# Talk to me about trampolines.



## North_Of_60 (May 30, 2006)

My daughter loves, loves, LOVES to jump and bounce. Ever since she could stand she has liked to bounce on the bed, the sofa, my knees, you name it. Our local gymboree also has a trampoline, the kind with the bar to hang onto, and she loves that as well.
Now that she can climb on and off the beds and sofas she worries me with the jumping. Mostly because now when she bounces, she lands on her butt (as you would do on a trampoline).

Her 2nd birthday is coming up in March, and I'm thinking of getting her one of the little indoor/outdoor trampolines. It's cumbersome as a permanent indoor fixture, but I'm hoping (key word: hope) that if she's allowed to bounce to till heart's content we'll avoid her falling over backward off the sofa. 8 inches off the floor, versus 2 and a half feet off the floor. And when the novelty wears off we'll put it out on the porch where her "bigger" toys are kept (it's covered and gated, and is a sort of outdoor play yard away from the dog's section in the backyard).

Does anyone have a trampoline? At what age did you get it? What kind did you get?

I saw this one and liked that it's folding. I could store it under a bed. But I have visions of her loosing her grip and her face hitting the bar.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2267485

And then I saw this one and love that it's enclosed, but it would go straight outside.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2526983

I don't think bouncing on a small trampoline with a handle, or with a net, is anymore dangerous then her bouncing on the sofa or the bed. I think they both have their pros and cons. And in 10 months of going to gymboree, I have yet to see or hear of any of the kids getting hurt from the trampoline there (almost identical to the trampoline in the first link).

My mother thinks I'm crazy to get an almost 2 year old a mini trampoline, and now has me doubting myself, like I'm living vicariously through my daughter (I ALWAYS wanted a trampoline as a kid and we were never allowed one - or to use our neighbor's - because it was dangerous). And yet, we regularly gave ourselves grass burns with the slip'n slide that she thought was just fine.







:









Would/has anyone else do this?


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## rambunctiouscurls (Oct 4, 2006)

yep. my dd is only 16 months old and she loves her cousin's outdoor, enclosed trampoline.
so we don't have one but every time we go over to the IL's which is often, she asks to go on the trampoline. it's pretty sweet.


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## GuildJenn (Jan 10, 2007)

I wouldn't get one myself, but I had a traumatic neck injury as a teen and am very sensitive to that kind of thing. I think there is some difference between the couch and the trampoline because your daughter can probably get more "bounce" and momentum going. I'd point you to this article: http://www.ynhh.org/healthlink/pedia...rics_7_99.html

However I also think that if you supervise, chances are good she'll be ok.


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## North_Of_60 (May 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GuildJenn* 
I wouldn't get one myself, but I had a traumatic neck injury as a teen and am very sensitive to that kind of thing. I think there is some difference between the couch and the trampoline because your daughter can probably get more "bounce" and momentum going. I'd point you to this article: http://www.ynhh.org/healthlink/pedia...rics_7_99.html

However I also think that if you supervise, chances are good she'll be ok.









Thanx for the link, that was an interesting read. I can't believe anyone would put a 3 month old on a trampoline.







:

Quote:

On average, children were seven years old. The youngest patient was just three months old.
I also wonder what kind of trampolines they were, and what safety equipment was used. I wish that kind of stuff was included in those studies, because it's pretty hard to fall off a trampoline with a net (unless it's faulty or is not secured properly).


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## North_Of_60 (May 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *GuildJenn* 
I'd point you to this article: http://www.ynhh.org/healthlink/pedia...rics_7_99.html

In doing a quick search, it seems that the statistics for trampoline injuries are much lower then many other common childhood activities, like biking riding and playgrounds.

For example, from the article you posted about trampolines:

Quote:

According to CPSC surveys, about 83,000 *people*, mostly children, are injured every year on trampolines.
http://www.ynhh.org/healthlink/pedia...rics_7_99.html
And a few other interesting statistics:

Quote:

In 2002, nearly 288,900 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. Nearly half (47 percent) of children ages 14 and under hospitalized for bicycle-related injuries are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
http://www.usa.safekids.org/tier3_cd...t_item_id=1010

Quote:

Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries (Tinsworth 2001).
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/factsheets/playgr.htm

Quote:

In 2002, an estimated 165,200 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency rooms for toy-related injuries. Children ages 4 and under accounted for 34 percent of these injuries.

