If you are looking for the best inflatable water slide for your backyard, you’ll find my reviews of the 10 best available options very helpful. Inflatable water slides are some of the best outdoor equipment that is guaranteed to keep your kids super happy, active, and entertained during summer. In fact, they may never want to come back inside the house.
There are many inflatable water slide options in the market with many wonderful features that your kids will love. From kiddie pools, sprinklers, climbing walls, and slides that work with your pool, our list of carefully selected inflatable water slides have these options, so you are guaranteed to get the perfect one for your family.
In this review, we guide you with the entire process from choosing the right one for you, setting up and tearing it down, and how to store it so you will leave here confident about your choice. So, get your swimsuits ready and sunscreen for it’s time for you and your family to get out in the yard and have a blast getting wet!
A Note about Inflatable Water Slides Safety:
Every year, nearly 300 children under the age of five drown in backyard pools. Homeowners can prevent these tragedies by installing fences around their pools and self-closing, self-latching devices on gates. Injuries and fatalities from pool and spa accidents are highest among children aged 1 to 3 years old, representing 67 percent of reported cases. Read these 65 safety hazards and tips every parent should know. You can also check out these 12 dangerous baby products you should totally avoid.
Approximately 4,100 children under the age of five suffer submersion injuries each year and require emergency medical attention. Of those, half are seriously injured and must be admitted to the hospital for further treatment.
More details on how to keep your home safe here.
Install Barriers to Water Slides to Avoid Drowning in Water Slides
Inflatable water slides and home pools aren’t regulated by CPSC as such but they subject themselves to voluntary guidelines that are aimed at reducing or eliminating the risk of kids drowning in backyard pools. Under CPSC Publication No. 362, if you get an inflatable water pool, portable pool or slide or have a backyard pool in your home, you need to build a barrier to ensure kids to access the pool. More details on approved barriers on this 2017 poolsafety.gov guidelines. According to the CPSC guidelines, pool barriers should be tall enough that the top is at least 48 inches above grade. This measurement is taken on the side of the barrier which faces away from the swimming pool. Some States, Counties or Municipalities may have stricter requirements, such as 60 inches.
Below is an inexpensive fence you can install around the brand of inflatable water slides you choose from our list;
How to pick the best inflatable water slide (4 factors to consider)
Age:
Of course, the first thing you want to consider is the dimensions of the inflatable water slide and recommended age range. You don’t want to overload your slide to the point of tearing the seams; otherwise, it won’t last.
Price:
Next, you want to look for the slide with the best features you desire and within your budget range. Mini slides for small children costs about $100 or less while full-size models go from $300 to $800 and above.
Features it has:
As earlier mentioned, some water slides come with features such as built-in bouncy houses, climbing walls, water cannons, sprinkler tunnels, ball pits, and more. Some slides, however, do not have any extra features. Therefore, you need to consider the slide with your most desirable feature or if you just want a basic slide. If you have multiple kids, a slide with a variety of features may be more suitable, so kids can engage in different play activities, which will be more fun.
Other accessories it comes with
Also, you may want to consider an inflatable slide that comes with an air blower, hose, ground stakes, repair patches, and a carrying case. Buying these tools separately will only add to your cost.
Reviews of the Best Inflatable Water Slides in 2022
1. Intex Rainbow Ring Inflatable Play Center
- Water capacity: 77 gallons
- Recommended age: 2 to 7 years
The Intex Rainbow Slide is our overall best inflatable water slide in this 2022 list. We picked it top ahead of all other brands in this list because it is packed with so many features that will get your kid climbing, playing and sliding all afternoon.
This brand is made up of two wading pools, a sprinkler, a slide, a toss, and a hoop game. Having that game in the water was the winning design in this water slide. This brand has been around since 2007 and hasn’t seen a recall despite packing several things into one slide – although they call it a water play center.
This inflatable water slide is recommended for children ages 2 to 7. It is small to medium-sized and will comfortably accommodate about four toddlers at the same time.
With the slide, two wading pools, water sprinkler, and toss-a-hoop game, your toddlers will have a blast splashing, throwing balls (six balls included), climbing and sliding.
Intext is a US-based manufacturer of inflatable water slides and has been around since 1975 producing water-activity gear such as this Intext JumpO which is its best-performing.
The kids’ pool and slide are great fun during summer, but you can also use it indoors during winter -just fill it with plastic balls or foam to turn it into a ball pit, and your kids will have just as much fun.
