Dispute over Trampolines

You have a ton of answers and I did not read them all.

IMHO, I say NO tramp! We have never had one, but my kids have played with them at friends. I never had a problem since these homes had rules that the kids had to follow plus safety nets.

Still, even with these safety precautions, two of my kids had teeth knocked out (dift times) on the tramp for dift reasons...not negligence, just accidents on a dangerous toy.

Now, all my kids know that I don't like tramps AT ALL! I don't go so far as to forbid them from playing on them, but I will never have one and they don't go over to that neighbors very much anymore.

One of the ER dentists that saw my son after his tooth accident said that he sees tramp accidents more than any other type of childhood dental trauma.

We love ours. Nets and pads a must. Get one of those liability release forms like you sign if you ride go-karts or play at those indoor bounce houses. We have a list of house rules and the liablity release. Everyone signs the rules and release, if under 18 the parents must sign both. We even make the kids sign the rules (even though it is not legally binding). We then always go to our neighbors and have them witness and notarize. We have never had any major problems except a few wild and crazy teens but these kids get more hurt on their bikes and skate boards.

Added: the homeowners insurance issue must only depend on the state or insurance company. I had never heard of this before yesterday regarding trampolines and homeowners insurance. When I talked to my agent (we have Farmers Ins) and asked him about it he said it would be the same as having any other outdoor play equipment - you don't notify your insurance if you get a swingset? Only thing was if you have a pool your yard needs to be fenced.

I wanted to get one, with the net. Our insurance guy is a friend of ours and he said that because our yard is not fenced, it was a huge liability....similar to having a pool with no fence. We decided not to get one.

We have a 2 year old and a 4 year old and have one of the safest trampolines on market. We got it at Costco for about $800. It is springless and has a net. The whole family loves it and we have not yet (knock on wood) had any serious accidents. Sure we've had a few bonked heads or jumped on feet but for the most part the kids are great on it. Best investment we've made in a while! We've had it about 2 years.

When we moved to Utah a few years ago, we lived with my MIL for just over a year (house being built). MetLife wouldn't insure us with a renter's policy because the in-laws had a trampoline. They told me that the previous year they had had too many trampoline accident claims for from anywhere between $500k and $2mil, including two fatalities, and were no longer insuring homes with trampolines. We ended up having to go with a local agent because they would cover us. I second the suggestion to check with the insurance company.

That said, I let my children play on the trampoline at grandma's house but it is completely enclosed, springs are covered, etc. Also, we don't let the big kids jump when the little ones are jumping and we try to keep an eye on them all of the time. I think it is when the kids get wild that accidents happen.

I say if your husband is too uptight about it, then just don't do it. Your kids will be fine without. It is not worth the anxiety it will cause in the family (namely your husband). Just take your kids to the trampoline park up North, it is awesome, safe and fun!!!

Good luck!

Never got rid of one.

Are currently saving for one (the one we want is about 1200... the AlleyOop Variable Bounce).

Kiddo has been using 2 types of tramps in gymnastics for 5 years now, and is enrolled in a pure trampoline camp for a week this summer.

Both of you should check out this website http://www.trampolinesafety.com/ they're AMAZING. They rate all the major brands and styles, from safety to performance right down to "crash tests" where they take a 175 adult and have them fling themselves against the net trying to tip it over. 2 failed the test.

We had one for our daughter with pads and net... We followed the safety instructions perfectly.. We also had the tent, for sleepovers. Never had a problem. We did have one child who had parents who would not allow her on it and we always honored this and did not make a big deal out of it..

FYI, her dad is a big Insurance guy here in town..

The only thing we did not know was that our homeowners insurance insisted on safety latches on our gate.. They sent us a notice with instructions and a date to have it installed..

