Our 13 Favorite Inflatable Water Slides You Need This Summer

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The dog days of summer are almost upon us. And if you don’t want your kids glued to their tablets and video games all day, you’re going to need something to motivate them to get off their tiny tushies and go outside.

As it turns out, an inflatable kid’s water slide could be the perfect call to the great outdoors – or at least your backyard. Also known as water parks, they’ll help your little ones beat the summer heat while also encouraging them to get some much-needed exercise.

Of course, there are some important factors to consider when picking a water slide for your family, and we’ll cover that a little later. Let’s dive right in and talk about our 10 favorite inflatable water slides for kids.

Our Favorite Inflatable Water Slides:

Preview	Name	Rating	View
	Blast Zone Pirate Bay Inflatable Water Park	5/5	Check Price
	Bestway Hurricane Tunnel Blast Inflatable Water Park	5/5	Check Price
	Little Tikes Rocky Mountain River Race Inflatable Slide Bouncer	5/5	Check Price
	SUNNY & FUN Ultra Climber Inflatable Water Slide Park	5/5	Check Price

1. Blast Zone Pirate Bay Inflatable Water Park

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Price: Around $700

Capacity: 5

Dimensions: 12 x 20 x 8 feet

Age Range: 3 and up

Maximum weight: 500 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

This pirate-themed water park may be pricey, but its features keep your little maties entertained for hours. It includes a water slide and a bounce house with a basketball net that will have your kids jumping for joy. We also like that it has a nice, large wading pool.

Other fun features include a climbing wall that leads to the slide and a crawl tunnel to get into the bouncy house. And what pirate-themed water slide would be complete without a couple of water cannons to boot?

Things to Keep in Mind

Besides the high price tag, kids also have to exit the water park to access the climbing wall and crawl tunnel, which means they could track in dirt and grass. Arrrrgh.

2. Bestway Hurricane Tunnel Blast Inflatable Water Park

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Price: Around $415

Capacity: 7

Dimensions: 13.9 x 10.6 x 8.6 feet

Age Range: 5 to 10 years old

Maximum weight: 840 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

Made from PVC coated polyester, this Bestway Hurricane Tunnel Blast is extra strong and puncture-resistant. And though it’s pretty large, it blows up in just two minutes. The slide is nice and long and includes a spray tunnel to soak the riders as they pass.

Another plus is the mesh encircled tower for added safety.

Things to Keep in Mind

Although this water park has a nice wading pool, the slide does not empty into the pool. And that means the water will empty into your grass or whatever surface you place it on. And the rather steep climbing wall that leads to the tower means that this slide isn’t appropriate for very young children.

3. Costzon Inflatable Water Slide

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Price: Around $580

Capacity: 6

Dimensions: 18.6 x 16.9 x 7.9 feet

Age Range: 3 months to 10 years

Maximum weight: 298 lbs (on the inflatable portions)

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

We love the crocodile design of this dual-slide water park from Costzon, where kids can woosh through a crocodile’s mouth or down its scaly back. And because the slides empty out on opposite sides of the pool, children can slip on down without bumping into their friends.

Other fun features include a climbing wall, a basketball goal, a crawl tunnel, and a water cannon for extra entertainment.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like the other large slides on our list, this one inflates easily but does take some time to break down and dry.

4. WELLFUNTIME Inflatable Water Slide Park

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Price: Around $640

Capacity: 4

Dimensions: 16.3 x 13.1 x 8.3 feet

Age Range: 3 to 10 years

Maximum weight: 464 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

This large inflatable water park will help kids pack in the fun with two water slides, a climbing wall, and multiple sprayers. We also like that it includes a separate, deeper wading pool in addition to the wading pool that the slides dump into.

Extra perks included in the package are a water dumping bucket, three inflatable balls, and four water guns that will definitely keep your little ones entertained.

Things to Keep in Mind

This slide is pricey. And though it inflates quickly, its larger size with the double lane water slide does mean a longer breakdown and cleaning time.

And despite its bigger footprint and maximum weight capacity, the maximum number of kids is only 4, according to the manufacturer (which seems a tad low).

5. Little Tikes Rocky Mountain River Race Inflatable Slide Bouncer

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Price: Around $450

Capacity: 4

Dimensions: 13.4 x 14 x 8.5 feet

Age Range: 5 to 10

Maximum weight: 350 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

We like the dual-slide design of this Little Tikes Rocky Mountain water park and the fact that they empty out onto opposite sides of the wading pool. Another nice feature is a large cushion at the base of the climbing wall that softens the fall for kids who may slip down unintentionally.

This water park also has a dump bucket and a pair of sprayers to keep the slides nice and slippery.

Things to Keep in Mind

Although this slide is relatively large, it has a smaller wading pool compared to other options. Be aware of the dual lanes, though, when multiple kids are in the pool area. It might be easy for them to collide if they are not careful!

