Sh!t That Worked For Us

Retail: $39.99
Ages: 3+ months (for children from 5.5 to 25 lbs; child must be able to hold head upright unassisted)
Manufacturer Description: Your baby will jump for joy in this fun, sturdy doorway jumper. Just attach the adjustable, spring-loaded clamp to door frame and you’ve got an instant, anywhere activity that will delight your baby. A plastic dome keeps the Jumpster’s straps separated, so you can easily get Baby in and out. The sturdy bounce spring has a hidden safety cord, and the clamp won’t mark door moldings. Height adjustable, with a play tray and 2 soft toys.

Product Features:

• Removable, Washable Seat Pad: High-back nylon seat pad is removable and machine washable
• Non-twist Straps: Plastic dome keeps straps apart to simplify getting Baby in and out
• Safe Sturdy Spring: Sturdy bounce spring with hidden safety cord for nonstop jumping joy
• No Mark Clamp: Spring-loaded clamp won’t mark door moldings
• Attaches Easily: Attaches to doorframe for portable fun
• Height Adjustable: Height Adjustable for child from 5.5 to 25 lbs
• Toy Tray: Play tray for toys
• 2 Soft Toys: 2 soft, removable, interactive toys attach to adjustable play rings

Why This Sh!t Worked For Us:
There will inevitably be well-intentioned family members and friends, who will shop beyond your baby registry because they are already parents and would love to give you a particular product that worked for them, or who have never been parents before, but think that some random contraption is bound to make your life easier — potentially because the internet, word-of-mouth or an overzealous store associate sold them on the latest baby invention regardless of your own perceived needs or living space. Or even more simply — because they think something is just adorable. All reasons are understandable and mean that you have friends and family who care. Take a moment to appreciate that.

We operate from a place of appreciation in which we are so humbled by the enthusiasm and support our family and friends express to us that no act of generosity is received without gratitude. When it comes to the love you receive, the thought should always count. However, when it comes to the desired function and available space you wish to transform or enhance for your new baby’s arrival, we reserved the right to exchange gifts for alternative items that better suited our needs, living arrangements or even decor. It was a right that our family and friends enabled by graciously including gift receipts. And in the rare occasion that something served nearly zero purpose in our household yet could not be exchanged, we donated the new item to a local charitable organization.

In the case of the Graco Bumper Jumper, we could not have been more excited about something we never knew we needed. It was one of the few gifts we received that we had not listed on our baby registry. And it was one of even fewer gifts, for which we had not registered, that we absolutely loved. One only needed to enter our apartment to Sydney’s gleeful giggles and the faint pitter-patter of her little feet as she bounced in the doorway between our bedroom and living room to understand why.

The spring-loaded clamp was easy to slip on and off the casing of the doorframe. It did not scuff our walls — despite frequent installation and removal — and yet a firm tug on the bounce spring offered solid reassurance of our baby’s safety. The chair could be turned 360 degrees without tangling any straps, so we didn’t have to worry about Sydney eventually having to spin in a counter-direction from continuous rotation (think of an old phone receiver dangling on a twisted cord — if you’re young enough to remember such a thing).

The plastic dome did keep the jumpster’s straps separated; however, it took some orienting to determine the best way to maneuver our baby into and out of the hanging seat. Entering and exiting from the side — versus through the front — worked best for us. The height was adjustable for use up to 25 pounds (be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommended adjustments), and the cloth seat pad could be detached for a rinse in the sink or a machine wash. Because it’s not super easy to insert or remove (presumably for safety reasons), I generally opted to scrub or wipe everything clean with household soap and water unless the entire seat absolutely needed a more industrial cleaning.

The play tray was great for placing one of Sydney’s favorite teethers within her reach, but the two soft, hanging toys (included) left quite a bit to be desired as she could easily detach them with a light tug. Unlike the two toys on the Fisher Price Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat, which clip on and off, these two were attached by velcro. It was nice, however, that we could adjust the height of the hanging toys by sliding the buckle up or down the jumpster’s straps.

While we might have chosen the Stratus pattern over the Little Jungle, aesthetics were second to function when it came to the gratitude we felt for this gift.

ADD THE GRACO DOORWAY BUMPER JUMPER TO YOUR AMAZON CART
BEAR TRAIL
LITTLE JUNGLE
STRATUS