The Pumponator – the Funnest Way to Fill Water Balloons!

by Lori Cunningham

The Pumponator is one of my top fave toys from this year’s Toy Fair. Right away I was enamored by this product. I knew in an instant that the Pumponator was a winner…with both kids and parents. The Pumponator allows kids to easily either pump air or water into their balloons to fill them.

No more blowing up balloons until you’re blue in the face (which typically affects us adults since the kids aren’t able to blow them up themselves). No more flooded backyards from the water flow of the hose while the kids are off playing with their water balloons.

No longer do you need to be tethered to the water hose outside. Now you can take your Pumponator with you inside, to the park, or over to a friend’s house. For years, my kids have often been outside wasting water and prematurely popping their balloons as they struggled to fill up their water balloons. Now, even my 5 year old can fill up his balloons without help, using the Pumponator. The Pumponator comes with 500 balloons and ties so kids can even tie the balloons themselves.

In addition, the Pumponator includes a small booklet that shows kids how to create certain balloon animals and objects. My kids go nuts over the Pumonator. I think we had 20 balloon “art” items taking over the house the first day they used it!

I stumbled upon the Pumponator while at the Toy Fair in February. Typically you see big expensive booths with lots of signage – within the booth as well as hanging from the tall ceilings. Not with the Pumponator booth. Instead, I saw a humble booth, some Pumponators, a table, and a woman with a big smile. She told me that her granddaughter had come up with this idea. Her granddaughter was a fourth grader when she came up with the Pumponator. Little Lexie Glenn has launched new dreams for herself that she never thought possible. Her little “idea” is now sold in major toy stores across the country. But it doesn’t end there, now Lexie has her own book, available on Amazon.com. It’s called, “My Invention” and it covers her story from idea for the Pumponator from conception to production.

See Lexi demonstrate the Pumponator herself:

Note that the more you pump the Pumponator, the more air or water will dispense into your balloon. We have filled entire animal figure balloons with one shot just by pumping the Pumponator 20 times or so beforehand. It’s not hard to pump, but it does provide a little exercise for he kids…an added benefit!

In this world of big companies and conglomerates, it’s refreshing to see the little guy…or in this case, the little girl succeed. And the Pumponator is such a great idea too.

The Pumponator can be bought online through Pumponator.com for $19.95 plus $3 shipping. Of course, Amazon.com always has a better deal coming in at $15.81 plus free saver shipping if your order comes to $25 or more.