The house my daughter purchased had both a nice swing/slide set but also a netted trampoline in the backyard (fenced). My granddaughter used it from age 2.5 to age 4 and now they are moving here but I know they will miss their trampoline and their new backyard doesn't have the space. Now, my daughter follows all safety rules and the label said only one child at a time and no one over 160(?) lbs I believe. So, we never had to worry about her taking that risk. I think that wouldn't be too smart because t hey bounce at different times and could butt heads accidentally.

We went through the same dilemma but ended up getting one with a net and we LOVE it!! No regrets at all. We have a 2 and 7 Year old. They are on that thing several times a day. I don't know what we would do without it. We have never had any serious accidents. Get a big one, our is 17' X 15', that way there is plenty of room for everyone. Bikes, cars, airplanes....there are a lot of things that you can get hurt on, but that doesn't stop you from getting in your car with your kids everyday , right?
I say yeah !

There's a reason that one of the questions insurance agents ask is "is there a trampoline on the property". Its because the insurance companies pay out MILLIONS in liability claims. And don't bother with the "liability release forms". If someone wants to sue you, they will and if you are found responsible, they can win, which means you lose EVERYTHING, form or no form. Not worth the risk if you ask me. Your kids can play on the cousins and I'm sure they are happy with that. Pick your battles, this one is the husbands in my opinion. Good luck with whatever you decide.

We have one and the kids LOVE it. We've had it for two years and they never get tired of it. I could extole the virtues of exercize, balance, coordination, etc. It's as wonderful as you remember from childhood.
No one has had any serious injuries yet, but I'm waiting for it. I'm not too protective that way and I don't want to be. Kids get hurt. What's the worst than can happen with safety nets? My son actually did bounce off of it when the net was unzipped once, and that stopped my heart but he was fine. Sure someone could break a bone, but that can happen on monkey bars, too... oh wait, I don't see monkey bars any more. Frankly I think that's a loss and I don't want to raise kids who are afraid of trying fun things. Who hasn't broken a bone?

My dd has had stitches in her head twice, once from falling out of bed at a hotel while asleep, and the other when she slipped in socks on hard wood and hit her head on a chair. But we still let her sleep in beds and wear socks. She does know, however, that the next time she needs stitches, mom will do the stitching or she'll have to get a job.

With that said, there are legitimate concerns about friends playing on the tramp. Good luck keeping them out. We forbid friends from going in the treehouse already and we'd have a hard time forbidding the trampoline, too. It's probably a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Your homeowner's insurance has to be notified and your rates will go up. Make sure your yard has a fence, too, or else you're just tempting neighborhood kids to go for a jump. You can get sued for that, too. (What the heck is wrong with us and the lawsuits?)

OH, and in the state of Texas you actually cannot adopt a child or foster a child if you own a trampoline. Statistically they are risky.

We still have one. I'm not taking it down.

we just got one and my DD loves it....not as much as my husband though LOL> I am SO SO overprotective but I feel they are safe bc we do have nets/pads and I will not let her use them alone of course....and she is only 19 mo so she is not really jumping or anything. my husband however is doing all kinds of crazy flips on it (not showing her of course) and yeah it is not great for his knees but he is loving the fun and exercise. good luck in your decision. xo

We had one for 5 years (the kind with the nets) and no one ever got more than bumps and bruises from it. It is great exercise for he kids and as long as you have rules that are followed, they are just as safe as your backyard swingset/playhouse combo sets. The only reason we don't have one now is because we had really strong winds last spring and it destroyed the frame completely. Since our kids our older we decided not to replace it. I originally was the one who did not want one but was glad that we did. The key is to make sure you limit how many kids are on it (our limit was 3 small kids/ 2 if bigger) at a time and no jumping into or hanging on to the net.

At the end of my 9th grade year, I disclocated my ankle on a tramp. I spent the rest of my summer in a cast. I didnt' want a tramp AT ALL!! EVER!! But my DH bought one behind my back. He dug a hole in the backyard so the children don't have so far to fall if they fell off (before we bought a safety net). The children love them (of course). The ER techs hate them. When I went in they said they call them death pads. If you decide to get one-have clear rules. Ours are 1 person at a time. Nothing on the tramp but bare feet and covered backsides.