This slide is cute, sturdy, and will likely hold up outside, plus it’s also fun. We only wished it included more accessories besides the balls. Reviewers have also noted that there are many places to blow air, so you need to put in some work.
Here is the manual for this brand and can check the pricing on Amazon here.
2. Little Tikes Rocky Mountain River Race Inflatable Slide
This is one of the best-rated water slides for backyards. This brand is by Little Tikes and includes a climbing wall, two slides, and a splash pool at the bottom. We bet it will be all joy and laughter as your kids compete to race down the two slides to see who gets to the bottom first. Unlike Intex’s brand above, this model doesn’t throw balls and doesn’t have the toss-and-hoop game.
There is also a large cushion area at the bottom and netting around the top to protect your kids from falling. Additionally, there is a surprise dump bucket at the top to soak the climbers as they make their ascent.
This slide has a combined weight limit of 350 pounds and will comfortably allow up to 4 kids to play at the same time. Recommended age range is 5 to 10 years.
It comes with an air blower, ground stakes, and a storage bag with a strap.
Reviewers who have used it say it’s easy to set up and deflate down, and it seems tough and durable. The only complaint is the more expensive pricing, and some reviewers have also mentioned it can be hard to empty completely and get back into the carrying bag.
3. Costzon Inflatable 7-In-1 Inflatable Water Slide Park
The Costzon 7-in-1 inflatable slide park comes with a wide array of features that make it a paradise for your kids. And if you don’t mind having the neighbor’s kids over, this water slide park will make your place the most popular in your block.
It features two climbing walls, a splash pool, two slides, water cannon, a basketball rim, and a lounger. From sliding, splish-splashing, climbing, and basketball, your kids will be engaged in a ton of fun activities. The weight limit is 350 pounds, and the suggested age range is 3 to 10 years.
This inflatable slide is easy to set up, deflate, and store. It is made using heavy-duty wear-resistant oxford material and high-quality sewing techniques to ensure safety and durability. You also get a long list of accessories, including an air blower, a hose, repair patches, ground stakes, an inflatable ball, and a storage bag.
4. Action Air Inflatable Waterslide
If you have space for it, this inflatable water slide by Action Air is so much fun! It features a huge slide, a climbing wall, a sprayer, a large splash pool, and a water gun. As if that is not enough, you get tons of accessories, including an air blower, water tubes, repair patch, ground stakes, blower stakes, and a carrying bag.
The slide is well made; sturdy material, and has great stitching. Most reviewers also found it easy to inflate and deflate, but some remarked it is a bit of a hassle to fold down for storage.
The maximum weight capacity is 200 pounds, and the recommended age range is from 3 to 10 years.
5. Sable Inflatable Play Center
If you have a small backyard, the Sable Inflatable Play Center may be what you need to keep your kids excited, happy and active until they wear themselves out daily. It is a really cute pool with a slide that is perfect for little ones. It even has palm trees to complete the look of some tropical islands. Additionally, there are water sprayers around the pool and on top of the palm tree, making things even more interesting. For safety, the play center has a shallow end suitable for small children and a deep end for bigger kids.
Most parents who have used the Sable pool and slide find it to have great quality and easy setup. It can accommodate two to three kids. The manufacturer’s age recommendation is from 3 to 83 years, so you can definitely join in the fun.
6. Intex Kool Splash Kids Inflatable swimming pool water slide
Add the Intex Kool swimming pool water slide to your pool and watch it become an instant hit with your kids. You can place the slide on the side of your swimming pool to send kids racing into the water. Some adults can use it as well, as the maximum weight capacity is 176 pounds. Bigger kids and teens are always coming up with new ideas of launching into the water from it.
Climbing to the top of the slide is easy, with stairs located on the back. For comfortable and safe landing, the slide has a large soft extension that goes into the pool. The slide also has a constant water spray to make it more slippery and fun to use.
This slide is recommended for children ages six and above. There were reports of damages after just a short period of use.
7. Sunny & Fun Deluxe Inflatable Water Slide
Guaranteed to make your kids jump with joy, the racing dual water slides make this inflatable by Sunny & Fun a favorite for families with multiple kids. It provides various features to keep kids busy and entertained, including a large climbing wall, a water gun, and a splash pool. Also, the splash pool has enough room for adults to lounge as they cool off and supervise.
