Nothing is as important to your kids' health, happiness and growth than participating in an active lifestyle. Exercise engages their imaginations, expels their energy, and encourages crucial physical and mental development.
Every growing child needs at least one hour of exercise each day, but as much as 75 percent don't get the level of activity they need. And they exercise even less as they age. Did you know that 90 percent of high school kids don't exercise enough to meet health requirements? As an adult, you need to stay moving, too — for about 30 minutes each day — even though it can be difficult to squeeze in that time when you're balancing the hectic needs of a household, family, and work life.
In a world where we're increasingly distracted by technology, keeping us glued to our couches and our screens, we have to remember to encourage physical activity. Owning a trampoline is an easy way to get fun, accessible exercise for the whole family! If you're considering buying a bouncy addition for your backyard, you might be concerned about how to keep your children safe on the trampoline.
Trampoline Safety Instructions
When you're bouncing your way to better health together, it's important to jump under the best conditions to ensure trampoline safety — so everyone can enjoy hazard-free physical fun that will keep your kids interested in exercise. If you're wondering how to lessen trampoline injuries and keep your kids safe, SkyBound USA is here to help. Keep reading to find out our top tips for trampoline safety:
1. Regularly Check the Trampoline's Surface
To make sure your jumping surface is up for a lot of bouncy feet, you should regularly inspect it and make sure everything is in good shape. Your shock-absorbing jump surface should be well-secured and taut, but not attached too tightly. The action of repetitive jumping needs a somewhat forgiving surface to allow for smoothness and force-absorption.
Before jumping, check for danger spots, including looseness, fraying, holes, or wear, to prevent injuries when jumping. Because slippery surfaces are dangerous for bouncing, you should also always make sure your trampoline is dry and clear of snow or rain. If you do find damage, don't try to fix it on your own with home solutions like duct tape. Foreign materials can affect the spring and the quality of bounce. Instead, replace the surface with another jumping mat of the same size and of high quality.
2. Maintain the Safety Net
Another way to prevent injuries and keep your kids safe on a trampoline is to install or maintain a strong safety net that protects both the jumper and the springs of the trampoline. Many trampoline models come with safety nets built into the design, and if not, you can purchase a safety net enclosure as an additional accessory and install it according to the size of your trampoline.
Make sure the net you choose is compatible with your trampoline and properly attached to the springs and frame. Don't use hand-me-down nets from friends' trampolines or purchase from non-affiliated websites to save money. To keep your trampoline as safe and sturdy as possible, choose a net made by the same manufacturer as your trampoline model. Follow safety manual instructions for installation. When you do have your safety net set up, make sure it doesn't extend over the edge and under the jumping mat; blocking visibility under the mat could lead to dangerous conditions like toys or debris being left below the trampoline.
3. Pad Necessary Areas and Lower the Trampoline's Surface
To keep the safety net and surface of your trampoline optimized for hazard-free jumping, set up the trampoline with safety accessories and position it in the best possible way. Covering the frame, bars, edges, springs, hooks, safety net poles, etc. with shock-absorbing protective padding helps to prevent cuts and bumps and minimize the danger of falls.
When you check the condition of the mat regularly, also keep an eye on your pads to make sure they're properly attached and in a suitable condition. If you don't want to install pads below and around the trampoline, consider using soft materials like wood shavings or sand to make the supporting surface softer and safer.
Additionally, to lessen trampoline injuries from falling, lower your trampoline surface when installing it. Keeping your jumping mat closer to the ground ensures any falls would be from a shorter distance, and, therefore, less damaging. It also gives the trampoline itself a better equilibrium.
4. Check the Springs and Bolts
Springs, bolts, and the trampoline mat work together to absorb force, create a sturdy surface and handle tension for the ultimate lively jumping experience, but you have to make sure to keep them in the right condition for both safety and enjoyment!
Exposed or damaged springs can be hazards for falls and feet. Keep up with the condition of your springs to increase trampoline safety for everyone. Your springs should be sturdy, intact, tight, properly fixed in position and securely attached at either end. Springs can sometimes stretch out and become corroded or rusty over time, in which case you'll need to replace them. Loose springs can affect the dynamics of trampoline movement and cause jumpers to fall if they detach, while missing springs can cause tears in the jump mat. Also, look out for hanging springs beneath your protective padding, which run the risk of snagging clothing or skin if unattended.
To ensure your trampoline is sturdy, secure and can handle jump shock well without compromising stability, the bolts on your trampoline frame should also be tightly secured at all times.
5. Install Your Trampoline in a Safe Environment
Where you set up your trampoline has a lot to do with how safe you make your jumping experience. Avoid hills, slopes, or bumpy spots. Instead, install your trampoline on a level surface on sturdy ground, preferably covered by a soft coating like sand, springy lawn, fresh grass, or wood chips. You can also put down ground safety pads. A level surface and softening materials make it less likely that your children will fall and ensure that if they do, there's less risk of injury.
Place your trampoline in an area surrounded by plenty of clear space. Around the trampoline, you should have a safety perimeter of at least 9 feet. Keep it away from the side of the house, walls, fences, posts, poles, trees or other objects that could interfere with jumping or be dangerous in the case of a fall.