6. BOUNTECH Inflatable Water Slide

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Price: Around $399

Capacity: 3-4 kids

Dimensions: 13.1 x 11.8 x 8.3 feet

Age Range: 3 to 10

Maximum weight: 350 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

Made from high-standard 840D oxford cloth, this water park gets high marks for durability. And at around $399 with the blower, we think it gives you a good bang for your buck. The two water slides are accessible by a climbing wall with buffer steps and dump into a large wading pool.

This slide also features a basketball net, a water cannon, and two water sprayers.

Things to Keep in Mind

Although this slide doesn’t exactly have a tiny footprint, it only accommodates 3 to 4 kids, according to the manufacturer.

7. SUNNY & FUN Ultra Climber Inflatable Water Slide Park

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Price: Around $480

Capacity: 3

Dimensions: 13.1 x 11.2 x 7.9 feet

Age Range: 3 to 16 years old

Maximum weight: 350 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

We love that this water park features two slides that empty into opposite sides of the wading pool. It also has an extra big climbing wall that can be used wet or dry. Other nice features include a water gun and two sprayers to keep your kids extra chill.

And because it’s made from heavy-duty nylon, you can even join in on the fun with your kids if you like.

Things to Keep in Mind

Larger water slides automatically imply a longer breakdown and cleaning time. And while made of heavy-duty nylon, it’s puncture-resistant but not puncture-proof. Fortunately, this slide comes with four puncture patches for any water slide emergencies.

This splash water park also encourages racing slide activities, so make sure they keep an extra eye on your kiddos when they get the idea to become at-home American Ninja Warriors.

8. Little Tikes Slam ‘n Curve Slide

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Price: Around $391

Capacity: 3 kids

Dimensions: 14 x 9 x 7 feet

Age Range: 5 to 10 years

Maximum weight: 350 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

While not exactly minuscule, the medium-sized footprint of this slide makes for easy setup, and it also folds up quite compactly. This water park also includes a climbing wall, wading pool and a basketball ring.

Things to Keep in Mind

This backyard water slide can only accommodate three kids, but it could be just what you’re looking for if you have a small family.

9. Bounceland Jump and Splash Adventure Bounce House

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Price: Around $300

Capacity: 3 kids

Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 6 feet

Age Range: 3 to 10

Maximum weight: 300 lbs

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

Though it does have a smaller footprint, this water park does double duty as both an inflatable bounce house and a water slide. The bounce house has a basketball net and is also surrounded by a net so kids won’t tumble out.

The slide comes with a sprayer and leads to a 6.5 by 5-foot wading pool. This water park is also easy to set up and comes with its own repair kit.

Things to Keep in Mind

The bounce house itself can only fit two children at a time. And because of its smaller size overall, the water park capacity is only three kids. But considering the price, this is a great bounce house for small families or playdates.

10. Intex Rainbow Ring Inflatable Play Center

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Price: Around $60

Capacity: 4 kids

Dimensions: 6.4 x 9 .9 x 4.5 feet

Age Range: 2 to 7 years

Maximum weight: 178 lbs

Blower Included: No

What We Like About It

If you have a toddler that you need to keep a close eye on, this smaller and very economical water park makes a great choice. Despite its scaled-back size, it also has some surprising features, including two wading pools, a small slide and sprayer, and a ring toss and ball game (including the balls and rings).

Things to Keep in Mind

This water park does not come with a blower, so you’ll have to purchase that separately. And a few clients complained that the rainbow didn’t stand up after a while. Despite those drawbacks, we still think this is a great buy for families with very small children.

11. INFLAPLAY Bounce House with Water Slide

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Price: $449

Capacity: 3

Dimensions: 54×60 inches

Age Range: 3 months to 10 years old

Maximum Weight: 300 pounds

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

This backyard water slide with an inflatable bounce house offers more fun than just what you’ll find with your standard water slide. There’s a big, bouncy castle, a climbing area to get to the slide, and a small, shallow splash pool at the bottom.

The bounce house also features everything you need to get set up and start playing, including the air pump, ground stakes, a storage bag, a repair kit, and even a water hose. The only thing left you’ll need is you.

Things to Keep in Mind

One of the few downsides to this blow up bounce house and water slide? It is intended for just a few children at a time. If you have more than a few kids or if your kids hope to use their new slide with friends, this might not be big enough for everyone to use at once.

12. Banzai Big Blast Water Park

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Price: $313

Capacity: 2

Dimensions: 175x114x95 inches

Age Range: Up to 5 years old

Maximum Weight: 100 pounds

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

This inflatable backyard water park has everything — a wading pool, water guns, a slide, a climbing wall, an overhead sprinkler, and a sprayer. It truly is a ton of fun in one small package. Your purchase includes a detachable spraying hose and a blower motor for easy setup in just a few minutes, tops.