The leading cause of toy-related death is riding toys. Among children ages 14 and under, riding toys (including unpowered scooters) are associated with more injuries than any other toy group. In 2002, more than 30 percent of toy-related child deaths involved riding toys. That year, an estimated 71,500 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for riding toy-related injuries.
http://www.usa.safekids.org/tier3_cd...t_item_id=1212


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## Mama Poot (Jun 12, 2006)

Don't have one yet but I'm thinking about getting one. My 2 year old is using the couch as a trampoline right now, and also his bed. He needs somewhere to bounce! My 17 month old will be even worse, he really needs a trampoline, however I do worry about him jumping off of it...he's a daredevil. I say they're perfectly safe (the little ones that is) as long as you're watching them.


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## Demeter9 (Nov 14, 2006)

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...se=&lang=en-US

I have one of these. It is very safe and the kids love it. I also makes the world's best and biggest play pen when doing gardening.


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## North_Of_60 (May 30, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Demeter9* 
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...se=&lang=en-US

I have one of these. It is very safe and the kids love it. I also makes the world's best and biggest play pen when doing gardening.









Oh I LOVE that it's spring free!!


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I am totally anti BIG trampolines outside of regulated situations. BUT, the mini trampolines for toddlers are a whole different creature.

We have one and it's been a huge hit. I've not yet seen any of the numerous kids (ages 12ish months to 6yrs) do anything dangerous on it.

It's similar to this one
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2267485

though ours doesn't fold.

-Angela


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## WuWei (Oct 16, 2005)

I am totally pro BIG trampolines (with enclosure net). We couldn't live without it! Our sensory seeking son LOVES it. I really like the second one; but having something to use inside is a huge plus.

pat


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## fiorio (Aug 30, 2006)

I got my almost 3 yo DS one of the little trampolines for Christmas because I was tired of him jumping on the couch and bed. He loves it! The handle is padded so even if he does hit his face it won't be too bad. I put it in the living room away from the coffee table and TV and let him go crazy.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *North_Of_60* 
Oh I LOVE that it's spring free!!

Ours doesn't have springs, it has elastic.

-Angela


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## BellinghamCrunchie (Sep 7, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *WuWei* 
I am totally pro BIG trampolines (with enclosure net). We couldn't live without it! Our sensory seeking son LOVES it. I really like the second one; but having something to use inside is a huge plus.

pat









:

Our big, outdoor, springless trampoline is easily the most often used equipment/toy that we got for DD. And I like it, too! In the evenings you can lay and watch the stars - its a great place just to hang out even when you're not jumping.


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## mumm (May 23, 2004)

This has been discussed here before.

I love our big tramp with no enclosure. 4.5 years we've had it, no injuries. I think the enclosure gives a false sense of security. My kids were taught to jump properly and are allowed to do flips. But we also use it to wrestle, read books and nap in the summer. My twins were on it this summer (they were less than 3 months) because it was an awesome place to lie and nurse them! But they don't jump yet!

I also have kids who are not risk takers and pretty coordinated.


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## MomInFlux (Oct 23, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Demeter9* 
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...se=&lang=en-US

I have one of these. It is very safe and the kids love it. I also makes the world's best and biggest play pen when doing gardening.









This completely rocks! I think I just found a spot in our forest for a trampoline, and the one that is 8 x 13 would be perfect







And it would be right next to the garden


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## MomInCalifornia (Jul 17, 2003)

We have this: http://www.bounce-round.com/61150.html

Both my kids (3 and 5) also LOVE to bounce!

We saw this small bounce house at a sporting good store last year marked down to $75 so we bought it. I can't tell you how great it has been.

When the kids want to bounce we push the couch to the side of our family room and plug it in. It inflates in about 30 seconds and they bouce for well over an hour.

We only use it inside so it doesn't get dirty, and it is a life saver on rainy days.

It folds up and stores in a duffle bag.

the kids each have a friend over this morning and the 4 kids have been bouncing all morning.


