Mothering Forum banner

Do you have a trampoline?

Tags
childhood
4K views 32 replies 27 participants last post by  Cheryl S. 
#1 ·
I was considering getting a trampoline for the backyard this summer. How do you mamas feel about the safety of trampolines? Do you have one? If not, what other outdoor stuff do you have that children 5 and older enjoy?

Thanks!
 
#3 ·
I won't get one. As much as the girls want one I can't do it. I have personally seen some gnarly accidents with trampolines and knowing DD1 She'll be the first one to the ER. Our neighbors have one and the girls are drooling over it. Sucks but, I'm not doing it. Also our yard is pretty small and there are a lot of trees. Wouldn't be fun to get scratched up by them.
 
#4 ·
Our family had a trampoline growing up, as did our cousins and my best friends. This was before the safety netting became popular. I never saw an injury worse than (or really as bad as) falling off your bike or skateboard. I think the key for trampolines is intense supervision. Super super fun, and a great part of my childhood!
 
#5 ·
I had growing up, we used it all the time. As a parent, I had heard all the horror stories of injuries, my neighbor is an ER doc and won't let his kids on one. We were given a used one, the girls loved it so when that one was on it's way out we bought a new one. We have all the gear, netting, mats, only 2 children allowed at a time. I'm fine with the perceived risk now. They enjoy it, it keeps them busy, they will play games on it for hours. There are 3 houses on our street with trampolines, we don't have a lot of children around so that is a decent number! Our backyard is sloped and full of large trees so we have it in front in that yard. Not the best visually but it works.
 
#9 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by Imakcerka View Post

All things carry a risk. Bikes, skateboards and yes trampolines. I guess I just try to mitigate the risks and the DD's get a bikes instead. I don't do blood so if there was an accident... Judas help them.
Yes! My kids do riskier sports I guess. DD1 is an avid skateboarder, we spent many hours at the skate park. I see more accidents there then on trampolines but I'm fine with that.
 
#11 ·
DW is a family practice doctor...and is clear that there are to be no trampolines. She says the danger isn't usually from falling off of them (altho' I worked in a hospital and we did have a kid who ended up in the PICU after falling off and onto something) but from hitting each other on the trampoline (an elbow to the face or heads knocked together).
 
#12 ·
We bought a trampoline last spring we had it less than a month and our middle daughter jumped too high and landed the wrong way breaking her ankle on both sides. She required surgery and has a screw holding her ankle together.

With that being said we still have our trampoline and the girls still play on it during warm weather at least. Until then it is dismantled and put away.
 
#13 ·
We just got one for Christmas. We thought a lot about it, but in the end decided it was worth the risk. I posted about it on facebook and got a variety of responses. One of my friends said (tongue in cheek), something along the lines of, "Yeah, too dangerous. Better to buy them a 2 liter of Mountain Dew, a giant tv, and a bunch of video games. They can stay inside and be safe all day!"

So far, we all love our trampoline. The kids like it best when I jump with them because it makes them bounce so high.
 
#14 ·
We got a Spingfree trampoline in August and my kids have been on it every day since. Rain, snow, 15 degree temps - yep,they're out there. It's supposed to be the safest trampoline on the market, and we do have a "one at a time" rule.
 
#15 ·
Quote:
Originally Posted by JayGee View Post

We got a Spingfree trampoline in August and my kids have been on it every day since. Rain, snow, 15 degree temps - yep,they're out there. It's supposed to be the safest trampoline on the market, and we do have a "one at a time" rule.
Wow, those look AWESOME! I wish we could afford one....
 
#16 ·
In an era where 40% of my state's kids are overweight, and 25% of my state's 3rd graders are OBESE, I think it's time to let go of the idea of a childhood free of risk of ever having a broken bone.

I'm not saying we should go out there and let them jump two at a time, double bouncing each other and smacking heads. I'm just saying, these blanket opinions agains them ... just have an open mind that they might be right for another family.

We've had one, no nets, since before they were born. Occasionally there will be shin splints. Also you don't go from 0 to 60 mph overnight. The kids that aren't familiar with them fall off more. They don't have an internal map of the tramp. Some of the weirdest things I've seen are when a kid hasn't been on a tramp at all and gets on it, takes one step and falls off.

I also let them climb trees, and if DS one day falls out of a tree and breaks an arm, I don't think I'd say "OK that's it. No more trees."
 
#17 ·
Nope, I would not get one. Our friend's son broke his femur on one and another friend's cousin was paralyzed. That's enough for me! If you are in the United States, you might also want to look up the concept of "attractive nuisance" and see if that applies to trampolines in your location before you decide.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/a/attractive-nuisance/
 
#20 ·
I never had a trampoline growing up but many of our friends in the neighborhood did. I fell on my back onto the metal bar of the trampoline one day after my friend's older brother (15 yr old) decided to jump with us. We were all very little ( 7 and 8 year olds). I remember laying my back and the girls screaming for me not to move as they went to get their mom (a nurse who worked with my dad). I was fine, but I had some bruising and was very sore for about three days.

