In order to do the utmost to prevent injury there are a number of excellent guidelines on our site and here are some key things you need to know if you own a trampoline.
Always supervise
As the owner of the trampoline you have the sole responsibility of the children who use it so always inform parents if your child has friends bouncing in your back garden. It is important other parents are made aware and can make their own informed decision about the activity. Children will always be adventurous and want to engage in rough and tumble as is their nature so having a watchful eye at all times is vital
How many should be allowed jump at one time?
This is where taking turns come in to play as the more children bouncing the more they become jumping targets at risk of bumping in to each other. It is important to supervise and allocate turns to the children as to who can jump and who has to wait for their turn. This is a fantastic measure to reduce the risk of injury or accident.
What should I look for when checking the trampoline?
A supervising adult needs to consistently check the trampoline especially after a period of it not being used. Check the springs are connected, that there are no holes in the nets and there are no bent or broken poles or ripped netting. Check the surface is still flat and level so the jumpers can decrease any risk of injury
Should they be allowed bring other toys or do tricks on the trampoline?
Children often like to bring a ball with them onto the trampoline, this can prove dangerous as the ball can escape and become an object that could harm or cause injury as there is very little control over it when the kids are bouncing. In relation to tricks this can be very risky as they may not have the experience to engage in these moves correctly and this could result in a serious injury especially if they land on their neck. It is only advised to allow the children to moves if they are in gymnastics.
It is advisable that children under the age of six are kept away from the trampoline. Small children are still in a development stage and they might not be strong enough to jump or bounce. When older children are on the trampoline this is even more important as they could be bounced around. The ladder is great to discourage small children as it can be unhooked and put away while the trampoline is not in use.