This inflatable is made with heavy-duty construction to make it last and also comes with an air pump, repair kit, stakes, and a carrying case. The maximum weight limit is 350 pounds. Reviewers remarked that it’s a pain to dry out some panels and to store them, but otherwise, it performs great.
8. WOW Watersports Slide N Smile
The WOW watersports Slide N Smile is another great slide option to keep your kids happy during summer. This inflatable slide sits on the edge of your pool so your kids can dive right in.
It is equipped with inflatable side railings to keep your kids from falling off and a built-in sprinkler for wet sliding fun. In addition, it is wide enough for two people to compete jumping into the water.
The slide is recommended for kids ages 3 and above.
9. HearthSong Inflatable Water Slide
9. HearthSong Inflatable Water Slide
If you are looking to buy just a basic slide, The HearthSong inflatable water slide is one of the best options. Though it doesn’t have many features, it is super fun with 25 feet of sliding length and enough space for two to go at once! In addition, the slide ends into a splashing pool on one end for some more fun splish-splashing. There are also sprinklers in the middle to keep kids sopping wet for a fun slippery experience.
The slide also includes two inflatable speed boards for a cushioned ride, a repair kit, and ground stakes. The maximum weight limit is 110 pounds.
Despite the claim of being made with heavy-duty PVC for durability, there were reports of holes and tears after a few uses, so it might not last long.
10. Team Magnus XL Slip and Slide
Team Magnus slide is yet another great Slip n Slide option that you may want to consider. It has one inflatable end to catch your kids when they slide down and is perfect for beating the summer heat. Plus, it’s 31 feet long for an extra-long exciting ride. There is a central sprinkler channel and double laces for two to race at the same time.
This slide works best placed on a flat, grassy surface where there is enough space. You may also use it on a slight slope, but just be aware that if the person racing has gained enough momentum, it’s possible to slip and slide over the stopper at the end leading to injuries considering the slide doesn’t come with boards for cushioning. Also, reviewers noted it’s pretty sturdy and durable, but it’s not very slippery with just water. Some have had to use detergent or shampoo to make it more slippery.
Recommended age is from 5 to 10 years, and a maximum weight capacity of 110 pounds.
Buying Guide for Inflatable Water Slide
How does inflatable water slide work?
No matter what kind of water slide you choose, you will mostly need to do these steps to set up and tear down.
Set up
- Select a location with enough space and access to water. It should also be a flat area.
- Spread a groundsheet or tarp underneath to prevent damage and keep dirt and debris from getting to your slide once set up.
- Unroll the water slide and ensure all water vents and zippers are tightly closed
- Connect the blower to the inflation tube
- Anchor the inflatable stakes, and secure the inflatable to the stakes
- Turn on the air blower to start inflating
- If the slide has a pool, fill it with water to the correct level
- Attach the garden hose to the sprinkler system and adjust to desired spraying pressure
- You are all set to climb up, slide down, and splash!
Tearing down
- Ensure the kids have exited and at a safe distance away from the inflatable
- Drain all the water from the splash zone and landing pool
- Switch off the blower and disconnect it from the inflating tube
- If your water slide is tall, collapse the top portion forward as it deflates
- Open all deflation tubes and zippers and all water vents underneath
- Wipe away any paddles of water using a rag and let the inflatable dry completely under the sun
- Remove the anchors
- You can stomp on the inflatable to remove all trapped air
- Fold up the inflatable and secure it with straps
How to store inflatable water slide
It is best to store your inflatable water slide in its original packaging or carrying bag. Otherwise, you can place it in a plastic container or zip-up storage bags.
How to dry out an inflatable water slide
To dry your deflated water slide, wipe off any paddles of water and then let it sit out in the sun for a few hours until it’s completely dry before folding it for storage.
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Mary Stephens is our infant development and baby fun activities specialist here at Motherhood HQ. She has over 10 years of experience dealing with kids, previously as a K3 teacher and now as a K9-12 teacher specializing in physical education and Social Studies. She is certified to teach in New York and Massachusetts and when not teaching trampoline jump tricks or giving toddler safety guides, she enjoys writing and providing helpful guides to parents on baby fun activities from infancy to toddlerhood. Mary is also an independent consultant providing parents with fun activities at home and appropriate toys and baby gear for infants and toddler development. She can be reached at her email, mary.s(at)motherhoodhq.com.