Trampolines?

[readyin07]

Oh God. I hate to even post this. I hate trampolines but DS #1 (4) really. really. really. wants one. And his birthday is next month. I originally said no to both this and a pogo stick, but I am rethinking it.

If you have one, what do you think about size and any brands/good price recommendations? Anything else I should know besides the fact that my insurance could very well go up.

[GailGoldie]

i know some ER docs who say trampolines are one of the biggest reasons kids come into the ER... I personally would never get one. Just b/c your kid really wants one doesn't mean you have to get it.

we got a bounce house for our boys - which still has it's own dangers, but less than a trampoline - and still same type of fun.

[mollybrown]

As a former insurance underwriter, I'll have to play Debbie Downer

Your insurance company may actually refuse to insure you once they learn that you have a trampoline. The company I worked for almost always dropped customers with trampolines. They only made exceptions for long term customers with no other claims. The major concern was not children falling off the trampoline. Rather, it's the danger of multiple children jumping on the trampoline at the same time, and unauthorized users. In order to keep coverage, the customer had to follow the following stipulations:
1. The yard had to be fenced an secured (tall fence, locks, etc.)
2. The trampoline had to have a net surrounding it
3. No more than one child EVER allowed on the trampoline at once (which of course is the fun!)
4. Supervision at all times of visitors on the trampoline

I'd call your insurance company now and ask their policy.

[h]

I, too, would go for a bounce house over a trampoline for safety reasons.

[lishie]

my boys love the trampoline they use at gymnastics. Santa is bringing them a kids trampoline. This is the one his teacher recommended.



www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R0XTYO/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&redirect=true

[h]

Dec 17, 2012 15:11:29 GMT -5 gravytrain225 said:

I feel for your kid. I've wanted one my whole life. I still do. It is a running joke in my family that when I bought my house the first thing I was buying was a trampoline. However, my parents refused to buy one for safety reasons and I survived. It just made going to my friend's houses with trampolines more fun.

My parents always called the parents of any friends with trampolines to clarify that I was not allowed on it under any circumstances. Along with cigarettes and motorcycles, they comprised the list of things we were never to go near. I think I was in high school before I was ever on a trampoline. (And I have still never been on a motorcycle or smoked a cigarette.)

[speckledfrog]

FWIW, I asked for a trampoline and/or a pogo stick for probably 13 years and never got one! I own my own home and still don't have a big trampoline and never will. I think the little ones (like above) are a much better alternative.

[Deleted]

I've seen this kind of tramp in a few neighbors yards. They are supposed to be safer. I'd buy my kids one but DH vetoed it repeatedly. My kids jump on them in gymnastics class. I jumped on friends as a kid & took tumbling/trap class as a kid/teen. So fun. I didn't know pogo sticks were a no-no too. My dd jumps on hers all the time.
www.rainbowdirect.com/trampolines

[readyin07]

Ugh. I just don't know. We do have a Little Tykes bounce house as well but honestly we were at a friends' house and they were bouncing on her bounce house and there was a brief power outtage and the thing started to deflate on both of the kids who were screaming their heads off...after that we don't use it as much anymore lol. I am not sure if that is any safer than a trampoline with a net. I really don't want one b/c of liability reasons but at the same time he really asks for so little that I feel like the grinch saying NO WAY.
.

[pugz]

I vote no way

[h]

I am a total sucker when it comes to getting my kids what they want, but there is no way I would be buying a trampoline in this situation.

[GailGoldie]

I really don't understand how, as a parent, you are choosing NOT to parent and to give in to his requests, simply b/c he keeps asking for one.

It's not always easy to be a parent - sometimes you need to say no.

[kimibrighteyes]

We are never getting a trampoline and my children are not allowed to use them at other people's houses.

[pitterwoo]

A family member has a fairly small one that came with a netting inclosure for safety. the kids love it and it's worked out great...except when the 4 year old unzipped the opening herself in that moment of inattention and fell out breaking her arm. The ER docs were really rude to them about it.

[SusanBAnthony]

Wow, I am surprised. W have a little one like the pp posted, and the kids love it. We are planning to get a bigger one at some point. Yes, accidents can happen, but I never thought of trampolines as particularly more dangerous than bikes, roller skates, skateboards, etc, let alone atv's and what not.