Things to Keep in Mind

While this inflatable water park is on the larger side, it’s still designed for younger kiddos. If you have elementary-age children, they may feel left out.

13. Action Air Inflatable Water Slide

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Price: $352

Capacity: 4

Dimensions: 177x126x94 inches

Age Range: 3 to 10 years old

Maximum Weight: 200 pounds

Blower Included: Yes

What We Like About It

This blow up water slide and play area combo includes a climbing wall and inflatable pool. Extra-portable, the fun slide comes with an air blower, water tube, repair kit, carrying case, lawn stakes and a long power cord. It’s suitable for kids up to 10 years of age.

Reviewers report using the water slide day after day with no problems and that the slide is very durable and heavy-duty, standing up to lots of wear, tear, and movement.

Things to Keep in Mind

While this water slide is suitable for kids up to 10 years old, and can be used by up to four kids at once, it’s worth noting the maximum weight limit of 200 pounds. If you have multiple, 100-pound 10-year-olds, then you shouldn’t have four of them on the slide at once.

Reviewers do also note that they have some issues keeping the slide clean after a lot of use, so take that into consideration if you don’t have much time for maintenance.

Why Buy an Inflatable Water Slide?

Still not sure if you want to buy an inflatable water slide for the kiddos? Here are a few reasons you should consider adding this summer fun activity to your backyard.

It’s an affordable, fun activity that could save you money in the long run.

We’ve all been there, searching for a way to keep the kids entertained on those long summer days. If you’re tempted to purchase a pass to the local pool, water park or theme park, but your budget really can’t cover it, an inflatable water slide may be a more affordable option for keeping the kids happy. While older kids may not be satisfied with this alternative, younger kids will find a lot to love.

It’s an activity that you can take on the go.

As long as there’s an adult ready and willing to help with set-up and supervision, this is one activity that your kids can take on the go, to friends’ and neighbors’ houses, unlike a traditional swimming pool.

It’ll mean more summertime outdoors family bonding — something we could all probably use more of.

Let’s face it — it’s all too easy, especially when you’re trying to keep the kids occupied, to just declare a family movie day or offer some extra screen time. However, the more we get moving as a family and enjoy the great outdoors as a family, the better we’ll all feel. An inflatable water slide is the perfect excuse to do so.

Things to Keep in Mind When Buying an Inflatable Water Slide

Here are a few important factors to consider before buying an inflatable water slide this summer!

Size

First and foremost, you’ll have to measure the area where you plan to set up the water slide. Be sure to check the slide’s dimensions in the manufacturer’s specifications. And don’t forget about height! That could be important when it comes to surrounding trees or balconies.

Also, keep in mind that you’ll have to break down the water slide at some point too. So make sure you have enough space to store it.

Blowers

These inflatable water parks require a powerful blower to inflate them and keep them at the proper pressure. In fact, the blower has to run the entire time the slide is being used to avoid dangerous collapses.

Many slides include their own blower, which can inflate the slide in just minutes, but be sure to check. If the blower is not included, you’ll definitely need to purchase one that is compatible with the model you choose.

Materials

Be sure your water slide is constructed of quality materials to avoid tears and punctures. PVC and chemical grade nylon are two of the most durable options.

Construction is also important for the longevity of slides, so look for things like double layers and extra stitching.

Safety First

Water slides are all about fun in the sun, but you also want to keep your children safe. First, be sure to pay attention to the manufacturer’s guidelines on the maximum number of occupants and weight limits of the slide.

Different slides are also made for different demographics, so be sure the water park you choose is age-appropriate.

And, of course, never leave your children unattended while they’re using the water park. Also, make sure to set clear rules in the beginning about your inflatable splash pool.

Installation Process

If there’s one way you definitely don’t want to spend one of your precious days off from work in the summer, it’s spending hours setting up an inflatable water slide. Struggling with set-up turns what’s supposed to be a fun activity for the kids into a giant headache that you’d rather not deal with.

For this reason, make sure to pay close attention to any manufacturer notes regarding a slide’s installation process (as well as user reviews that mention the installation process) before you buy a slide.

Age Appropriateness

Regardless of size and materials, different water slides are best suited to different age groups. Look for a water slide that’s going to be ideal for your child both this summer and for the next few summers to come.

Additional Features

If you want to purchase a water slide that’s going to keep your kids entertained all season long, you may want to look for a slide outfitted with additional features. Think a wade pool, bouncy castle, water cannons, basketball hoops, double lane slides, obstacle courses and more.