We had a trampoline growing up. So did all our neighborhood friends. It was VERY easy to make bad decisions on it. As a kid you'd come up with great ideas like- tying a flat bed sheet to your wrists and ankles then jumping on the tramp during gale force winds so the wind would blow you clean off the tramp. We also tried putting a blow up pool (filled with water mind you) on the tramp and jumping INSIDE the pool...it was slippery and fun until you slipped and conked your head on the edge of the metal bars. These are just a few examples of ideas that will pop into your kid's head. Not to mention the idea of learning how to do flips, back flips, and that sort of thing. I promise your kids will fall off sometimes. I promise there will be bumps and bruises, and I promise there will be tears. They are fun, they are great exercise, and they are inexpensive for the amount of time they last. It still needs to be up to you both to come to an agreement about it. I just thought I'd give you a few examples of what I did on my trampoline, and be honest about the fact that EVERY kid that has EVER owned a trampoline has fallen off and gotten bumps and bruises. Hope I didn't just make it worse ;)

No way will I ever get one for our boys. I found out they were on one up the block and they were told if they go on it again they are grounded the rest of the summer. Just not worth the risk.

NO TRAMPOLINE!

The American Association of Pediatric's is working to get them illegal to sell for home use. Too many children get hurt or die every year. Just because it hasn't happened to anyone you know doesn't mean it won't happen to you.

The nets cause serious injury to children's mouthes when they get their teeth get caught in them when coming down, they can rip out teeth and break jaw bones. It's not enough that a mom stands there and watches so that rough play doesn't happen, accidents happen anyway. If you decide to buy one check with your home owners insurance first because a lot of them won't cover trampoline injuries, also check your health insurance too.

I will post links I have found.that support the NO.

http://www.schmitzinsurance.com/prtramp1.htm

http://www.junkscience.com/news2/aptramp.html

"It can turn you into a quadriplegic in four seconds."
http://www.ncproductlaw.com/2010/05/articles/product-liab...

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9806/26/trampoline.danger/

http://www.thechildrenshospital.org/news/inthenews/2007/B...

This one shows why insurance companies tend to not cover trampoline injuries anymore:
http://plappinsurance.com/persart20.asp

http://cbs3.com/health/Health.Alert.Dangers.2.###-###-###...

I am not anti-trampoline, persay. I have never had one, yet I would never buy one. Years ago, and I do mean years ago, the kids across the street from, my then soon to be step-father, had one. The one girl bounced off and broke her neck. My mother and step-father got married when I was in the 4th grade. That same girl was paralized from the waist down....I'm 39 now. She is still paralized. I think we were all around the 8-9 year age level. Are they fun? Yes. Can they be dangerous? yes. The second question is enough for me.
If you do decide on it...research, research, research....and dont forget...any other kids that come over may get hurt too..thats a lawsuit I wouldnt wish for.

They are very very very bad on your KNEES, feet, and back.

I agree with your husband ~ not safe.

There are many factors that go into making that decision. I wouldn't get one if I didn't think my kids were responsible enough. Any hint of a dare-devil child would mean no tramp! But you can't just worry about your kids, you have to worry about everyone else's too! If you will be having other kids over and you have some concerns about them, then I would think twice about it.

