Bounce Party Play, Maple Shade Township

Seventy feet stand between the birthday kid and a giant slice of cake. Inflated structures block him at every turn as he weaves his way through the obstacle course. Once finished, he can finally head to the party room, where dessert, presents, and a notarized letter from Father Time await. The celebration takes place at Bounce Party Play, whose business name is also an apt summary for everything that occurs within their supervised, indoor bounce center.

In addition to an obstacle course, the arena encompasses bounce houses, inflated games, and giant slides that race from the ceiling to the floor. Nearby, electronic beeps fill a kid-friendly arcade. In addition to birthdays and open sessions, the indoor play center hosts special events such as Family Bounce nights, fueled by devouring pizza, sipping soda, and turning earth's gravity dial slightly to the left—but not to the right, never to the right.