The idea of getting your kids something that will keep busy and happy for hours and hours a day seems like a great idea. Constantly jumping around on the trampoline is one of the most fun things children can do at their age. However, there are some safety precautions you have to take when you buy one. While the easiest thing you can do to ensure that your children will stay safe while playing is to get an enclosed trampoline. If you have already bought a trampoline without an enclosure, here are some safety tips to help you keep your kids safe or ultimately lead you to buy an enclosed trampoline.
Consider where you will install your trampoline
Since you aren’t using a trampoline that has any way to stop your children from falling over you must do some serious consideration on where you will place it. The number one rule for most manufacturers is to place it at least two or three meters away from any trees, fences, walls or anything hard your kids might hit into.
With an enclosed one your children cannot fall out of the trampoline space which means you do not have to worry about them jumping too high and then falling on a fence, a wall or trees where they can experience a serious injury. If you do not have the option of getting such a trampoline just make sure that you put it away from any dangerous objects.
Do regular checks
If you want to keep this acrobatic launchpad safe for your children you will have to do some regular analyzes or checks to make sure that everything is in working order. The centerpiece of the device is usually a strong fabric that is stretched and attached to a set of springs. The combination of these two parts is what enables your kids to bounce so high when jumping around. The tighter the springs on the trampoline, the higher your kids will jump. However, if your kids have spent weeks or months playing on it, there is a chance that the springs have loosened over time.
To avoid breaking the device and avoid any injuries that might happen when the springs break, it is important that you do at least weekly checks to ensure that the springs are at the right tensions.
Paddings for the springs
Most enclosed trampolines usually come with extra padding over the springs and hooks since leaving them uncovered may be unsafe for your children. Considering that those hooks are metal, someone might jump into them and hurt themselves seriously. If you do not have such a trampoline then you should consider getting additional padding that you can easily add by yourself.
Add safety nets by yourself
Most enclosed models usually come with a very high-quality safety net that can even endure the weight of an adult. You do not have to worry about your children breaking or tearing the net since they are not even near the weight of a full-grown adult.
If you cannot seem to find a store that offers pre-enclosed ones then you should start searching for a safety net to install by yourself. By adding a net you are preventing your children from falling off the jumping pad and hurting themselves. Check out trampolines.guide, in order to check out 10 enclosed trampolines and how they fare when it comes to safety nets and other safety factors.
Teach your kids about the rules
It is not always about whether you have a trampoline with enough safety features like an enclosed one. You also have to make sure that your kids understand what are the possibilities while playing and then some ground rules. Teach them that jumping too high might be too dangerous and start training them to learn about the maximum allowed jump height. If this is the first time they are getting on such a device, keep the jump height even lower. Another important thing your kids need to remember is not to play when they are too tired. Tired muscles are more prone to injuries than when rested.
If you have gotten a model that already comes with an enclosed jumping area then you will not have to put such strict rules for your children. However, if you do not have a safety net around the jumping pad then you should also consider prohibiting any type of flips as they can be dangerous. If your kid flies out of the trampoline because there is no safety net, there is a very high chance that they might break something. If they do not like your set of rules then you should get them a teacher that will train them on how to properly land. By teaching your children how to land and how to jump you will not have to worry about hurting themselves.
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Always use the ladder
Since most enclosed models only have one way where you can enter or exit the trampoline, there is no possibility of injuries while exiting. Your kids can only get off it with the ladder while models without any type of safety net around it, they will want to exit by jumping. This is one of the biggest causes of broken limbs since children are not prepared to land from such a height. The height of the model and the height of the jump can result in something a minor’s body cannot handle. You must enforce a rule where they have to use the ladder to get down so you can avoid a trip to the ER.
Other safety tips
Here are some other things you should consider when setting up the trampoline in your backyard.
- Always make sure it is placed on a leveled ground so the energy of the jumps is properly absorbed.
- Avoid using if it is wet after rain or a night of snowing. The water can make the material very slippery which can be dangerous.
- Don’t carry sharp objects while jumping. Sharp objects such as watches, rings, necklaces or other jewelry or metallic items.