Trampoline safety is one of the most important aspects of owning a trampoline. When we buy a trampoline,
Here’s my rundown on the top 10 Trampoline Safety Tips For Kids.
It’s our job to make sure that the trampoline we are buying meets certain safety checks. We need to make sure it’s suitable for our children to use without accidents occurring so with that in mind
Now I don’t want to dissuade any would-be trampoline owners from getting a trampoline as they can be one of the greatest outdoor toys for children. This isn’t an article telling you why you shouldn’t own a trampoline or why trampolines are bad. But there are some important health and safety tips that you should be following if you intend to buy a trampoline for the children.
So take note and make sure you put every point into your daily trampoline experience. Here are my top 10 trampoline safety tips for kids;
1. Place The Trampoline Away From Objects and Obstacles
If you’re buying a new trampoline or simply putting a trampoline in a new garden
Make sure the trampoline is placed away from any tree’s, paths, fences and obstacles. Have a look round and think to yourself. Is this area safe for my children?
It’s important to make sure the trampoline is
2. Ensure You Buy A Trampoline With A Safety Net Enclosure
All new trampolines sold today in the UK are sold with accompanying trampoline safety net enclosures so when you are searching for a trampoline make sure it’s definitely included. It should be.
The only time this may fail is when you are considering buying a second hand or pre-owned trampoline. I don’t advise this as you don’t know who’s used the trampoline before and you don’t know what condition the trampoline will be in.
A trampoline enclosure stops a child from leaving the trampoline if they bounce in the wrong direction. The last thing you want is for the kids to fall off the trampoline and a safety net enclosure prevents this from happening.
3. Make Sure You Buy The Correct Size Of Trampoline For Your Kids
There are so many options when buying a trampoline, from which shape of trampoline to choose and to what is the best trampoline size. There are many varieties and each trampoline size has a different weight capacity limit and a different recommended age. So you should choose wisely and do as much research as possible.
Your trampoline should be suitable for the age of the children using the trampoline. If you are not sure what size of trampoline you should be looking to buy then I recently wrote a trampoline size guide, so take a look.
4. Add A Trampoline Ladder To Your Garden Trampoline
Some new trampolines come with ladders included, for me, it’s a must-buy accessory. However
The need for a trampoline ladder is especially high when you are buying a trampoline for small children. You want them to be able to access and exit the trampoline safely and a ladder allows them to do this.
If your trampoline package doesn’t come with a trampoline, then it’s easily fixed. You can purchase a trampoline ladder separately. T
5. Place The Trampoline On A Level Surface
You may think that where you put a trampoline doesn’t matter. I’m afraid it’s not just as simple as putting a trampoline in the garden. You need to make sure that not only the area is free from obstacles, covered above. But also that the surface is flat, smooth and level. You cannot put a trampoline on a sloped surface for risk of the trampoline toppling over.
Think about a trampoline on a sloped surface and your child is bouncing at the bottom, it may tip over and while trampoline anchor kits and sandbags can hold the trampoline in place it’s not ideal as these can fail and cause serious injuries to your children.
6. Place The Trampoline On A Suitable Surface Material
While we’ve got the level of the surface down, the type of surface is also important. You need to make sure that the ground is able to absorb the impact of the trampoline being in use. You may be thinking that a concrete slab area may be perfect for a trampoline, but it doesn’t allow any absorption of the impact and will cause excessive noise to your neighbours.
Look for a surface type that is safe, so if your child falls off or slips on the ladder they aren’t hitting a hard surface. The perfect place to put a trampoline is on a flat grass surface or alternatively you can place a trampoline on sand or wood chips.
My number one surface is always grass, it provides friction that stops the trampoline moving, but is also soft to prevent injuries.
7. Teach Kids To Land In The Centre Of The Trampoline
When a child is using the trampoline they tend to bounce around the edges as well as the centre of the trampoline. A bit of trampoline education is best coming from the parent, so let your children know that the best place to jump is in the centre of the trampoline. It’s always marked with an X or with a trampoline brand logo.
The reason why the centre is the best place to bounce is that it’s the furthest away from any working part of the trampoline such as the springs and the trampoline frame. Although every trampoline should have padding to cover the springs and a trampoline enclosure net
It is the highest bounce area also, so much more fun.
8. Parent Supervision Is Required At All Times
Now I know you can’t be there all the time in the garden when the children are playing outside, but you should at least make sure you can view the trampoline from a window either the kitchen window or the living room window.
Every trampoline brand will recommend that each child should be supervised on a trampoline when it’s in use. The reason for this is that children tend to be very adventurous and may try to do tricks and spins on a trampoline that could cause an injury.
9. Trampoline Socks Avoid Slips and Trips
Trampolines can be quite slippy especially when first starting out, so how do we combat this? Well
They don’t cost much and provide awesome grip and allow children to bounce with confidence. They can help prevent slips and trips when the trampoline is being used.
10. One Child On The Trampoline At A Time
If you’ve read much of my blog, then you’ll be aware that I talk about my golden rule quite a lot. One child should bounce on a trampoline at a time, this trampoline tip is one of my biggest and I know it’s hard to stick to. Most trampoline injuries occur when a trampoline is being used by more than one child and it usually results from a trampoline collision.
While I advise this I do know a lot of families that allows certain age groups of children to bounce at the same time while being supervised. For example, you would never allow a teenager to jump alongside a 6-year-old, they won’t be able to find their feet and be comfortable on the trampoline.
That’s all for my top 10 trampoline safety tips. If you have any other trampoline safety advice then please comment below and I’ll add them to the list. It’s important we keep our kids safe, but allow them to have great fun and an amazing trampoline experience.