All this talk about homeowner's insurance... I handle medical claims for auto and homeowners accidents. I have handled claims were grown adults get injured on tramps (sadly, she knew better). I know the homeowner never thought in a million years that this lady would try to jump from a seated position on this itty-bitty tramp, injuring her tailbone. This type of claim is covered under your Medical Payments to Others coverage, but NOT Liability. Every situation is different, so a claim may be paid under one part of the policy but not the other. You have to be very stern with kids and take immediate action when you see something going wrong - constant supervision is a must! You have to be overly protective and think "people are crazy, and just might do something crazy" lol. As far as your rates, your insurance company should be notified that you are purchasing a trampoline, preferably in writing. There are several different types of policies in most states, so you and your agent will need to check the exact policy you have to confirm coverage. One policy may allow trampolines, another may not. You can always be rewritten to another policy, but that may mean an increased premium. Also, it is a myth that if an adjuster is coming out to look at your hail damage on your roof and sees a trampoline, your claim will be denied if the trampoline is excluded in your policy - that's illegal and has nothing to do with the loss claimed. If someone is injured on the trampoline, your insurance company knew nothing about it and the policy excludes trampolines, it will be denied.

HTH!

Check to see how much your insurance will go up if you get one. Some policies don't allow trampolines.

I had a trampoline growing up and never got hurt, but I was a cautious kid. However, my older brother fell off, my dad fell off and my younger brother was bounced off. All of these accidents could have been prevented with a net around it. If you and your husband can agree and your children follow all the rules, what's the big deal? I think some parents are crazy cautious. Kids can get hurt falling off a bed or tripping on their shoelaces. As long as rules are inforced, safety precautions are taken(nets), and children are constantly supervised, I think a trampoline would be fun!

;

HI--
I didn't read your other responses, but yes, they are dangerous. My husband had a friend in high school who did a front flip, landed on his head, broke his neck and died. Rare, yes, but scary all the same.
J.

I would see if you insurance will cover it. Ours does not, which means if someone got injured on it, they could sue us. Doesn't matter if they have permission to use it or not. That was the deciding factor for us. We can't afford to be sued. Who can?

Yes, people get hurt. Nets and pads do not make trampolines safe. The accidents I have witnessed/been part of are all related to dangerous behaviors ON the trampoline not just getting pinched by springs or flying off. I'm not trying to minimize those dangers, they are real too. When we had a trampoline as a kid one of the neighbor kids bit his tounge almost all the way off -- blood everywhere. Just 2 years ago, my son was on a neighbors trampoline and got landed on; which broke his leg.
That said, it depends on the ages of your kids. Trampolines are not recommended for small children without close supervision. If your kids are old enough to know and follow rules regarding it's use, then they can be safe. Rule number one for me would be one kid on it at a time. Rule number two - no gum chewing while you are jumping.
Good luck!

My husband hates the tramp because it takes up the backyard and kills the grass. I like it because it burns excess kid energy and give them something fun in the backyard not out in front w traffic. We have had a tramp most of my 3 boys lives and no one has gotten hurt. Usually we demand 1 on at a time, but that varies.

I know of 3 people who have had their homeowners policy cancelled because they got a trampoline. Also, a friend who is an orthopedic surgeon told me that without trampolines, his livelihood would be cut in half. He also said that the nets/surrounds, etc don't help with the basic problem...unfortunate bad landings. That's what breaks the arms, legs, necks, etc. My kids also have bugged me to death to get a trampoline, but I just don't think it's worth it. When they get to be about 10 or so, try making them follow the "rules" of the house on the trampoline...they like to jump with 5 or 6 friends and do dangerous stunts on them. My daughter went to a friends house where the mother let them squirt dish soap all over the trampoline and then let a bunch of teenagers do "tricks" and slide all over it....talk about an accident waiting to happen! I would not want to be responsible for other kids jumping on my trampoline and suing me when they get hurt. JMO...but I do NOT like trampolines.