Cost

Of course, you should also think about cost when shopping for your inflatable water slide, particularly if you’re hoping to buy a water slide as a cost-saving measure. You’ll find that inflatable water slides really run the gamut in terms of price, so don’t be deterred if you see a lot of slides priced outside your budget. Chances are good that you can, with a little extra searching, find something to fit your needs, even if you might need to go a little smaller than you’d originally hoped.

Tips for Maintaining Your Inflatable Water Slide

Finally decided on the best inflatable water slide to fit your needs? Make sure to follow these quick maintenance tips, to keep your inflatable water slide in the best condition possible, for multiple years of use.

Place a tarp beneath your slide

Even if you think your yard is pretty smooth and safe, and that it doesn’t pose any threat to your water slide, you never know what sharp objects could be lurking beneath the grass, not to mention stray rocks and pebbles that find their way onto your pavement. No matter where you plan on putting up your family’s water slide, consider placing a tarp beneath it, so you don’t end up needing extra repairs.

Clean the water slide between each use

If you’ll be taking the water slide down and storing it between each use, make sure to fully clean and dry it before storage. If you just drain it and then stuff it into the garage or a box, you could end up with a slide that’s filled with mold, mildew and other gross, potentially harmful stuff.

Don’t bring (most) toys into the waterslide

While it may seem harmless to take Barbie into the waterslide or its adjacent wading pool, just imagine how those little plastic fingers could poke a hole, easily, into the side or bottom of the inflatable material. The best way to protect your inflatable water slide from punctures and other damage is to keep non-soft toys far, far away. The same goes for any hard or potentially damaging objects like accessories or shoes.

Tips for Safely Using Your Inflatable Water Slide

Once your slide is up and ready for fun, be sure to follow a few safety tips to ensure your day of fun in the sun doesn’t turn into a day at the ER.

No Pushing

Sure, we tell our kids not to push or shove all the time, but sometimes they still roughhouse and carry on when playing at the pool or in the backyard. Make sure they know that pushing someone off or down the inflatable water slide is a big no-go.

No Diving

Similarly, even when kids are playing on their own, they shouldn’t put themselves in a precarious situation by diving down the water slide. Any time anyone uses the water slide, they should be seated, feet first.

No Overcrowding

Heed the manufacturer’s recommendations for maximum number of people on the waterslide and maximum amount of weight on the waterslide.

Don’t Leave Kids Alone

While you might think that your children are big enough for a few minutes of play time on their own, resist the temptation to leave your children alone with the water slide. Children can drown very quickly, in very little water, so adult supervision is highly recommended.

Portable Water Slide FAQs

Have more questions before you make your purchase? We’ve got answers.

Are my children old enough for a portable water slide?

You can find portable, inflatable water slides for all ages, from toddlers all the way up to teens. As you’re shopping around, make sure that you specifically look for slides to fit your children’s ages.

Can you find inflatable water slides for adults?

Yes! While they might be a bit pricier than the water slides for small children, you can find inflatable water slides that are suitable for adults. Before you make your purchase, just be sure that your adult-intended water slide will be suitable for those who will use it and their combined weights.

Are inflatable water slides worth the money?

Just like with any backyard toy, you’ll get what you pay for when it comes to inflatable water slides. However, if you carefully choose a well-made, high-quality water slide, you can expect it to last for multiple summers of fun — making it well worth the money.

How much water does an inflatable water slide use?

The average water slide requires about 4 liters of water per minute, in order to keep the slide properly wet.

Are inflatable water slides safe?

So long as you follow all the usage and safety guidelines that your purchased water slide comes with, it should be entirely safe to use. However, for further safety tips, check out our inflatable water slide safety recommendations above.

Does an inflatable water slide recycle water?

While a traditional water slide at a water park recycles water, constantly pushing a stream from the top to the bottom, most inflatable options will not do this. Instead, the slide pushes water from a hose, down the length of the slide, continuously.

Splish Splash, They’ll Be Taking a Bath

There’s no doubt that inflatable water slides are a pretty good initial investment, but they also have some great advantages. First, they’re a fun way for your kids to cool off and get some exercise. And secondly, they’ll actually save you a few bucks on water adventure parks and trips to crowded public pools. (Not to mention they’re a lot more entertaining than your average kiddie pool!)

Though it may be tempting to go for a cheaper model, keep in mind that you generally get what you pay for. Be sure the water park you choose is constructed from quality materials to avoid tears and punctures.

And also, pay close attention to its size and recommended weight and age limits to ensure it’s appropriate for your home and family. From blow-up water slides to bounce house water slides, these are all a step up from your standard backyard slip n slide or small kiddie inflatable pool.

The right backyard water park will give your kids hours of entertainment. But as we mentioned before, always be sure to supervise your tikes while they’re splish-splashing around. Here’s wishing you a happy and cool summer with your little ones!

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The 13 Best Inflatable Slides For Kids: