Is a Trampoline for Your Child?

With a little thought and effort, all members of your family can safely enjoy trampolines. Keeping safety uppermost in your mind is the key when you are trying to determine if purchasing a trampoline for your child is a worthwhile investment. Injuries do occur, but if you are willing to set some limits and guidelines, and to take the right safety precautions, jumping on a trampoline is no more dangerous than riding a bicycle.

Trampolines are not only fun; jumping on them provides great health and fitness benefits. Adults can share this activity with their children, and both young and old will have fun and get fit at the same time.

The biggest factor in deciding whether a trampoline for your child is a good idea is how committed you are to safety. Here are some precautions you’ll want to be sure you are willing to implement:

• At no time should you ever leave a child unattended or unsupervised on the trampoline, and this means adult supervision.
• Only one person at a time should be allowed to jump on the trampoline. Adhering to this guideline alone can prevent many of the injuries associated with trampolines. It’s tough to stick to this one, as children think it’s great fun to jump together, but when more than one person is jumping at a time, the chances for collisions and falls are greatly increased.
• Don’t allow your child to bounce for excessively long periods of time, and don’t let them bounce and jump when they are very tired.
• Don’t let any adults ever use the trampoline if they’ve had any alcohol.
• Make sure that you are not only supervising from a distance, but have someone “spotting” the trampoline user at all times.
• Teach your children to jump in the center of the trampoline, and also, don’t let them get carried away and jump too high. Don’t allow them to jump off the trampoline when they are finished either; instead, have them learn a “stop bounce” technique and then they will be able to safely end their trampoline session.

Purchasing a trampoline for your child can be very beneficial in many ways. It will improve their balance and coordination, as well as their spatial skills. These skills will in turn develop confidence in your child. The hours spent on a trampoline will keep your child fit and will combat the childhood obesity that is so prevalent today.

In the end, you will have to weigh the pros and cons to determine if a trampoline for your child is a good investment for your family. Do your homework and consider all the facts, and then make your decision. And remember, if you do decide to purchase trampoline for your child, always keep safety uppermost in your mind.