Hello!
This weekend our family was at my sister's home where they have a 15 foot enclosed trampoline and our kids (10 and almost 7) had an ABSOLUTE BLAST jumping on it.
I've always had the mindset that trampolines are dangerous and could blow away easily the first time we had heavy winds.
I'm starting to change my tune and become open to the idea of getting one for our backyard. I love the idea of it being an activity for the kids that would provide great exercise. That is a huge benefit in my book. I've talked to several people that have said their kids come home from college and still jump in it. The cost would be about $275-$300 or so but I'm certain we would get our money's worth out of it.
Of course, there is the potential for one of my kids spraining an ankle or getting hurt. I totally get that. We would definitely put some rules in place about a certain number of people on it at one time.
My concern is more with how to manage the desire for all the children in the neighborhood who would want to be on it. Our neighborhood is pretty open and most of us don't have fences between our yards. (The parents are all great and we get along very well.) Our yard opens up to three other yards that have a total of 9 children.) I just envision my two kids out jumping and then in the blink of an eye there are 7 other kids waiting in line to jump (which I would be fine with) but then going crazy always managing whose turn it is. Also, from a liability standpoint, if one of the neighbor kids got hurt jumping when we weren't home are we liable? I would definitely make a rule that kids cannot jump without a parent watching...
I would really love hearing feedback from parents who have trampolines (or even know people/neighbors who have trampolines and the rules you/they have set, etc.
Thanks SO much! :)
H.
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you to everyone who responded! WOW! After reading all the stories and learning about the liability that comes with owning a trampoline (especially since our yard is not fenced in!) I will never purchase one! AND I will instill the fear of God in my kids if they try to do a flip on my sister's trampoline! No flips for them! Sorry kiddos! :)
Someone just asked this last week. Many are against them but read all the responses... Many have them and love them and just set rules.
Most everyone in our neighborhood with children have a trampoline so the issue of kids just coming over is not an issue here. We also all have gated properties.
This is a touchy subject for many on the board. I do understand they can be dangerous but at the same time, so can riding a scooter, bike, climbing a tree, etc.
I grew up with a trampoline, no net, and never had any issues. We had a trampoline here for our daughter for about 5yrs. She did enjoy it and it was well used.
On the liability standpoint, if someone is jumping and gets hurt (even if their parents are standing there watching) YES, you are responsible.
It has been about 4 yrs since we had our trampoline. I do know some rules with homeowners insurance is changing for homes with trampolines. You might want to check with you agent to see if your policy will go up or be cancelled.
You have to weigh the pros and cons for your family and budget. Most importantly if you do get one, stand by your rules and don't budge.
Not sure if you're the same person posting again, but someone posted this exact question -- Is a trampoline a good idea? -- last week, I think. Nearly identical. Lots of responses to that one, so search the past questions.
You are setting yourself up for very serious legal liability if it's on your property and a kid or adult gets injured, even if you have a net on it or a sign on it. You will be legally liable if anyone comes onto your property and gets hurt on it - just as you'd be liable if a kid got into your swimming pool and drowned, or onto your swing set and fell off. Yes, even if the kid was not known to you and was not invited onto your property but was trespassing - you will still be liable. I couldn't live with that constant possibility just for the sake of an expensive "fun" item that the kids will use a lot for a short time and then abandon when it's a bore.
And I wouldn't have one anyway -- when you consider that the American Pediatric Association says no one should be using them recreationally. Go to www.aap.org and search "trampoline" and you'll find their policy saying that basically they should not be at homes, ever. Even with nets they are dangerous -- in fact, the nets themselves can cause injuries, as some folks noted in replies to the earlier post (kids getting teeth ripped out when the kids' faces hit the "safety" nets while they jumped, and more).
Oh, and your homeowner's insurance will leap when the insurer finds out you have a trampoline. If you don't tell them you have one, your insurer may not cover any injuries that happen on it, yet when you do tell them they will jack up your premium payments.
There is really no "up" side especially as you have no way at all to stop anyone from getting onto it at any time. Exercise benefits? There are too many other ways to get your kids exercise without the huge liability.
Good decision. You can lose your homeowners insurance if you have one. Not with it.
A trampoline is an "attractive nuisance" and, especially if your yard is fenced, you can be held liable if a neighborhood child gets hurt. Even if they use it without your knowledge or permission. Don't get one!!
Glad you decided against it. When I worked at the local children's rehab facility, I took care of 3 kids hurt on a trampoline. One broke her neck and is a spastic quadriplegic now. She has a teach and is permanently on a ventilator, but is intact mentally. Very sad. The other 2 were less catastrophic injuries but those kiddos still required months of hospitalization, followed by rehab.
I don't let my kiddo utilize trampolines. A tragedy could occur while I'm standing there supervising.
If your yard isn't fenced in, then most likely the trampoline could be considered an "attractive nuisance" ....... you really need to look into your homeowner's insurance. Some insurance companies refuse to insure a place with a trampoline, or require you to have it totally fenced in, or carry liability insurance on it.
We had a trampoline in our backyard for many years.... we never had a problem with it, and it didn't have the side pad or enclosed netting. However, we had a fenced yard, and not that many kids in the neighborhood.
Also... basic rule... one child at a time, and no jumping without adult supervision.
My homeowners won't allow it at all - so check to make sure you don't lose your insurance!
IMO, if a kid gets hurt playing on MY property without MY knowledge or permission, I should not be held liable, but the police and insurance companies see it differently.
I have nothing against trampolines as a rule, but like with any other permanent outdoor recreational equipment (swing set, jungle gym, pool), I would not install it without a fenced yard and a BIG "No Trespassing" sign.
I have a "Beware of Dogs" sign on my fence for the same reason. My dogs are very friendly, but they play rough. My dogs aren't even out in the yard if I'm not home, but if I'm indoors and the dogs are out in the yard, and some kid or idiot tries to pet them over or through MY fence (which requires them to come right up to the house) and gets bitten or scratched, I can point out that they were warned to leave the dogs alone.
Check with your home owners insurance. Ours went up because we purchased a trampoline. Some carriers will drop the policy because of it.
I look back on our trampoline purchase as a mistake.
My brother got my kids a trampoline a few years ago. They love it still. They really don't play on it as much as they used to, but we have a blast playing on it together (yes it's good exercise for adults, too).
Having said that- the net on them has a life cycle of about 6 mos. So plan on replacing it or go netless (which we do). The first major wind to blow through will rip that net all to pieces. Also, after about a year or two, the tarp starts to break down and gets their feet, clothes, faces, etc black with a tar like stuff. It's a mess!
Our yard is fenced in and we don't have a lot of kids around, so others coming in have never been a concern. I do make sure they are watched at all times.
Hope this helps!
Our kids were at a friends house and they had an air-hockey table. They LOVED it! Couldn't stop talking about it. I thought- what a great idea! Something to do during the long winter when we are stuck indoors, fun for when they had friends over... let's do it! So we did. We bucked-up and bought the nicest air-hockey table on the market.
For about a week, our kids played that game almost daily.
We bought that table almost ten months ago and it is now collecting dust in our rec room. Couldn't tell you the last time our kids or their friends have played it.
My point is this... once the novelty has worn off, you are stuck with a big, ugly air-hockey table on your property.
Now, replace the words air-hockey with trampoline.
Think this one through carefully! Do you think your kids will really use this enough to warrant the extra cost on your insurance policy? Is it worth the hassle with the neighborhood kids?
Good luck with your decision! Let us know what you choose to do! :)
My daughter took four years of gymnastics and learned all the proper uses of the trampoline and was well supervised and she managed to hurt her back very badly. I would NEVER put one in my yard.
If you google how safe one is and read the stories you'll never let your kids on the one at your sister's house at all. The one that I remember the most is where a mom was standing by the trampoline watching her son bounce. He landed wrong and she heard his neck snap. She will never stop hearing that fatal snap.
The American Pediatric Association would love it if home trampolines were outlawed and gone. They cause hundreds of thousands of injuries every year. And every year someone dies.
I see you decided against getting one, but I opened the question because my husband is half way through putting our new one up. We got one about 7 years ago, so it was time for a new one. It has a safety net and is 16x14 (oval). The kids NEVER got hurt on our last one, doesn't mean it can't happen. But, they can get hurt riding their bikes, doing their sports (football, baseball, dance), etc. We watch them on it, they know the rules, and they have a blast. It's been a great investment for us.
These days most of them have nets so broken limbs are not as common. Its the front teeth you need to worry about. Discuss it with them and get one. Even our ER doc friends have one and thats saying a lot.
There are lots of negative comments here about Trampolines. I understand that people get hurt on these every year, and they are hard to maintain. If you watch your children and have set expectations with your family and those around you, you have less of a chance for issues. We had a trampoline in our yard for 5 years. for only 1 of those years did I have a fence, the other 4 I did not have a fence. My child and the neighborhood children knew they were not allowed on it unless I was home and present. There was a limit to the amount of children on the trampoline at all time.
It is a great exercise for adults and children, we have spent many hours outside enjoying the trampoline.
You have to do what is comfortable to you, not to what everyone else says.
Good Luck!!!
