If you have a trampoline-what are your rules?

[indigomama]

We got our kids a giant trampoline for Christmas this year, as the weather has finally warmed up, they have been playing on it a ton. We have also had some neighbor children, come over and ask to play on it. This makes my husband nervous. So, I was wondering, if you have a trampoline do you have any rules or policies about other kids playing on it?

 

Having friends or people we know well is fine, but we are a little worried about neighbor kids we don't know so well. I don't want to be the mean neighbors, but I also don't want to get sued for someone's hospital bills.

 

ETA: It does have a net on it.

ETA: We rent our home.

[JFSinIL]

Does your landlord know you have this? It may well violate your lease - the landlord does not want to be sued if someone gets hurt on his/her property!

I am not trying to be a party-pooper...but this was my immediate worry!

[indigomama]

No, we didn't tell her. We can. I'm sure she won't mind. She had no problem with us having a kiddie pool and she has no exclusions in our lease. 

[MariannNOVA]

We have a huge trampoline with a net.

 

Rule number one: no one is allowed to walk around the outside of the net, on the metal ring, around the perimeter. (Dd 13 broke her arm when we had the trampoline set up for only two days by doing that.....she fell)

 

No shoes.

 

I wish we didn't have it, but that one accident is the only one we have had in 8 years.

[trulycrabby]

We have a trampoline with a net. The rule is one at a time on it, no flips. We are actually about to take it down as I have grown increasingly uncomfortable with it as DS10 has gotten older and more adventurous.

[Jennifer in MI]

Our rules:

 

1.  Two at a time.  And they have to be about the same size.  (My older boys may NOT jump with my tiny dd!!!)

2.  Zipper must be zipped on the net.

3.  Parents must be home.  

4.  Don't intentionally jump into the net (ds was a a friend's house and was jumping on his trampoline.  He hit the net just right where there was a tiny hole and ripped it and fell onto the ground.  He was fine, but it was scary!)

 

I think that's it.  We LOVE ours and it really is great exercise.  I was opposed and agreed only if our insurance wouldn't go up.  It didn't!  We've never had an accident.  (Knock on wood!!!!)

 

ETA:  We allow flips. 

[momto10blessings]

No friends, only cousins

 

No rough play, pushing, jumping off

[sunnyday]

Here's the official word from the AAP: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/4/774.full

 

It sounds like the worst injuries are from having more than one child at a time on the trampoline, or from attempting somersaults or flips. So one-at-a-time and no-flips sound like good rules for starters. :) Also direct supervision with eyes on kids, and check the protective padding on the springs every time you use it. Your landlord might want a rider on their insurance, or you might be able to get one on your renter's insurance or add an umbrella to help cover liability, especially if you let neighbors use it.

[Colleen]

No, we didn't tell her. We can. I'm sure she won't mind. She had no problem with us having a kiddie pool and she has no exclusions in our lease. 

 

You need to tell your landlady.  A trampoline is a big liability to her as the property owner and can result in her insurer canceling her policy.   Much different ball game than a kiddie pool.  Most experienced landlords would not (and should not) go in for it.

[maize]

We allow family friends (not just neighborhood kids who want to jump) to jump but they must follow our rules, including no rough or wild jumping and no tricks (flips, etc.). I do allow my kids to do tricks when there are no friends over and just one of them is on the trampoline (they have to specifically ask me for permission first). Originally I didn't allow flips at all but after they learned to do them on the trampoline at gymnastics I figured I might as well let them practice. Also, friends only jump on our trampoline when their own parents are here to keep an eye on them, and the net has to be zipped. I do allow several children at a time if they are of similar size.

 

If someone gets injured on your trampoline their medical insurance will sue, whether the friend wants to sue or not, so the risks in that respect are very real. I've had our insurance nag me over and over about an emergency room visit resulting from an injury (not trampoline related) because they wanted to find out if there was anyone they could sue.

[Liz CA]

Our rules:

 

1.  Two at a time.  And they have to be about the same size.  (My older boys may NOT jump with my tiny dd!!!)

2.  Zipper must be zipped on the net.

3.  Parents must be home.  

4.  Don't intentionally jump into the net (ds was a a friend's house and was jumping on his trampoline.  He hit the net just right where there was a tiny hole and ripped it and fell onto the ground.  He was fine, but it was scary!)

 

I think that's it.  We LOVE ours and it really is great exercise.  I was opposed and agreed only if our insurance wouldn't go up.  It didn't!  We've never had an accident.  (Knock on wood!!!!)

 

ETA:  We allow flips. 

