Inflatable Fun Runs are only for Boys!
Ok, so maybe this title is a bit of an attention grab. Ok, so it's totally an attention grab! Fun-Runs are not just a boys item, but it's pretty mind-blowing how many people still have this mind-set.
We took two photos, one of each of our fun-runs in very similar positions in similar gardens. The models are actually indentical, there is zero difference between them structurally. They use the same material, made by the same company and are essentially the exact same unit with the exact same measurements.
Did the boys enjoy the jungle fun-run more than the girls enjoyed the unicorn fun-run? We're taught in school that there is no such thing as a silly question, but we're pretty sure if there was an exception, this one would be a contender. Not only did both parties have some super fun in equal measure, but when we turned up we saw both boys and girls alike on both inflatables. Boys will not refrain from using a fun-run just because it's Unicorn and everyone loves the Jungle theme!
Bouncy Castle companies usually work around a model of supply and demand, or at least they think they do. What actually happens is that they often drive booking behaviour.
For example, if the bouncy castle company believes that Mermaids are going to be a big hit this year, they will ensure that they have this product covered. You'll often see that super slides are at the very best a gender neutral theme, because the bouncy castle company thinks parents believe only boys book slides and it's not often booked for girls parties. The same happens with fun-runs, you hardly ever see full-on theme fun-runs aimed at girls.
They believe that they are reacting to market demand, but they're actually just force feeding customers what they think they want.
Sometimes pictures paint a thousands words and we hope that the photos below illustrate how there really is no difference. News flash... Girls like fun just as much. We don't live in a Catherine Cookson novel set back in times yonder when girls learned to cook and sew while the boys worked on the farm with their Dad.
Children are like sponges and they soak up what they're given. Feed them the stereotype that girls can have a bouncy castle, but a fun-run or a slide is really a bit too "boyish" and they will believe it. Book them a Unicorn Fun-Run and you'll see just how much they love it! They aren't shy and reserved wall flowers, they'll jump straight in and you'll see just how much they can handle a "boys" inflatable.
Having a Unicorn theme certainly makes it more accessible to girls. It doesn't state in their face "This is for boys, but we'll let you have a go...", it lets them know loud and clear that this is for them!
We try to listen to demand and provide what is genuinely being cried out for, rather than provide what we think a stereotype norm tells us is acceptable. We're very proud to have the only "girly" fun-run in the area and haven't held back with half measures, it's just about as sickly sweet as you can get!
Does this make us feminists? We honestly have no idea what that even means, we hope what it's makes us is open-minded and a company you would consider booking with!
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