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## theatermom (Jun 5, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *North_Of_60* 
In doing a quick search, it seems that the statistics for trampoline injuries are much lower then many other common childhood activities, like biking riding and playgrounds.

For example, from the article you posted about trampolines:

And a few other interesting statistics:

The thing this makes me think, though, is that it's FAR more common for the average child to be riding a bike or playing at the playground than it is for them to be on a trampoline -- thus, more children being injured because overall, there are more children to be injured? I need to look more closely at the links to see if they offered percentages in addition to raw numbers...

At any rate, I personally don't have a problem with trampolines, and have considered getting a small, indoor one for my 4 and 2 year old dynamos (who, like the OP's kiddo, use EVERYTHING as a trampoline anyway). My biggest concern is that they will want to use it at the same time, and I think that multiple children jumping at the same time increases the risk of a more serious injury.


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## shooflymama (May 23, 2005)

I just ordered a jogging trampoline (for my 3 YO) with no springs on Amazon.com for $39.99 plus free shipping. It got pretty good reviews. I can't wait for it to arrive!


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## MomInCalifornia (Jul 17, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MomInCalifornia* 
We have this: http://www.bounce-round.com/61150.html

Both my kids (3 and 5) also LOVE to bounce!

We saw this small bounce house at a sporting good store last year marked down to $75 so we bought it. I can't tell you how great it has been.

When the kids want to bounce we push the couch to the side of our family room and plug it in. It inflates in about 30 seconds and they bouce for well over an hour.

We only use it inside so it doesn't get dirty, and it is a life saver on rainy days.

It folds up and stores in a duffle bag.

the kids each have a friend over this morning and the 4 kids have been bouncing all morning.

A day later and they are STILL bouncing







We had it out most of yesterday and they probably jumped for almost 2 hours in the morning and then another 1-2 hours in the afternoon/evening.

Today is another poring rain day and we just turned it back on so they could play some more.

It's great because it goes up and down so quickly and easily that they can turn if off when they want a brake and then when they want to jump again they turn it on and in less than a minute it is inflated.

The main rule with it is no hard or sharp toys in it...don't want it to pop or them to fall on something hard.

They love to take blankets and pillows in and make beds, play slumber party etc.

I have no idea how much they cost when not on sale but I would have paid 3 times what we did now that I know how much we use it.


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## Doodlebugsmom (Aug 1, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Demeter9* 
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...se=&lang=en-US

I have one of these. It is very safe and the kids love it. I also makes the world's best and biggest play pen when doing gardening.










Oh, that is just sweet! If I had a flat spot in my yard, I'd be all over that. Our neighbors have a regular outside trampoline (enclosed), and they have always told us to use it whenever we want. So, we do. The kids love it, and are never on there unsupervised. When the neighbors go on vacation, I even go get on!








Yeah, sometimes kids get hurt on trampolines. They can get hurt doing lots of things, so I don't worry about it too much.


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## Dragonfly (Nov 27, 2001)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *theatermom* 
The thing this makes me think, though, is that it's FAR more common for the average child to be riding a bike or playing at the playground than it is for them to be on a trampoline -- thus, more children being injured because overall, there are more children to be injured? I need to look more closely at the links to see if they offered percentages in addition to raw numbers...









:

I'm not anti-big trampoline, but I am totally anti-"big trampoline with springs, no enclosure, and with more than one kid on it at a time." Too dangerous.

We have a small trampoline in the house - a Needak Rebounder. DS and I both love it. He is sensory-seeking and it does wonders for him. I love it because it gets the blood pumping and clears my head.


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## AbbieB (Mar 21, 2006)

nak

i have an exercise sized one for my dd. she got it around the age of 2. her gymnastics class also used one just like it.

she loves it. we love it. the furniture loves it.









i think the one person size makes it safer than others. no bouncing into someone. no real high bounces. close to the floor just in case (dd never once fell).


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## philomom (Sep 12, 2004)

We had one with an enclosure in our last yard. Kids loved it. They were fairly good about following my rules and such. We never had any accidents with it.


