Things to Do in Pearl

Sprawling across an indoor arena, Pump It Up's giant inflatables beckon kids to slide and bounce during private parties and open play. Technicolor bouncy castles send their inhabitants soaring, obstacle courses foster good-spirited competition, and ceiling-to-floor slides let sock-clad kiddies pretend they're escaping a giant gumball machine. Occasionally, Pump it Up's staff dims the lights and turns up the music to transform their facility into a glow-in-the-dark party catered to tweens and teens.

Pump It Up's staff supervises the arena during parties, giving parents time to relax and play patty cake uninterrupted. They can also help customers design personalized parties inside a private room with options such as pizza, drinks, goodie bags, balloons, and ice cream.

As youngsters, Charles and Talamieka Brice experienced the world through drawing. While his life revolved around comic heroes such as Batman and The Hulk, hers hinged on doodling family members and teachers rather than biting their likenesses out of hunks of cheese. When the pair met in art classes at Jackson State University, what began as a friendly rivalry quickly transformed into a rewarding romantic and artistic partnership. Now married, the award-winning illustrators, photographers, and graphic designers use their talent to craft work for individuals and corporations equally adeptly. They capture striking images of families, kids, and weddings from behind the lens, which they preserve as prints, images burned onto discs, or customized hand-drawn portraits. Their skills extend to pet portraits, watercolor and oil paintings, and sculpture. Additionally, their graphic designs have professionalized the look of corporate brochures, logos, and catalogs.

The Bounce Palace's two rooms of massive inflatables accommodate up to 55 youngsters, from toddlers to 12-year-olds. Once inside, children can hop inside a bounce house adorned in primary colors, explore an ocean-themed inflatable adorned with inflated dolphins, and send Jane Goodall fan mail from the monkey cage. Bright-yellow walls surround each bounding visitor with pictures of kid-friendly favorites such as Batman, Spider-Man, and Disney princesses. Along with inflatable entertainment, The Bounce House's two party rooms host celebrations that the birthday child and adult guests attend for free.