 

There would have been no way to keep my ds from doing flips. 2 at a time max, of similar weight is a good rule. No rough housing or shoving.

 

[indigomama]

Thanks for those who have responded.

 

 I will call and check our renter's insurance and let the landlord know. 

 

I think we will stop letting neighbors use it, and have friends use it only if parents are there and direct supervision. 

 

Our kid go on together. The three boys, or the two girls. So far, no no one is doing flips or somersaults. They are just jumping around. My kids are naturally pretty cautious.

[Tammi K]

We have a home that we rent. When we renewed our insurance they did a drive by and saw that the tenants had a trampoline in the yard. The insurance company refused to renew the policy if they did not remove it.

 

EDIT: Indigomama, it's not YOUR renter's insurance that will be at issue. It is the OWNER'S insurance that will likely have a problem as it will increase liability. Hopefully her carrier will not have a problem but please let her knows so she can check.

[craftyerin]

We LOVE our trampoline. Serious life saver with energetic little boys. Our rules are 2 at a time, no flips, and no other kids without specific permission from both their parents and me, and they must abide by our rules.  

[Moxie]

I think trampolines get unfairly targeted. Kids can get hurt with balls and bats, bikes, scooters, pretty much any outside toys. The fun my kids (and all their neighborhood friends) have totally outways the risk for me. So far no injuries. We did have a neighbor kid sprain her wrist falling off our slide the first week we lived here though!! Go figure.

[LMV]

Here's the official word from the AAP: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/4/774.full

 

It sounds like the worst injuries are from having more than one child at a time on the trampoline, or from attempting somersaults or flips. So one-at-a-time and no-flips sound like good rules for starters. :) Also direct supervision with eyes on kids, and check the protective padding on the springs every time you use it. Your landlord might want a rider on their insurance, or you might be able to get one on your renter's insurance or add an umbrella to help cover liability, especially if you let neighbors use it.

 

The AAP originally advocated against backyard trampolines back in the late 90s.  They were pretty much ignored by many so they went back and looked at the data which strengthens their position and also shows that the "safety" measures just really haven't improved things.  It all comes down what level of risk you are willing to let your child assume I suppose.  Personally, we just aren't willing to take the risk or let our children take the risk.  Others may have different perspectives and that is ok.

[itsheresomewhere]

May I suggest that you use those foam pool noodles on the metal poles that are the legs of the trampoline?  My neighbor did that after her 3 year old got a little too excited and ran head first into the metal legs.  The ER doctor recommended it to her. The noodles are a lot cheaper than the stitches.  

 

[abba12]

I would not let random neighbor kids on at all, too much risk, very little ability to make them obey the rules. However we have lived in low income areas where neighbor kids generally meant kids who's parents didn't care, and would go from house to house over the weekend hanging out and causing trouble with very little discipline.

 

No walking outside the net. No intentional jumping into the net. Only one big person on at a time (defined as over the age of 12ish, lower for boys who play too roughly). We do allow responsible big people on with little people on a case by case basis. Flips and tricks are ok as long as a child displays common sense and is alone on the trampoline. Little ones can all go on at once right now, that may change as we end up with little people covering a broader age span, but right now it's only toddlers and preschoolers.

[Maela]

No shoes.  No purposely jumping into the net.  My kids like to put a bunch of balls in there and play "you can't touch the balls."  That's fine, but when they have friends/cousins over, the balls need to go.

 

ETA:  Oh yeah, zipper must be zipped.

[Freckles]

parental permission for friends and neighbors to jump. Two at a time.

[aggieamy]

Normally I fall into the free range category but if it was me I would want the parents to be there watching if their kids were on a trampoline.  That rule would come from me not being comfortable with DD on a trampoline unsupervised by me.  My cousin and sister have both had major injuries resulting from playing on a trampoline.  When we were kids my dad always said he'd get us a motorcycle before he bought us a trampoline.  

 

ETA:  I don't know how to word this because I'm a bit concerned about coming off as a huge jerk but I would make sure parents knew their kids would be playing on a trampoline.  The more I think about it the more I realize that I wouldn't allow DD on a trampoline even if I were there to watch.  

[MollyAnn]

I once had neighbors who had a trampoline, if a friend or neighbor kid wanted to jump on the trampoline their parents had to sign a waiver and a permission slip every time they wanted to jump. They said they didn't know if would hold up in court, but felt that it did give them some protection.

