Outdoor Activities for Kids: Trampoline Tips

When outside weather is nice, there's no better way to divert your kids' attention from couch potato culture than to get them moving with a trampoline.  Trampolines have been widely available for more than a decade, and prices and quality are ever improving.  A backyard trampoline provides hours of entertainment for kids, and from the youngest to the oldest, the fun is contagious.

When it comes to selecting a trampoline, cost is often the biggest factor for a household, and if you are in a small community, there may only be one local source for a reasonably priced set.  If you have more choices, then you have more to consider, but even when you only have that single selection, you should take into consideration some practical issues that inevitably face long term trampoline households.

Our first trampoline was sold without a protective enclosure.  This was in the early days of widespread availability of backyard trampolines, however, and not long after our purchase, the protective enclosures began to be developed.  The kids' grandparents were helpful, in giving them an enclosure, which is one of the best safety measures you can take.  Unfortunately, the nature of a trampoline makes youngsters vulnerable to falling over the edge.  One misstep, and things can get bad quite quickly. 

Recent years have seen more marketing of coordinating sets, trampolines and enclosures sold together.  Whether you purchase together, or separately, keep your kids' safety at the forefront of your selection process.

 ***Some families solve the falling off concern by digging a pit, and sinking the level of the trampoline so that the surface is level with the ground.  This can be a reasonable approach to safety, but make sure that there isn't room for children to get underneath, as youngsters are notorious for finding great hiding spots, which often can result in mishaps.  In the desert Southwest, my other concern for such a pit would be it's availability to snakes and varmints, though this may not be as much of a concern in other parts.

Supervision of small children on a trampoline is really important, as there is always the potential for injury.  One twisted ankle, or awkward bounce, and you can be dealing with an injury.  If older children and younger are playing together, there must be an adherence in terms of number of people jumping at one time.  Too much weight can lead to broken springs.  Flying springs are dangerous projectiles.  Broken mats, likewise, can lead to injuries.

Too many kids at a time, even within weight limits, and there can be a concussion force collision.  Enforce the rules, and when the rules are broken, restrict play time.  It's essential to keeping your kids mindful of the seriousness of using the trampoline correctly.

In our corner of the desert, there are a couple of brutal elements to contend with:  wind and sun.

The wind has taken out many trampolines in our area over the years, and occasionally even tossed one into a neighbor's fence, or into a power line.  If you are in a windy area, you should take precautions to anchor your trampoline.  You don't want your investment to be lost, for one thing, and you don't want to owe the power company for repairs, nor the neighbors.

We used sandbags at first, laying a couple over each section of the bottom part of our trampoline.  These wore through, and my husband shored up the weights by making up a loose concrete mixture, and pouring it over the bottom sections as a more permanent weight.  Depending on the severity of winds you encounter, you may not need quite as much weight to hold your trampoline down.  Better safe than sorry, though.

We also deal with severe sun damage to our trampoline pads.  It's common among trampoline owners here, and everyone finds themselves replacing their trampolines periodically.  We usually get 2 good years out of a pad, assuming we are meticulous about kids not putting excess strain by jumping more people than permitted.

If you encounter the same situation, you will be glad to know that it's more likely now, than a few years ago, to find a replacement pad.  You will need to know the diameter of your mat, and the number of rings on it.  Refer to your original reference material from the trampoline, or go outside and count.  Previously, I found replacement mats more expensive than the original trampoline, and our resulting solution was to buy a new trampoline, and just replace the springs and mat on the frame that was already in place, cemented down.  The next go round, though, I expect it to be about half the price of a new trampoline.  Your situation may vary, depending on your specific apparatus. 

There are many ways to enjoy your trampoline, aside from jumping.  My kids love to dry off from swimming on the warm trampoline surface.  They also love to enjoy snacks and impromptu picnics from this venue.  At night, the trampoline is a fun place to stargaze.  And on a warm summer's eve, they love to sleep out!  There are lots of ways to enjoy a trampoline, and for keeping your youngsters active, this is one of the best methods!