check with your homeowners insurance to see if you can stay covered if you get one. it would be terrible to get one, have something happen at your home and not get a repair because they came out and saw the trampoline and because it wasn't declared the whole policy can be dropped.
its interesting, my husband is way anti-trampoline too. I didn't grow up with one and though it would be fun to have one, and he went on and on about how dangerous they are and about the insurance etc. etc. his best friend had surgery on his arm after it was shattered in a trampoline accident--so he feels strongly about it. that by itself was enough for me to let it go. he rarely feels that strongly about something. I researched it and our insurance would not continue to cover us if we got one. and would as I wrote before drop our policy in the event of something happening to our home that isn't even related to the trampoline because there is a clause that stated we are not to have one without informing them and changing the policy and that not doing it puts us in non compliance so the policy is void. so make sure you find out on insurance before you do something
"fun" that could turn into a headache later.
people sue over EVERYTHING it seems--its just something to be really careful about. we have a play set in our yard and I don't let neighbor kids come over to play because if they fell on my monkey bars--well anyway, its sad we have to worry about all of that but its the way things are now--
whatever you decide, do it together as a couple. nothing is worth putting tension between you, until you can agree, I don't think it is wise to put one in.

I am an x-ray tech. In our department the joke in the summer months is that trampolines account for about half of our overall patient count. It's not really that high, but I've seen enough that I will not be getting a trampoline for my kids....

We never had one growing up and my kids aren't old enough yet. My parent's neighbor got rid of theirs because the homeowners insurance wouldn't cover it. I would research the specific safety issues and see if they can be addressed to your husband's satisfaction. Maybe you can find a gymnastics place that can do a few sessions on how to use one safely.

BTW we just jumped on the bed as kids...until the bed frame broke one time (it was the cheap metal kind that came free with the bed). We did flips off the dresser onto the bed and never got hurt either. I'm just adding this because your kids may be safer with some supervision and safety instruction than just left to do their own thing.

Wow! I never knew trampolines were such a big deal, with the insurance and all! We had a trampoline growing up and it was the BEST!!!! Ours was rectangle, which I always felt much safer on, compared to jumping on my friends circle ones (I know you can find them online). Yes, a neighbor kid broke his arm, but that is the only accident that I can ever remember. There are 8 kids in my family and we are all alive and fine! I remember sleeping out there every night in the summers! Anyway, besides bringing back a lot of fantastic memories, I agree with other comments, people get hurt doing all sorts of things! Perhaps you could get one of those ones that you put in the ground so there isn't as far to fall. Or get the nets and pads. As far as people suing you if they get hurt, if you're really worried about that, get a contract written up that every neighborhood child has to get their parent to sign before they can jump on it! Maybe that sounds dumb, but I remember my mom telling kids all the time that unless they brought a note from their parents they couldn't jump on it. (If I had a house and had a trampoline, that would probably the worst part about it: having all the neighbor kids on it. I don't think I would let them! It is yours, you can tell them no!) Also, you can have rules about it! Like no more than two kids jumping at a time, can't play certain games or rough housing... things that are more dangerous. If the kids don't obey the rules you can always just take the tarp down for x amount of days or for the rest of the summer, etc.

I am all for it! Just because I loved it so much! :) (though if we ever get to that point, I really would only buy a rectangle one. I'm sure they are more expensive, but just from remembering how much safer I felt on it, that's the way I would go. But even the round ones are still fun, and like I mentioned, just have rules to help keep kids safe!) Good luck! :)

We have the in ground trampoline (with pads covering the springs), we have children ranging from 14 down to 2! They all love it!! Obviously, you need to have rules they all have to follow...so far, knock on wood, no one has been hurt!! They all have a blast, and it gets them out of the house everyday :-)

They are super fun, but I've read they are one of the things of childhood that can cause some of the most serious injuries. If you do decide to get one, the Mayo Clinic has some suggestions of what to look for: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/trampoline-exercise/AN01570. Here are so more stats and information: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/085.html. My concern with putting one in your yard is a trampoline is a kid magnet. In addition to insurance, you've got to make sure you're ready to actually teach them how to be safe and often watch these kids when they are bouncing. Good luck!

i had one growing up, we have one now.........neither one had safety nets. there was a daredevil kid who hurt his back (nothing terrible) when i was young. There are games that can be dangerous for young children like (crack the egg . this is where a person sits in the middle in a ball, and everyone jumps to crack them, ...ie make them 'unball") but kids with proper etiquette and know how of rules should be fine.

this question cant really be answered because it depends on the temperment and rebellious nature of the child and the ability to reason and listen.

btw, its usually the grown ups getting hurt, or because of their involvement in the jumping that hurts the kids.

