house that is roughly 1/10th of that size, and I bet I could have fit my entire first floor in the space occupied by just this inflatable:
And yes, I did squeeze my adult-sized self through that itty-bitty kid-sized entrance to snap the pics of the inflatables inside this giant inflatable (shown right). So neat.
Boo was particularly enamored with this baseball inflatable. You don’t actually jump on this one, but a puff of air magically suspends a soft plastic ball so you can take a swing at it with a foam bat (ask for the bat at the desk; you can imagine what might happen if they left that thing out). Boo wasn’t much for the bat, but he loved to swat the ball off the column of air and then run after it. Whatever makes them happy, right?!
The really great thing about the layout is all the open space. There are basically two “rooms” filled with inflatables. One on each side of this main hallway.
Here are some shots of Boo chasing around a ball that he found somewhere (of course–show my child 12,000+ square feet of awesome inflatables and what does he want to play with? The small, red rubber ball. Figures.). You can get an idea of how much open space there is. There are actually quite a few padded benches around too, but for some reason I managed to clip them from all my shots.
All this open space means there is plenty of room for the kids to run around without colliding into each other. It also means that it’s super easy to wheel around your infant in a stroller. Maybe you have a 3-year-old bundle of energy and a new little bundle of joy. Well, you can take them both to Jumpin Jonnies and all three of you will be happy 🙂
Though children under 2 are not usually allowed on the inflatables, there is this cute little area called the Pollywog Playground just past the rows of cubbies. It has some neat toys and books, including this challenging bead maze that was right up Boo’s alley.
As you can see, it is also open to the main arena, so you can pretty well supervise your older child bouncing on the inflatables while you sit and play with your little one in the Pollywog Playground. That’s certainly a nice feature.
Another nice feature is the Lily Pad Cafe, which has a variety of packaged snacks, drinks, and ice cream. I did see pizza listed on the menu when we were there, but I didn’t actually see any pizza. I’ll have to investigate that a little further 🙂
The other thing we should talk about is the restroom situation. On the one hand, Jumpin Jonnies has gone over and above when it comes to accommodating those of us with really little ones. How many establishments like this do you know that have private nursing rooms? Yeah, that’s what I thought. In addition to having a wonderful, wide-open space with lots of options–including a nice-sized wall-mounted changing apparatus–for changing baby, the women’s restroom also has three private nursing rooms.
On the other hand, the women’s restroom, including the nursing area and the changing station, is located upstairs. In a building without an elevator. That made me scratch my head a little.
There is a family restroom and a men’s room on the first floor (shown above), but there was no first-floor changing option in sight when I was there. That small addition in the family restroom would be a huge help to moms who have multiple little ones and may need to rely on a stroller to ferry them to the restroom for a diaper change. As far as I can tell, there is no way to get a stroller upstairs to the women’s restroom and diaper changing area. Unless you want to carry it. Of course, you might be carrying a wee one too, plus your diaper bag, so that would be difficult. Anyway, you’ve been warned. If you’re toting an infant, be sure to bring him or her in your bucket car seat if possible (perhaps attached to one of our favorite apparatuses, the Snap N Go Stroller) for easy transport to the second floor if anyone in your crew needs a diaper change.
Also on the second floor are some great birthday party rooms. One was in use while we were there, but I was allowed to snap some pics of the other one. Nice, open space. Big table with lots of seating. But the really nice thing is the sink. I have been to several birthday parties at places like this where the party room does not have any running water, and boy, can that be a disaster. It’s amazing how handy something as simple as a faucet can be when you have a dozen 4-year-olds eating cake 🙂
Click here to find out more about hosting your child’s party at Jumpin Jonnies.
Unfortunately, Boo was not in much of a bouncing mood that day, despite his love of the inflatable slide at our visit to Bounce Town not too long ago. Why a kid who loves nothing more than to bounce on the sofa, the armchair, the bed, doesn’t go gaga for bounce houses is beyond me. But Jumpin Jonnies definitely has inflatables that both older and younger kids can enjoy. I can’t say for certain what’s the best age to bring your little one for their first visit, but I did see kids as young a 2 1/2 bouncing up a storm, so I guess it just depends on your child’s personality. I know for a fact, though, that one day this is going to be Boo’s favorite outing ever!
What age was your child when you first took him or her to a bounce arena?
Jumpin Jonnies
234 Talcottville Road, Vernon, Connecticut
860-875-JUMP(5867)
Get directions here:
Hours:
Open Bounce:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Friday (No Open Bounce on Thursday) from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(For Saturday & Sunday, call for times or check their homepage.)
The Lily Pad Cafe is open during Open Bounce hours.
Admission:
Children ages 2-12: $7.50 {plus tax} for unlimited bounce time (Adults and children under 2 are FREE).
Tips & Things to Bring:
- Jumpin Jonnies is designed for children ages 2-12.
- Children under 2 are NOT permitted on the bounce equipment except at the discretion of the staff (usually when it is really not busy).
- Thinking your 18-month-old will pass for 2? You will need to fill out a waiver for your child before you enter, and it will ask for your child’s birthday. It’s better for everyone if you are honest. The rules are there for safety, not inconvenience.
- Your under 2 child can enjoy the Pollywog Playground play area with assorted toys and books for FREE (perhaps while an older sibling partakes of the bouncing).
- You must wear socks to play on the bounce equipment. No shoes allowed.
- No food, drinks, or gum allowed in the bounce arena. Although, I’m sure no one will give you any trouble about feeding baby a bottle.
- Hungry? The Lily Pad Cafe has snacks, drinks, and ice cream for sale. Plus tables and chairs where you can enjoy them
- The bounce arena is very stroller-friendly. There is plenty of room to wheel one around and lots of benches to park near.
- The women’s restroom with the changing station is located on the second floor and there is no elevator. You will not be able to take a stroller with you to the woman’s restroom and nursing area. Plan accordingly.
- There is a family restroom (no changing station) and a men’s room on the first floor.
- Jumpin Jonnies inflatables include bounce houses, slides, and obstacle courses. Click here for additional photos of the inflatables.
- Click here for more information about hosting your child’s birthday party at Jumpin Jonnies.
COMING UP:
It’s our blog-a-versary! Don’t miss our week of fun surprises to celebrate Out and About Mom’s first year.
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