New Pump It Up goodie bag toys encourage physical activity

Pump It Up of Chicago, the indoor inflatable playground full of bounce houses and other fun play structures where many local children hold private parties, is introducing new party goodie bag toys designed specifically to encourage physical activity and good health.

Instead of stressing out over finding the perfect party giveaway or feeling themselves trapped into giving party guests a sack of candy and junk, parents can opt to use these updated versions of classic toys when hosting a party at Pump It Up after September 1, 2010. The new party toys are not suitable for kids under 3 and their price and availability may vary by location.

New Pump It Up goodie bag toys

Designed in the signature Pump It Up colors of purple, red, yellow, and blue, four new toys may be found in each party goodie bag – Roto Launcher, Thunder Sticks, Sidewalk Chalk, and either a Disc Launcher or an Inflatable Ball. Equally suitable for a girl's party or a boy's party, these active toys come in a paper party bag that is printed inside with more fun games and activities.

- To play with the Roto Launcher, children stick three plastic wheels on its center spike and then twirl them upward until they fly spinning through the air.

- To play with Thunder Sticks, children (possibly with the help of an adult with large lungs) blow up the two cylindrical balloons and then hit them together to make a loud noise (or, in some cases, each take one and beat the pickles out of each other).

- To play with Sidewalk Chalk, children use the three sticks (yellow, pink, and blue) to draw outside. The chalk box comes with suggestions for play on its back, including (on our sample chalk box) detailed instructions for how to play hopscotch.

- To play with the Disc Launcher, children snap one of three plastic discs into the arms of the launcher pincers and then push the back section of the pincers together to send the disc sailing forward. The two discs not in use can be snapped into a back storage compartment on the launcher.

- Our sample bag did not include an Inflatable Ball, but clearly children could use it for outdoors fun as well.

New Pump It Up goodie bag

The outside of our sample goodie bag was printed with pictures of both a boy and a girl, making it appealing to both genders. A trivia question about how many minutes a person would have to do jumping jacks to burn off a 200-calorie bar is answered inside the sack in the printed answer key. Inside the bag, children also find games that promote activity and health, such as a Find the Difference puzzle, a matching game that has children sort pictures of foods into their food groups, and a series of active challenges for children to attempt, such as a cartwheel competition and a funny face race.

Pump It Up goodie bag toys review

These new goodie bag treats are made of sturdy plastic that should stand up well for long periods of outdoor play. The Roto Launcher and Disc Launcher are easy to master and fun to use to send the wheels and discs spinning across a lawn over and over again. Children will definitely get lots of exercise while chasing after the wheels and discs to retrieve them.

The sidewalk chalk is a good classic toy choice to include, encouraging, as it does, not just active play but also creativity. Parents who do not enjoy ending up with a clutter of small toys after attending a child's party may also appreciate the fact that the chalk will soon get used up and not require long-term storage space.

All of these party toys are definitely for outdoor use only, especially the Thunder Sticks. Some parents may wish to set some ground rules for using this toy, or even confiscate it entirely if they think play with it might lead to fighting or injury.

In all, parents will probably appreciate being able to give out a goodie bag that includes only a few well-chosen playthings instead of a huge pile of random tattoos, gross candy, and tiny cheap toys that will break after two seconds of use. And naturally, moms and dads have the option to add a few more goodies of their own if they so choose, such as jump ropes or small bottles of bubble soap.

See below for an informational slideshow about these new party toys.

Pump It Up Chicago parties

Chicago parents can sign kids up for the Pump It Up Birthday Club to receive a membership certificate and member-only gifts and deals when hosting parties at any of these inflatable party zones.

Pump It Up Chicago locations include party places in Chicago, Elmhurst, and Orland Park. Check the online store locator to find out which of these seven locations is nearest home.

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