My personal opinion is that it really isn't worth it. We had one as kids, and so did our neighbors. We did all kinds of things we probably shouldn't have (flips off onto the ground???!!) and the worst thing that happened to any of us was that when jumping "safely" my brother landed on my arm accidentally and broke it. The only broken bone I've ever had.

We considered one for our kids, but my husband was against it too. A new family moved in behind us and they have one. Our kids were allowed on it with supervision, and within a week or two of regular afternoon visits, they were "over" it. Another friend from church has one also. When we go there, they hit the trampoline last and are usually "done" within about 10 minutes. They pretty much just kick a beach ball around on it (it is padded and 'fenced' so the ball doesn't go out).

Our kids don't feel like they are missing out on anything by not having one. They CAN be extremely dangerous. All it takes is more than one person on it and someone shifting weight or bouncing 'just right' causing the other person to bounce in an unexpected way. That's it. That's all that is required for someone to get hurt. No "antics" need to be going on. Let your kids enjoy one when they visit their cousins. It will be more fun for them then, and they might be more careful beCAUSE it is a special thing.

I knew someone that did. But the injury was due to the kids not being cautious and too many on it. There have to be rules and they have to be followed to the letter. Talk to your husband and talk about his concerns. Decide if a rule would work. Some rules are no fancy jumping, only 2 at a time, stuff like that. Also, any damages to the net, cover etc mean no jumping until repairs are done.

Unfortunately I would have to be on your husband's side. I hate trampolines, but that is just my opinion. They put so much compression on your back. My cousins had them growing up, I did not, and my back is fine and they all ended up with something wrong with their spine, 2 even ended up with curvature of the spine. Not saying that the trampoline did that, but it is a pretty good case for me.

Other than that, if you teach your kids to properly be on a trampoline, even if it didn't have a safety net or the pads they shouldn't get hurt, but accidents do happen just like on bikes.

I would have never purchased one, but our friends gave one to us when they moved. It is small though. It is only 2' off the ground, and it is only 10' across. I like it because it is short enough that my kids can get on it, and small enough that only 1 kid can really jump on it successfully. We've had 2 or 3 of my daughter's friends on it, but they can't all jump without bumping into each other, so it isn't "fun"! We have rules, Only 1 on at a time (while jumping), No Shoes, Nobody under while someone is on top, etc. My daughter (5) knows the rules, and if one of her friends breaks the rules, she's the first one to tell them that they're breaking it, and the concequece (NOBODY GETS TO JUMP!). Also, the kids know that unless I'm out in the back yard with them, the tramp is off limits. (Luckily, they're young and still obey me -mostly!)

We've had lots of fun on it. We've had family picnics on it, the kids lay with the dog under it in the shade (nobody on top!), etc. I don't know how long it will still be "fun" when my kids are older, but for now, we like ours.

I ALWAYS wanted one growing up. My friend's had one, my cousin had one, and a couple of neighbors had them. They were awsome when I was a kid, doing tricks and sleeping out on them. But, we also did stupid things on them. Well, I was more a chicken, but I would watch my friends and cousin do the most insane things on them when our parents weren't watching. My cousin almost ended up not being able to have kids after he jumped so high and ende up falling onto the bars and springs. And, just lately, our friend's daughter broke both the bones in her lower leg when she and her brother were jumping together, and he came down at a different time and the bounce was funny. I would just suggest that you do the research and decide what is best for your family. Good luck!

I say that if you really truly want your kids to experience the fun of jumping on a trampoline enroll them into a gymnastics class that has a tramp with a harness - or take advantage of open gyms at gymnastic places. That way they get the fun AND are safe.