[Incognito]

Interesting - I'd say backyard trampolines are extremely common where we live.  I can see two plus ours from our backyard, and I live rurally.  I don't want or expect random children to come climb on it, but I would let them play if they were visiting.  Our yard is fenced, and the neighbor's isn't, so I suppose any wandering children would go to that trampoline first. ;)

 

I suppose the way healthcare is set up here makes people more willing to allow the risk?  A broken arm doesn't cost a ton- it costs time and pain, but it doesn't break the bank.

 

[sunnyday]

The AAP originally advocated against backyard trampolines back in the late 90s.  They were pretty much ignored by many so they went back and looked at the data which strengthens their position and also shows that the "safety" measures just really haven't improved things.  It all comes down what level of risk you are willing to let your child assume I suppose.  Personally, we just aren't willing to take the risk or let our children take the risk.  Others may have different perspectives and that is ok.

 

Yep, as long as people are aware of the risk it's their choice. I just knew that my husband has seen way too many serious trampoline injuries to let our kids own one. (He's also anti-horseback riding!) But I found the AAP article to be interesting in part because of the injuries that are unique to trampolines, like kids under 6 breaking their tibia, or kids who try to flip having an artery dissection in the neck leading to stroke. Who knew!

[aggieamy]

Yep, as long as people are aware of the risk it's their choice. I just knew that my husband has seen way too many serious trampoline injuries to let our kids own one. (He's also anti-horseback riding!) But I found the AAP article to be interesting in part because of the injuries that are unique to trampolines, like kids under 6 breaking their tibia, or kids who try to flip having an artery dissection in the neck leading to stroke. Who knew!

 

The injuries my sister and my cousin had weren't just normal broken arm injuries either.  One required facial surgery and the other required numerous pins to set a broken bone.  Both were horrifying.  

[Dory]

Yep, as long as people are aware of the risk it's their choice. I just knew that my husband has seen way too many serious trampoline injuries to let our kids own one. (He's also anti-horseback riding!) But I found the AAP article to be interesting in part because of the injuries that are unique to trampolines, like kids under 6 breaking their tibia, or kids who try to flip having an artery dissection in the neck leading to stroke. Who knew!

 

No horseback riding!!! My entire way of life would be destroyed and most my happiest childhood memories.

 

We usually keep the kids off the trampoline if kids are here that we aren't close friends with their parents. With other kids the rules are no shoes, 3 at a time, no climbing on the outside, and no little kids with big kids unless it's a specific older kid helping a little guy/girl.

[fdrinca]

Our neighbors have a trampoline, and my kids aren't allowed on it for many reasons. 

 

I would let them jump if there were a net and if they were the only person on the trampoline.

 

We have a two little friends who have broken tibias while jumping with other children. 

 

There is a trampoline in our neighborhood that is built into the ground. (The owners dug a hole and the trampoline surface is flush with the ground. I think this is not unusual, but it's the only one I've seen.) I feel more comfortable with my children on this trampoline, and if I were to have a trampoline I'd install it like this.

[Cera]

No, we didn't tell her. We can. I'm sure she won't mind. She had no problem with us having a kiddie pool and she has no exclusions in our lease. 

 

I wouldn't be so sure.  Many homeowners insurance companies specifically forbid trampolines or allow them only with a rider (which costs extra).

[Carrie12345]

We don't have one anymore (it just got old.) When we did, our rule was no friends unless their parents specifically told ME (not the kids) that it was okay.  One child at a time, period. And no going in without an adult outside.
(Of course, dd ignored that last one and went in before we put the padding back on the poles after winter. Smashed her face and had to get xrays. Fortunately, nothing broken.  No one else broke that rule after that!)

[shawthorne44]

Watching this thread with interest. Just recently I brought up the idea of having a trampoline room in the addition we are designing.  Then I also had the idea of putting the trampoline at floor level since the house is pier and beam.  Still pondering.  My husband is a handy-man, so the work/expense involved isn't as much as you would think.  

 

I do have a rule to contribute.  A co-worker used to have a trampoline room.  They had a rule that adults could not do a jump/sit. If they did, their butt would sometimes hit the floor.  An adult violated the rule and broke her back, basically instant spinal compression.  She can walk, etc. but she has constant back pain.  

[Aura]

I'm pretty laid-back w/ our trampoline. Actually, I'm pretty laid back w/ my kids' play, period. My trampoline rules consist of: no sticks/swords/baseball bats or other sword-like objects on the trampoline and no skates or scooters. I can easily watch the kids on it from inside, so I do call them out if they're getting too rough. I started out with a lot more rules, but in reality, the kids do a better job of policing the trampoline than I do. They make and adjust the rules based on who's playing.

