For such an expensive purchase for kids to have as a toy, I was skeptical, but thanks to all of the positive reviews this product received, we decided to make the plunge...we just got it yesterday, and set up was a breeze...a little on the heavy side, but that's becuase the materials used are very heavy duty for a "consumer" bounce house...as promised, it inflated within a minute or two, and the kids' eyes lit up...a 5 year old girl and an 18 month boy were thrilled...contrary to the picture, there are velcro sealers to keep the door flaps closed securely so that lil ones can't fall out...the unit is very sturdy for toddlers, although not for adults, as the package says...The kids loved playing in it, and it is about 6 feet tall total, so it will be nice to set up in the basement during the winter so the kids can burn off some energy...The design is kind of basic...nothing overly fancy...but I didn't pay for fancy, I paid for bouncy, and hoped for heavy duty...and that's exactly what I got for the money...Another reviewer stated that it was "too hard" when inflated...I looked for signs of this, and couldn't identify any discomfort or signs of too much air in the jumper amid the hundreds of pile drivers that my 5 year old did. The bouncer appeared big enough for 3 good sized toddlers or 5-6 smaller toddlers using at the same time...To test the strength of the bouncer, I had my daughter ram one of the corners to see if it would give out under a direct assault...she bounced off, and the bouncer passed another safety test. The side netting feels sturdy and strong, well knitted together in a pattern that is able to be seen through at a distance, though not very easy to see through when standing next to the bouncer. I can't really say that this bouncer is educational because...well...it's a bouncer...it might teach balancing or something...but can't we just buy stuff for our kids that we always wished we had while we were growing up? This is one of those things that we wished we had as a child...and this particular bouncer is going to be a hit for years to come...
UPDATE: 9/27/2011
This bouncer still is going strong, we've kept it in the basement, and it has never been outside. That being said, it has withstood many parties, many playdates, and continues to be the hit of the neighborhood...VERY IMPRESSED! Just BUY IT ALREADY!