Though history has often ignored the plight of the raquetball, action groups are taking notice and offering the battered bouncy ball a padded surface on which to bounce without injury. Today's Groupon extends the same courtesy to kids at BounceU, the inflatable indoor playground. Ping pong yourself at either the west location near George Bush Park or the southwest habitat for bouncemanity astride Missouri City. Choose one of the following options to live vicariously through a kangaroo:

• $15 for five bounce passes (a $30 value)
• $20 for one drop-in single-day camp session (a $40 value)

The five passes can be redeemed during regularly scheduled open bounce play periods on weekdays (find a time on the west or southwest location's calendar). Possibilities include preschool play date, family bounce night, or all-ages open bounce. Open bounce sessions may include music, flubber shoes, games, or snacks. Houston's summer camps include a three-day-a-week creative art camp (weekly till August 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; days vary by location).

Though not valid for enrollment in BounceU's highly regarded Doctorate of Fun PhD program, this deal does allow your kids to hurl themselves around with abandon, protected by soft, padded, and well-cleaned surfaces and a watchful, attentive staff. A coliseum of good times, BounceU features more tubes, slides, ladders, basketball hoops, and springy foam fields than an American Gladiator obstacle course, except here the participants trade their spandex for pink princess dresses.

For open bounce, reservations are recommended. With the bounce passes, the Groupon is not valid for holiday-themed or drop-off sessions. With the single day of camp, the Groupon is not valid for Mad Science Days or a summer-camp day featuring a special guest. Children participating in the single-day camp session must be 5–12 years old and restroom independent. All participants must wear socks.

Reviews

BounceU locations across the nation have been featured on Good Morning Texas, in the Orlando Sentinel, and many other places. It was voted Best Indoor Playground by Nashville Scene:

• Customers say they prefer an indoor party because summer heat or rain can spoil an outdoor celebration, [co-owner] said. – Linda Florea, Orlando Sentinel