''They are not putting any blame on anyone, and that's where it lies,' Venture Southland chief executive Paul Casson said yesterday.
The 6m-high jump allowed children to leap off and land on a large inflatable pad. Mr Casson said the 6-year-old landed incorrectly on the first day of the festival, despite being given safety instructions before he jumped.
The minimum age for the jump was raised from 6 to 8 on Thursday, but he made the decision to close the activity about 2.30pm, after an older girl sprained her ankle, Mr Casson said.
''I was there at the time and decided enough was enough. Many of the 170 activities at Kidzone have an element of risk to them but kids' safety is paramount. It is our responsibility to ensure there are no accidents, to the best of our ability.''
The injured boy was still in Southland Hospital. He had been sent a ''goodie bag'' and Venture Southland staff were keeping in touch with him and his parents, Mr Casson said.
The boy's father declined to speak to the Otago Daily Times.
Kidzone attracts more than 10,000 visitors over six days. The stunt jump, operated by a commercial entertainment company, was a surprise activity for the festival's 10th birthday.
More than 1250 jumps were made before the activity was closed and he had been told one child had jumped 50 times, Mr Casson said.
