Bouncing has an important role in the animal world, felines use it to catch their prey, kangaroos use it to move, and we use it mostly for fun and recreation (unless you’re being chased by a big cat or kangaroo).
Learning the skills it takes to make those leaps is integral for a toddler’s development and not only because it’s fun. Studies have shown that physical activity is paramount for a healthy lifestyle for your body and mind and instilling this in toddlers will establish those habits early on. It will also help them strengthen their muscles and bones, so they grow up healthy and strong.
When you make any kind of bounce, your mind makes certain calculations before you leave the ground to ensure you land safely. The skill to make these calculations are developed during early childhood. Introducing exciting jumping toys to a toddler will promote the growth of these skills at an accelerated rate.
But best of all, bouncing toys are FUN.
The trick is to find the right toy for your toddler by finding out what they like, how far on in their jumping development they are, and what will they want to play with time and again that will grow with them to the next exciting milestone in their development.
For this list, we’ve chosen 12 of our favorite bouncing toys that keep both your toddler’s needs and your budget in mind ($$$), helping you to find the perfect gift that will have toddlers jumping for joy.
The 3 Bouncing Toys for Toddlers
If you’ve still not seen the perfect jumping toy, don’t worry, read on, there are still loads to choose from for both indoor and outdoor use.
1. Little Tykes 3’ Trampoline
A fan favorite with our ToyZone Toddler Tester, the Little Tykes 3’ Trampoline is the perfect way to get kids jumping with excitement in the safety of the indoors where it (hopefully) never rains. This 3-foot trampoline also comes with a safety bar to hold on to, so toddlers have the stability to bounce before moving on to bigger trampolines.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
Little Tykes are at the top of the game when it comes to toddler toys, so you know you’re getting quality. This beginner trampoline will have toddlers burning energy in no time as it’s close to the floor for getting on/off, there’s a large jumping area, and there is padding all the way around just in case.
What We Love:
❤️ Very durable with plastic and metal construction
❤️ It can hold kids up to 55 lbs
❤️ A really fun way to exercise
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It’s not easy to store away
💔 You will have to tighten the safety bar after a few plays
| TIP 🏀 Why not try out some trick shots by combining this trampoline with the Little Tikes Easy Score Basketball Set |
2. Headstrom Blue’s Clue and You Hopper Ball
A take on the classic space hopper, the Headstrom Blue’s Clue and You Hopper Ball will have your toddler bouncing around the place in no time. You don’t need batteries to charge up this jumping toy, just a bit of air, and they’re off. With a multitude of different colors to choose from, each hopper is adorned with fun characters your little one(s) will love.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
You don’t need to worry about this hopper bursting under pressure as it’s made from heavy-duty vinyl that can support up to 100 lbs (so maybe leave the hopping to the kids) and it measures 15-inch in diameter, so there’s plenty of space. The only thing you need to watch out for is if it deflates and even then, it’s easy to pump back up.
What We Love:
❤️ Comes with an air pump adapter
❤️ There are 18 different colors to choose from
❤️ The handle has extra grip for a secure grasp
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It’s difficult to store unless you deflate it every time after play
💔 The handle is kind of flimsy
| TIP 😊 You can customize their hopper ball to have a picture of their favorite character: 🦄 My Little Pony 🐶 Paw Patrol 🕸 Spiderman 🤠 Toy Story 🖱 Mickey Mouse 🐭 Minnie Mouse |
3. Little Tykes Jump ‘n Slide Inflatable Bouncer
If your toddler is lucky enough to live somewhere where the sun shines and the weather is fine, then bouncing and playing on the Little Tykes Jump ‘n Slide Inflatable Bouncer is the greatest way to spend your days. This big bouncer will have toddlers and their friends burning energy for hours at a time.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
With a jumping area of 12’x9’, toddlers have enough room to jump to their hearts’ content, and for extra safety, this bouncer comes with tall mesh walls to stop them from falling out. But jumping isn’t the only thing to do here, there’s also a slide for that extra boost of excitement.
