Review of a Doorway Jumper (Use with CAUTION and SUPERVISION and COMMON SENSE!)

One of the most used baby products in our house is the Bright Starts doorway jumper. My oldest son, Froot Loop, received it as a Christmas gift when he was 3 months old. Both of my boys practically came out moving and grooving so it wasn't long before Froot Loop was able to use this jumper. My youngest, Cocoa Puff, used it pretty early in his life too, right after he was able to hold up his own weight (around 4 months, maybe earlier).

The jumper was very easy to put together. It took me maybe 10 minutes. The instructions are clear and concise. The jumper comes with four toys that attach with clip on loops. There is a cute zebra with a teether and two rings to grab onto. There's also a giraffe with some ribbon sensory tags. Also included is a small mirror, which is always a big hit with babies. Finally, a ring with three teething leaves completes the set. Both boys love/d playing with all of these toys, whether attached to the jumper or by themselves.

One of my favorite features about the jumper is the pillow that helps support your little one. It easily attaches to either the front or the back of the jumper so it goes wherever baby needs some supportive cushioning.

The jumper attaches very easily to a doorway. Any doorway with a "ledge" will support the clip. Just pull the two halves apart and slip over the doorway. There is elastic that keeps it closed with tension. There is also a buckle that holds it tightly. We have not had any issues with it in the three and a half years we have had it. Pull on it and rock it around to make sure it won't slide off. Use good judgement and you will be fine. 

The entire bucket part is attached with a mechanism that allows the jumper to swing back and forth. This is probably Cocoa Puff's favorite feature because in addition to bouncing and spinning around, he can walk forward and pull his feet up, making himself swing!

The elastic bungee part that allows the jumping fun is covered by a cloth. This prevents pinching. The strap that attaches to the jumper is easily adjustable. It is similar to a dog collar or the straps in a high chair or shopping cart. You basically just slide the adjuster up or down depending on your baby's height and needs. The directions recommend adjusting the height so your baby can just barely stand flat footed on the floor. I agree with this recommendation. It allows for prime jumping technique! 

The part that holds the baby is made of a strong fabric. Baby's legs go through the holes and they're basically left in a tall bucket. The bucket has a large, sturdy, plastic frame that makes it impossible to fall out of (and believe me, the boys tried to). The back of the bucket area goes up much higher, like almost to their head and the front curves and dips down to chest area so their arms can hang down or hold on or whatever. It gives the arms freedom. There are two straps in the front and one in the back that go up to the spinner area.

There is also an area that allows the bottom of the jumper to spin around so the strap doesn't twist. This is the only area that doesn't work as well as I hoped, but because of that, it allows Cocoa Puff to spin around and laugh like crazy which is really cute. The spinner area gets stuck, so the whole strap gets twisted around and around. Cocoa Puff has figured out how to intentionally twist the strap and let go so he spins back around. For whatever reason, he loves doing this, and it's hilarious. 

My boys have really gone to town on this thing. Cocoa Puff loves to try to swing in it. He walks forward as far as he can and then leans forward and lifts his feet so he swings backward. We've also been known to give him a little push to help him swing too. He also loves to jump of course as that involves standing, his favorite thing to do! Another thing he has started to do is spin around in one direction until the strap is completely twisted and then lift his feet and laugh as the jumper untwists itself. He does this over and over and over. He also jumps around and dances in it. He’s very happy hanging out in there. There's a variety of things for him to do and he doesn't get bored quickly.

Froot Loop used to practice standing and taking steps in the jumper. He wasn't really into swinging or twisting like his brother but he did enjoy standing and chewing on it. He has really never been very happy sitting still.

This jumper is great when Cocoa Puff wants to stand up and work his leg muscles and I can't be immediately next to him (like when he cruises along the furniture). It is not a babysitting device, as you have to supervise, but it gives me a few minutes of hands free time, which we both need. He usually is pretty happy in there for 20 or so minutes at a time,which is an eternity in baby time.

The whole thing is easy to take on and off the doorway and doesn't take up much room so it's easy to travel with. The seat is even machine washable, which is always a plus!

The doorway jumper is appropriate for babies up to 25 pounds. The manufacturer recommendations are for babies 6 months old and up, but my boys used it earlier than that since they had extremely good head and neck and body control and were already trying to stand up around 4 months of age.

Note: I know some people discourage the use of these doorway jumpers due to fall risks, etc. My thinking on that is to make sure you always supervise your baby and don't put the jumper in non sturdy doorways. Check the jumper before every use and don't install it over stairs or anything you wouldn't want baby to fall on. I've had this jumper for four years and two babies have used the heck out of it and I have not had any problems. The bungee is still in pristine shape and the jumper as a whole is practically like new. It's a fun way for Cocoa Puff to get some exercise. Also, the AAP recommends not letting your baby sit in suspended toys like this or walkers or activity jumpers for more than a little while each day as it can delay muscle development and skills like crawling and walking. 

Another note: Bright Starts has issued a newer version of this doorway jumper that has four straps instead of three. The only other difference is that Bright Starts claims the newer version is "springier" but when I checked one out at a friends house, I did not notice much difference in the springiness. So even though my photos and reviews are based on the older version, the newer one is practically the same.

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I have also noticed that Amazon reviews are pretty negative on this jumper. I honestly don't know why! The strap is a perfect length since it is easily adjustable. The bungee is plenty bouncy enough too! Both of my boys have had hours of fun in here. Cocoa Puff still crawls over to the doorway and pulls on the jumper to tell us he wants to play in it. He loves it so much we're actually going to cram it into our suitcases on our vacation later this month. He's nearing the weight limit for it though and it will be a very sad day when he can no longer play in it! 

Have you used doorway jumpers with your babies?