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## Imogen (Jul 25, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *North_Of_60* 
And then I saw this one and love that it's enclosed, but it would go straight outside.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2526983


My son has this trampoline, he had it for his 3rd birthday and we've never had any safety issues at all. Plus, he adores it









Peace


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## Zach'smom (Nov 5, 2004)

My 6 yo ds has had a mini trampoline in our house since he was 2. It is actually an adult exercise trampoline and has a high weight limit. It has gotten tons of use. He jumps on it everyday. I like it too! We crank up the music and dance and jump and run. It is one of those things we are really glad we have. Ds has tons of energy and loves to jump.

Ds has gotten hurt doing all sorts of other things, but not on his trampoline yet. But give it time.


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## alison77 (May 26, 2004)

what's so good about spring free trampolines? is it just that the kids won't fall on something hard? we've been thinking of getting a trampoline for a while - my guys both LOVE it when we're at indoor play spaces.


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## Demeter9 (Nov 14, 2006)

Just generally safer. No spring injuries, less likely to fall through, etc. Plus, the one that I have has an enclosure that you can't hurt yourself on.


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## AutumnMama (Jan 2, 2004)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *MomInCalifornia* 
We have this: http://www.bounce-round.com/61150.html

Both my kids (3 and 5) also LOVE to bounce!

We saw this small bounce house at a sporting good store last year marked down to $75 so we bought it. I can't tell you how great it has been.

When the kids want to bounce we push the couch to the side of our family room and plug it in. It inflates in about 30 seconds and they bouce for well over an hour.

We only use it inside so it doesn't get dirty, and it is a life saver on rainy days.

It folds up and stores in a duffle bag.

the kids each have a friend over this morning and the 4 kids have been bouncing all morning.


Your link isn't working for me.

I'd really love to get one of those spring-free trampolines for the kids. Actually, I think I'd spend as much time on it as they would!


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## nextcommercial (Nov 8, 2005)

Ive been using the little ones for over 20 years in my home daycare. I have had several. Ive never had an issue with the small ones.

My own dd has broken an elbow, and knocked out teeth, and had a few black eyes from using other kid's full size trampolines. So, I would never buy one of those, even if it was just for my own child.

But, I love the small ones.

You also might want to look up RODY the bouncing pony. That has been a hit in my daycare for years too. I'd have to say Rody gets more use than the trampolines. http://www.jumpingballs.com/rody_pony_horse_s/2.htm


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## Annikate (Aug 2, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *shooflymama* 
I just ordered a jogging trampoline (for my 3 YO) with no springs on Amazon.com for $39.99 plus free shipping. It got pretty good reviews. I can't wait for it to arrive!

Can you link to this please?


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

the ones with the bars you hold onto scare the crap out of me. It would be so very easy for a kid to jump too high and flip over. Seems so much safer to just stand up and jump.

we have just a plain exercise trampoline and the kids love it. we kept it inside during the winter and put it outside during the summer (never moved it back in this winter).

If we had the space or the money I would totally get a big one for outside.

My SIL's mom says jumping is really good for their immune system. I forget why . . .she is some sort of practitioner of natural medicine though.

also I don't know what kind of room you have but these seems a little safer than trampolines to me.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2267365
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...#prod_prodinfo


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lilyka* 
the ones with the bars you hold onto scare the crap out of me. It would be very easy for a kid to jump too high and flip over.

I've never seen a kid get anywhere near that with one of those...







Usually the handle is high enough on their bodies and the trampoline is small enough that they can't really get enough bounce to do anything of the sort.

-Angela


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I have seen cideo of it but I can't remember where. the kid in the picture posted looks like he could easily go sailing over.

thats just me though. Acidents happen whenkids don't follow the directions. I can't imagine my children getting hurt on a regular old exercise tramp so long as the follow the rules but I can imagine them getting hurt on just about anything if they get creative enough about using the product in ways it wasn't intended.


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## ebethmom (Jan 29, 2002)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Demeter9* 
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...se=&lang=en-US

I have one of these. It is very safe and the kids love it. I also makes the world's best and biggest play pen when doing gardening.









That looks awesome!! I've always been leary of trampolines, but I could go for this one. Now all I have to do is win the Powerball. I wouldn't suppose that such a cool tramp would ever go on sale.


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