What We Love:
❤️ It comes with a heavy-duty blower and stakes to hold it in place
❤️ Doesn’t take long to inflate
❤️ Stores away in its own bag
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Takes a while to set up and peg down
💔 Doesn’t take any more than 3 toddlers at a time
| TIP 🎱 Why not boost the excitement by adding Ball Pit Balls to this bouncehouse! |
Best Indoor Jumping Toys
4. Intex Inflatable Jump-O-Lene Bounce House
An indoor bouncer? Yep, the Intex Inflatable Jump-O-Lene Bounce House takes all the excitement of bouncing around outdoors and places you inside where it doesn’t matter what the weather is like. Toddlers can burn off that energy they suddenly get when they can’t go outside, and you don’t need to turn on a screen.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
The colorful Jump-O-Lene can take up to two toddlers at a time (you wouldn’t be able to fit more on, to be honest) and its mesh walls will stop them from rolling out the sides. The walls are inflatable, but they’re not the tallest so keep an eye on high jumpers. Great for indoor play that keeps toddlers moving.
What We Love:
❤️ Has a crawl-through door for access
❤️ Comes with a patch repair kit just in case
❤️ It’s super bright and colorful
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Doesn’t come with a pump
💔 Getting all the air out takes time
5. iPlay, iLearn Bouncy Pals
It’s a bouncy, fluffy, rideable unicorn, what else do we need to say? The iPlay, iLearn Bouncy Pals promotes vestibular development (balance) and keeps toddlers happy and active. This supercharged space hopper takes things to a whole new level as the fluffy exterior gives bouncing that extra sensory dimension.
| Recommended age: 18 months and above |
This special hopper contains anti-overturn protection in the unicorn’s feet and for extra balance assistance, has a low center of gravity to keep your toddler grounded even on their biggest bounce. Toddlers will feel like they’re gliding through the air on their very own unicorn pet.
What We Love:
❤️ The rainbow colors are great on the horn and tail
❤️ The cover can be removed and washed
❤️ Easy to inflate with included pump
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Not as bouncy as the Headstrom Blue’s Clue and You Hopper Ball
💔 You will need to re-inflate every so often
| TIP 🦄 Unicorns not your bag? Why not try: 🐄 A cow 🐴 A horse 🐲🐲 A two-headed dragon 🎅 A reindeer for Christmas ☠️ A skeleton horse for Halloween |
6. edxeducation Step-a-Trail Obstacle Course
Learning to balance is an integral skill in a toddler’s development. The edxeducation Step-a-Trail Obstacle Course not only helps toddlers evolve their motor skills, but it also challenges them in new ways and boosts their overall confidence to make the leap from one obstacle to another.
| Recommended age: 18 months and above |
This six-piece set includes logs and stumps of different shapes and sizes that each have non-slip top and bottom surfaces to test a toddler’s core balance. They can arrange the obstacles in any format they like, increasing the difficulty as they gain more confidence.
What We Love:
❤️ The obstacles stack inside each other for storage
❤️ Can be used both indoor and outdoor
❤️ Each piece can hold 793 lbs
What We Don’t Love:
💔 They are quite costly
💔 They can take up a lot of space
7. M SANMERSEN Piano Mat
Who says jumping around makes a lot of noise? We do, with the M SANMERSEN Piano Mat. I’m fairly certain Beethoven wrote many masterpieces like Bohemian Rhapsody by jumping around on one of these. Your toddler can write a new hit symphony in duck# minor all at the touch of their feet.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
Whilst composing a “jumping” tune on the piano, toddlers can also make fun sounds from their favorite animals, cows go moo, ducks go quack, and sheep go BAAAAAAA. It’s not just about making a racket, toddlers can learn to count the numbers on the notes they play. Music, exercise, and education? Winner.