My train of thought has always been that if I control the number of kids on it, and it has a safety net, then what is the big deal. I am willing to be swayed if there is data out there that they are so dangerous.

[suburbanzookeeper]

Dec 17, 2012 15:10:30 GMT -5 lishie said:

my boys love the trampoline they use at gymnastics. Santa is bringing them a kids trampoline. This is the one his teacher recommended.



www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008R0XTYO/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&redirect=true

We got a similiar one for DD for Christmas after she was able to play with one at a kids' indoor playground. I am not comfortable having anything larger than this and I know our homeowners insurance isn't either.

[Brie]

What about a gift certificate for gymnastics classes instead? Or a multi-pass to one of those bouncy party places?

I would not be comfortable with it. Same reason we'll never have a pool.

[h]

Dec 17, 2012 19:22:53 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

Wow, I am surprised. W have a little one like the pp posted, and the kids love it. We are planning to get a bigger one at some point. Yes, accidents can happen, but I never thought of trampolines as particularly more dangerous than bikes, roller skates, skateboards, etc, let alone atv's and what not.

My train of thought has always been that if I control the number of kids on it, and it has a safety net, then what is the big deal. I am willing to be swayed if there is data out there that they are so dangerous.

I don't have data, but I would be curious to see it. I do know that every doctor I have ever known has been very anti-trampoline due to having seen too many bad injuries from them. I get the impression that the other things you mention, likes bikes and skateboards, result in plenty of nasty scraps and bruises, broken bones, etc. but fewer broken necks. I think the nature and severity of injuries is just different with trampolines.

[pugz]

here's a report: abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/report-warns-trampoline-dangers/story?id=17292265#.UM-5gW_hpic

Children under age 5 are at the highest risk for injury, especially when there are multiple jumpers. Almost 50 percent of injuries in kids less than 5 years old resulted in fracture or dislocation, not to mention the disastrous consequences of landing on your neck.

But a person at any age who chooses to hop on may be at risk, according to the report. Jumpers are 14 times more likely to get injured when there is more than one person on board.

also:

Trampolines, which typically have a five-year warranty, should be inspected regularly. In most cases, the netting and padding only have a one-year life span before they begin to wear and tear.

[CloudBee]

How are bounce houses safer? Honest question.

[Brie]

Yeah, when you are roller skating or riding a bike you can only fall from a few feet up. With a trampoline you can fall from God knows how high while jumping.

[pitterwoo]

Dec 17, 2012 19:22:53 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

Wow, I am surprised. W have a little one like the pp posted, and the kids love it. We are planning to get a bigger one at some point. Yes, accidents can happen, but I never thought of trampolines as particularly more dangerous than bikes, roller skates, skateboards, etc, let alone atv's and what not.

My train of thought has always been that if I control the number of kids on it, and it has a safety net, then what is the big deal. I am willing to be swayed if there is data out there that they are so dangerous.

despite what happened to my family member who broke her arm I wouldn't be totally against them when used the way you describe. At the time her older sister was jumping, no one was looking and the 4 yo decided to unzip the opening and climb out. I imagine the older kid's jumping caused her to either lose her balance or be propelled out onto the ground.

the trampoline they have with the safety net isn't big enough for doing flips or other maneuvers. Just jumping with one or 2 kids at a time. Doesn't really bother me if used with plenty of oversight.

[hannamaren]

I remember something on the news about bouncy castle injuries on the rise

[SusanBAnthony]

Maybe it is just that my whole family is not exactly athletically inclined, lol. We had one as kids, and no one ever did so much as a flip. We were all wimps! Plain old jumping up and down, and we didn't get too high.

I didn't know the safety netting only has a one year warranty. I will have to check that out if/when we get one, and figure out the cost to replace it on whatever schedule they suggest. The cost of that alone could be prohibitive.

[mollybrown]

The issue with trampolines is that no one has to fall off or do a flip to get hurt. Simply having 2 jumpers of different sizes is enough to get a very nasty bone break due to the force. And the breaks from trampolines tend to be worse than other types of breaks.

I'm sure trampolines are great fun, but I would never allow one on my property. I don't know if the data confirms that bounce houses are safer, but you certainly don't get as much height/force when jumping in a bounce house. There are plenty of resources that go into details about why trampolines are a bad idea. My children will also not be allowed to go to any of those trampoline activity center. I just saw a news report on how many injuries are reported from those in my city.