Before you or the kids get on the trampoline to jump, always make sure there's nothing beneath the mat. Little ones may look at the under-area as a place to play and store toys, but objects below the trampoline can pose a serious risk if your kids land on them through the mat while jumping. Make sure no ladders, tools, toys or chairs are resting beneath the mat — and make sure no one is playing there, either! Keep other family members and pets away from the area surrounding the trampoline when someone is bouncing. Your trampoline surface itself should be completely clear of toys, pets, and other objects before jumping time.
6. Consult the Trampoline Safety Instruction Manual
It's important to consult your manual and follow manufacturer directions when you're assembling your trampoline and before you use it. Pay attention to specific instructions for installation, and follow all specifications for required equipment, additions, restrictions, and weight limits.
7. Create Rules and Supervise Use
Monitoring kids' jumping habits and establishing rules about how to use the trampoline is just as important as making sure the trampoline itself is well-maintained. If everyone who bounces knows the best ways to stay safe, you'll minimize the risk of injuries all the time.
- Comply with weight requirements and ensure the trampoline is age appropriate. For instance, kids ages 3 to 6 might do best with a mini trampoline. They can work on developing their jumping skills before moving on to a larger size.
- Teach your kids proper behavior and methods for jumping. We know bouncing is crazy fun, but sometimes this leads overexcited kids to jump too high and too hard, making it more likely for them to land incorrectly, lose balance or lose control — which, in turn, leads to falling, colliding and injury. To prevent damage, teach them to keep leaps low when they're beginners and to maintain control of jumping at all times. If they feel like they're unable to dictate which direction they're springing in or they feel themselves going too high or too quickly, they need to stop jumping.
- Land in the center of the trampoline. Another way to prevent falls or uncontrollable bouncing is to teach kids how to do land properly. They should try to keep their balance and direct their weight toward the middle, making it much less likely they'll spring off the edges, catch their feet on or between springs, hit the frames or fall.
- Lay out a set of ground rules for what they can do on the trampoline. For example, make sure no toys are on the trampoline when jumping, and limit the number of people who can be on it at a time. This will help to ensure the weight limit isn't exceeded as well as reduce the likelihood of collisions while jumping. You can involve the kids in this step by getting them to help you come up with the list of rules. Have the kids help you make a big sign — poster, wood, whatever medium you can use — and keep it near the trampoline or posted near their other outdoor toys. Encourage all kids who play on the trampoline to be "rule enforcers" — it could help keep everyone on their best behavior and encourage them to report unsafe play immediately.
- Never allow your kids to jump unsupervised. A parent or sibling who is old enough should be nearby to ensure safety at all times.
8. Check Your Wardrobe
Just like working out, jumping requires the right kind of clothing. Some outfits can be uncomfortable or dangerous on the trampoline, catching on netting, poles, and springs or causing an awkward landing that could lead to injuries. To minimize these risks and make sure your kids have safe fun, avoid clothing with drawstrings and pants or dresses that are too baggy or long, which could lead to tripping.
Avoid bringing accessories and other objects onto the jumping surface. This means removing all jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings — especially accessories that are sharp. Check your kids' pockets for jagged, pointy or bulky forgotten items before they jump, and remove their hats or hairclips as well. Never wear shoes, as they can damage the jumping mat. Trampoline socks can be used to increase the traction on your children's feet and help reduce their likelihood of falling.
9. Use the Ladder
Kids might think it's fun to jump on and off trampolines, but hard falls can lead to injuries like bruises, broken bones and even more serious neck or head injuries. Instead, install the trampoline ladder your manufacturer provides and always use it to climb on and off the trampoline.
10. Make Sure Your Trampoline Has Been Tested
The best trampolines come with performance and safety testings and guarantees. Before you buy one, make sure your trampoline has been tested and read about its additional features. Is it UV-resistant and strong enough to withstand weather conditions? In addition to following all our other tips for trampoline safety, investing in a trampoline of the highest quality is the best way to start your jumping experience safely.
Stay Safe With SkyBound USA
If you're looking for the highest quality and safest trampolines around, SkyBound USA is here to promise you the best bouncing experience possible. What makes all our trampolines so awesome? Here are some of the many benefits when choosing us:
- Quick Assembly: All the parts of our trampolines are easy and efficient to install. With our push-pin bolt technology, you can expect an average of two hours at most to set it up, which is half as long as the standard trampoline installation.
- Patented Safety Net: Don't worry about searching for the right net to match your trampoline — we provide it for you with your purchase. Our safety enclosures are patented, simple to install and safe, designed specifically to keep jumpers from hitting the frame or the ground.
- Brilliant Bounce: Our performance and quality materials make for the most responsive, sturdy trampolines in the world.
- All-Weather Resistance: Our enclosures, materials, and technology are designed to keep your trampoline in good shape through wind, rain, snow and UV rays.
- Superior Safety: Our extended safety mat skirt feature provides full coverage for the skin, frame, and coils, acting as an extra barrier and additional support to make the jumping experience incredibly smooth and safe.
Here at SkyBound USA, we aim for safety, excellence, and enough fun to nurture the inner child in everyone. Introduce one of our trampolines or swing nets into your life today to enjoy with the entire family!