What We Love:
❤️ It has a volume button
❤️ There are eight different animal noises
❤️ Plays songs for toddlers to dance along to
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It can sound quite horrible if toddlers run up and down
💔 Can be slippy on hard floors
| TIP 🎹 Prefer the piano to be played with hands? Then check out this amazing Baby Einstein and Hape Magic Touch Piano |
Best Outdoor Jumping Toys
8. Babe Fairy Giraffe Bouncy Horse Hopper
If you know toddlers, you’ll be aware that they LOVE to bounce, and they ain’t gonna stop anytime soon. The Babe Fairy Giraffe Bouncy Horse Hopper not only lets toddlers jump to their hearts’ content, but it also lets their imagination run wild. As soon as they grab onto the giraffe’s ossicones, they’ll be off bouncing around the Savannah in no time.
| Recommended age: 18 months and above |
This giraffe is so cute, toddlers will jump straight onto its back to ride around the yard. Its four legs add stability to their bounce as they master the art of balancing safely both indoors and out. The eco-friendly anti-burst material will ensure the longevity of this hopper so that toddlers can jump around time after time.
What We Love:
❤️ An air pump is included
❤️ The grips are the ideal size for small hands
❤️ Comes in a variety of different colors
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Be cautious that toddlers don’t bounce forward over the head
💔 You have to pump it up again after use
| TIP 🛵 If your toddler is more about racing motorcycles than riding giraffes, this WADDLE Inflatable Hopping Scooter might be better suited. |
9. Monkey Jump
Now it’s time to show you something a little different, Monkey Jump is an experience toddlers can have on their own or with friends. It’s basically a large inflatable donut that toddlers can bounce on whilst remaining balanced by holding on to a steel frame. Watch as they gain confidence to jump higher and higher and HIGHER.
| Recommended age: 36 months and above |
Toddlers will have their balance skills put to the test as up to six kids can jump at once on the same inflatable rubber tube. It takes a lot of energy to keep up with the bounce making for a great way for toddlers to get exercise and strengthen core muscles and bones. And with no age limit, we won’t tell if you decide to get in on the fun when the kids are in bed.
What We Love:
❤️ The steel bars are sturdy and colorful
❤️ It’s close to ground level for easy mounting
❤️ Can be used both indoors and outdoors
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Doesn’t stay inflated for long periods of time
💔 Toddlers must be supervised at all times
10. HOEE 60″ Trampoline
In my opinion, trampolines are the champions of jumping toys, they are the most fun you can have in your yard without it being your birthday. The HOEE 60″ Trampoline gives you all the excitement of sailing through the air with the extra bonus of shooting hoops whilst you do it.
| Recommended age: 2 years and above |
This cute, colorful trampoline has an adorable teddy bear printed on its canvas and comes with a net enclosure and foam-covered bars for extra safety. Toddlers can come in and out through the zipper entrance which is close to the ground for easy access. What a great way to release energy and strengthen muscles, and it gets toddlers away from screens.
What We Love:
❤️ Can be used both indoors and outdoors
❤️ The mat surface is waterproof and UV-resistant
❤️ It can hold up to 450 lbs in toddlers
What We Don’t Love:
💔 It needs at least two people to put together
💔 The hoop needs extra fixings to stay on
| TIP 🏀 Make sure you have plenty of balls to shoot hoops with these Little Tikes EasyScore Basketballs |
11. AirMyFun Inflatable Bounce House
There’s nothing like spending the day in the house…the bounce house that is. The toddler-sized AirMyFun Inflatable Bounce House makes for hours of fun with its shaded jumping area, slide, and ball pit area. This bounce house is bright, bold, and great fun for the little ones to get some outdoor exercise.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
There’s loads more to do in this bounce house other than jumping, it also includes a basketball net, a small climbing wall, and even has a chimney (not real, don’t build a fire in there). Toddlers can zip in through the side door from the ball pit to the front slide to glide their way out. What a great day!
