Trampoline Safety: Don’t Try This At Home, Kids!

For our first post I had a duty to address the importance of trampoline safety. I am seeing so many people address the topic of trampolines to occupy their kiddos in the time of quarantine. Why wouldn’t you? Trampolines are awesome and oh so fun. But! Trampolines aren’t meant to be used without some guidance, knowledge and understanding of how they function and how to use them properly.

Indulge me for a few minutes as I guide you through the safe practices of these body rocket launchers.

NOT all trampolines are made equally

Here’s what you need to know about trampolines. They are made up of four keys aspects, the bed, base, springs and covers.

Bed: it’s what you bounce on. The bigger the holes, the more air the bouncer will get.

Base: some trampolines are made for above ground and some are in-ground. What would it look like if your jumper flew off an in-ground trampoline versus and above ground trampoline (think about 6’ off the ground)?

Springs: you’ll notice some options have springs perfect for little fingers and toes to get stuck while others are made of stretchy cords.

Covers: these go over your springs and they are 100% necessary at all times and in good condition.

How to use a trampoline safely

There are a few key ways to promote jumper safety, however there is no way to prevent accidents. Here’s some rule of thumb trampoline safety guidelines:

1. Always watch the jumper. Always watch the jumper. Always watch the jumper.

2. Children under 5 years old should never jump on a trampoline. They lack enough body control to do this safely. I encourage you to read this article from the Journal of Pediatric Orthopedics.

3. Know how to stop your bounce. When jumping gets a little out of control, ask yourself, do you know how to gain control of your body to stop?

4. Know how to get on and off the trampoline. Yep, that’s a skill in and of itself. 1) Stop your bounce, 2) Walk, crawl or scoot off the trampoline.

5. Who jumps when? One person at a time on the trampoline, always, always, always.

6. Tricks are so fun. They sure are! Tricks are best left for the professional training environment where an instructor can monitor the trick, the progression and hopefully avoid a “throwing it” attitude.

7. Objects around the trampoline. Don’t place anything around the trampoline (read: ladders for easy access, tables, benches and the like) or underneath the trampoline either.

8. Check with your homeowner’s insurance. Before you have a group of kids over for a blasty blast make sure you’re not jeopardizing yourself and your household for liability.

I hate to rain on a good trampoline parade, but these pieces of equipment are just that. They are training equipment. Super fun! I totally get it! I still enjoy a good bounce at the gym. But here’s my advice. Be diligent in your research. Weigh the risks. Set up usage rules. Check your equipment.

I hope this offers food for thought before you hit that purchase button. We can’t wait to see you in the gym!

Have a dynamic day,

Lena