While I wasn't traumatized by this event, I got on a trampoline I think three weeks after, I wouldn't have one at my house. I can see the money going to something else like piano lessons, swim lessons, soccer, etc. I would just say if you do get one, watch the kids like a hawk while they are on it.
 
#21 ·
Quote:
In an era where 40% of my state's kids are overweight, and 25% of my state's 3rd graders are OBESE, I think it's time to let go of the idea of a childhood free of risk of ever having a broken bone.
I have to say, unless you've had a child immobilized by a break for 10 weeks, as we did when DD broke a leg bone on a tramp, you don't know what an enormous pain in the butt it is for everyone. DD even lost friends at school because she had to sit on the sidelines on recess. No PE--she had to sit in the library. It was pretty hard on her. Had it been at a different time of year, we would have had to cancel our vacation. She also fractured her growth plate, which can lead to long-term problems. A broken bone isn't the worst thing ever, but let's not take them lightly. It also cost us close to $1000 out of pocket. Fortunately, she did not need PT.

as for this:
Quote:
I'm not saying we should go out there and let them jump two at a time, double bouncing each other and smacking heads.
There are a ton of folks with tramps in our circle and I have NEVER seen even ONE person make the kids go one at a time. This is my problem--after our experience I want to make a rule that my kids can only go on one solo, but there is no way to enforce that at a gathering or playgroup without being That Parent.
 
#22 ·
I would love a trampoline, but my back yard is slanted and ... rules rules rules - no one would want to come because of the rules (ha) - the killjoy trampoline house. I guess, thankfully, the back yard is sloped so there is not much for me to think about; but so much for my favourite child pasttime.

In ground trampolines (these look safer) - and rules: 1) ONE person at a time, 2) no shoes, 3) spotters, 4) instruction (proper landing for different positions).
 
#23 ·
We've have a toddler one with a handle and have just got a small round one. The kids havent used it much yet, it was a freecycle find over the winter so they haven't really had a chance. However they are already telling me it's small so I;m not sure how long we will keep it.

Most of the problems I've seen stem come from having more than one child on the trampoline at once so I'm hoping by having a small one which can really only fit one child we will avoid that issue. I'm seeing quite a lot in the shops now with tents to go over them, I don't like those as it means not being able to see what's happening in there.

We do have a climbing frame, with a slide which seems to get a lot of use. They also like to make a den of it by throwing a sheet over the top. We also have a pop up tent which again they love. Dens and hiding places seem to be a bit thing for ours.
 
#24 ·
the trampoline has always been a life saver for us.

it was for me with a high energy toddler and now still a high energy child. its a great place for her to vent.

i have not worried about safety because she is the kind of child who is cautious.

she does some pretty risky sports but never got injured there. instead she broke a toe at chucky cheese playing dance dance. go figure!!!
 
#25 ·
No we don't have one - nor will I ever. I have three extremely active children ages 6, 6, and 8. We do allow our kids to take all kinds of risk - bikes, skiing, skating, skateboards, roller skates, climbing giant rocks and tall trees - you get the idea. But in my opinion the risk on the trampoline is just too great to outweigh the benefit of expending energy and getting exercise.

I did consider one when my husband asked me to google the risks. We are both by the way Physical Therapists - so he found it crazy that I even asked. We both know three people that are quadraplegic following trampoline accidents.

It's been I while since I studied the statistics. But my understanding is that the greatest risk comes when multiple jumpers with different body masses are jumping - the greatest risk comes to the smallest on the trampoline. In fact a friend and coworker had an experience this summer during which her sons cousin landed on his hand on the trampoline and his son shattered many bones in his had requiring multiple surgeries to repair. Her son age 8 cousin maybe 10. And while I understand how difficult a broken bone can be that is not my worry. My biggest concern was really the increased risk of a spinal cord injury.

While I don't feel that any of my neighbors and friends would ever consider suing me for an injury their child sustained on my property - you just never know what a family might do if they were left caring for a disabled child for life. As others mentioned homeowners insurance may also cancel your policy. So something else to consider.

Bottom line while I know they are fun - and can be relatively safe - my feeling is it would require constant adult supervision -- I did not want to constantly supervise, spot, enforce rules for the neighborhood (or my kids) on any piece of backyard equipment. And that's how we felt it would be.

So what did we do - we purchased a blow up bounce house and a blow up water slide. Both loads of fun at that age. But you blow them up and then take them down. The bounce house does not carry the same risk as trampoline as it doesn't have the same kind of surface tension. We also love bikes, scooters, skateboards, hula hoops, jump ropes, and we have a great swing set with rockwall, fort, monkey bars etc. Another really fun and active outdoor activity is to take a large piece of plastic, a little soap, and a garden hose - hours of fun on a homemade slip and slide.

good luck with your decision -
 
#26 ·
There are four trampolines on our street alone. None are fenced, none are supervised, and all belong to friends of my DD. Its impossible to tell her not to jump on someone else's trampoline.

The only solution I could think of was to get the funnest trampoline I could, make it as safe as I could, implement some safety rules, and supervise when they're jumping.

I'd much rather have them here jumping supervised and with some safety rules than down the street doing crazy things like seeing how high they can make a 7 year old on a bike go if they all doublespring at once.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top