What We Love:
❤️ Comes with a continual air blower to keep it inflated
❤️ Only takes a minute to inflate
❤️ Can be packed away into the included carry bag
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Only made to hold two toddlers at a time
💔 Doesn’t come with balls for the ball pit
| TIP 🔵 Make sure to get yourself some Click N’ Play Ball Pit Balls for the ball pit as they’re not included |
12. JUMPZYLLA Trampoline 8FT Trampoline with Enclosure
A few jumping toys on our list are aimed specifically at toddlers, but the JUMPZYLLA Trampoline 8FT Trampoline can be used by the whole family. The best way to teach toddlers how to jump is to get in there yourself and show them how it’s done, once they’ve picked up the fundamentals, they won’t want to stop.
| Recommended age: 3 years and above |
A great feature of this trampoline is its curved bars which means when toddlers fall over they won’t bang into them through the mesh enclosure and the entrance can be zipped closed so they don’t fall out. Toddlers will want to spend hours on this trampoline practicing their balance and strengthening those muscles
What We Love:
❤️ It can hold up to 265 lbs at once
❤️ All the metal bars have foam padding
❤️ It’s coated in rust-resistant protection, so you can leave it outdoors
What We Don’t Love:
💔 Assembly can be time-consuming
💔 It’s a little higher off the ground, so toddlers may need assistance getting on and off
Frequently Asked Questions About Jumping Toys for Toddlers
🙋♂️Why is active play important for toddlers?
The importance of active play isn’t all about having fun, it’s about strengthening their muscles, bones, and even their brains. We all know that leading a physically active lifestyle is good for us, so installing healthy habits in children at a young age will improve their physical and mental well-being.
As well as burning energy and keeping our toddlers healthy, active play also encourages language development, creativity, motor skills, and reasoning skills as they interact with others to play games with rules to follow or have active adventures with their own made-up rules.
🙋♂️ Are jumping toys safe?
Now we know why jumping toys are important, we need to know if they’re safe. There’s no simple yes or no answer here, it all depends on the toy itself and the toddler. Here are a few things to consider before buying a toddler a jumping toy.
- Size – Look for jumping toys that match the size of your toddler. There’s nothing worse than seeing a toddler struggle to get on a trampoline that’s far too big for them or not have fun with one that’s too small.
- Development – It’s best to gauge how well toddlers will interact with their jumping toy. If it’s too hard for them, they may give up, if it’s too easy, they will get bored easily.
- Social Interaction – Will the toddler be sharing their jumping toy with others? If so, who with? It’s important to factor in whether your toddler will enjoy their toy with others. For example, if they are sharing a trampoline with older siblings, will they get a chance to develop their jumping skills without the play getting too rough?
🙋♂️ Why is jumping important for toddlers?
Once toddlers have mastered walking and running, the next leap is to start jumping. This will usually begin with jumping off furniture, steps, or from one spot to another. Jumping is not just great fun, but it’s essential in a child’s development and should be encouraged using fun activities and jumping toys.
- Develops strength – Jumping requires energy and strength so the more they do it the more core strength they will develop. We’re not just talking about muscles either, toddlers bones are still growing, and jumping helps them become stronger.
- Balance – Jumping takes balance, just look at a cat when it launches itself off the ground. Each time a toddler jumps their brain is learning to balance, so they don’t fall. The more they jump, the better their balance will become.
- Health – As we’ve already covered, physical activity is integral to a toddler’s health and jumping is very physical. If you make jumping a fun activity by introducing toys, then they will develop good physical habits that will keep them healthy and happy.
- Planning and sequencing – Jumping isn’t just about up and down, it’s also about getting from A to B and this takes planning. Toddlers will learn how to navigate their jump to land safely by judging distances and asses their environment. These are all important skills which that will use for the rest of their lives.
So… What Bouncing Toy Should I Get?
When it comes to buying jumping and bouncing toys for toddlers and babies you have to ask yourself, what will they enjoy the most? As toddlers are beginning to find their personalities, they will show you what things they like and what things they don’t. If toddlers love bouncing around the ground, then the iPlay, iLearn Bouncy Pals could be perfect for them. If they are more adventurous and have better jumping skills, then the Little Tykes Jump ‘n Slide Inflatable Bouncer could suit them better.
We’ve tried to include the best of the best jumping toys in this list but if you’ve seen something that you’d love to recommend then PLEASE leave us a message, and we’ll include it for our readers.