 

If we have visitors, then I do lay down some additional rules like who and how many can get on it. And if they're younger kids (not teens) then I make sure they have their parent's permission.

 

I really don't get the shoe thing, though. I'd just as soon my kids didn't take their shoes off.

[Just Another Jen]

One at a time. We went through a few trampolines back in the day. We were in a cul de sac with like 30 other kids and even 2 kids could get hurt crashing into each other. 

[Alessandra]

I know someone whose teenage son was on a friend's trampoline. He fell and hit his neck on one of the perimeter supports. He was in a coma for about a week, spent about three months in the hospital and is now at home getting multiple therapies each day. The good news is that he is alive and is slowly regaining some physical and mental capabilities.

 

Trampoline? Never.

 

Btw, my dc do normal activities like bicycle riding and horseback riding, which develop skills, endurance, independence and a host of other good qualities. I just don't see that a trampoline has enough benefits to outweigh the risks.

[Rebel Yell]

If you allow friends on the tranmpoline make sure their parents give permission. I do not allow my children on trampolines when I am not present and able to directly supervise.

 

I had a friend who knew this, and tried to convince my DD that it would be OK to go on the trampoline and I would never find out. :cursing:

[rmtzc2009]

I would think the landlord needs to know.  We had to add additional coverage to our home insurance policy specific to having a trampoline.  Our rules...are similar to what many has stated.  No more than two kids at a time, no climbing or walking around the outer ring, no throwing yourself into the net on purpose.  Any roughhousing and your outta there!  My personal concern has been kids using it while we are not home.  Occasionally if my kids have been playing on the trampoline with neighborhood friends and we end up leaving to go somewhere and the neighborhood child will stay on the trampoline.  I always check before we leave and tell the child that we are leaving and I won't be home to watch him and ensure he is safe so please he needs to head home now.

[LMV]

Yep, as long as people are aware of the risk it's their choice. I just knew that my husband has seen way too many serious trampoline injuries to let our kids own one. (He's also anti-horseback riding!) But I found the AAP article to be interesting in part because of the injuries that are unique to trampolines, like kids under 6 breaking their tibia, or kids who try to flip having an artery dissection in the neck leading to stroke. Who knew!

 

Why am I guessing that your husband is either an Emergency Medicine Physician, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, or a Pediatric Neurosurgeon?  I'm in the first group and I have to admit that I'm often doing a lot of post ED shift reflecting. It can be hard to be an EM Physician.  It can be hard to be a mom.  But it can also sometimes be extremely hard to be a mom who is an EM physician and resist the temptation to just wrap your children in bubble wrap and keep them sequestered at home away from germs. I try to weigh the risks out, take the kids own preferences and needs into consideration, and be vigilant about reasonable safety measures.  So we say no backyard trampolines in our backyard or anyone's but I have a stepson who celebrated his 18th birthday as active duty military, a  daughter who plays D1 college soccer, a daughter who is a L10 gymnast, a very young daughter who may make my life easier by continuing to aspire to sport her own fins, and we're a horseback riding family.  Our soccer child grew up not being allowed to head the ball, our gymnastic child leaves gymnastics in the gym and has been blessed with safety minded coaches who build into and out of skills and do not allow "chucking" and all of their coaches have always been completely up to date on concussion guidelines because I've always passed those along to them.  We're also extremely vigilant about always using necessary and properly fitted safety equipment and DH and I pray a lot.  So far we've been a bit lucky and blessed. 

[sunnyday]

Why am I guessing that your husband is either an Emergency Medicine Physician, a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, or a Pediatric Neurosurgeon?  I'm in the first group and I have to admit that I'm often doing a lot of post ED shift reflecting. It can be hard to be an EM Physician.  It can be hard to be a mom.  But it can also sometimes be extremely hard to be a mom who is an EM physician and resist the temptation to just wrap your children in bubble wrap and keep them sequestered at home away from germs. I try to weigh the risks out, take the kids own preferences and needs into consideration, and be vigilant about reasonable safety measures.  So we say no backyard trampolines in our backyard or anyone's but I have a stepson who celebrated his 18th birthday as active duty military, a  daughter who plays D1 college soccer, a daughter who is a L10 gymnast, a very young daughter who may make my life easier by continuing to aspire to sport her own fins, and we're a horseback riding family.  Our soccer child grew up not being allowed to head the ball, our gymnastic child leaves gymnastics in the gym and has been blessed with safety minded coaches who build into and out of skills and do not allow "chucking" and all of their coaches have always been completely up to date on concussion guidelines because I've always passed those along to them.  We're also extremely vigilant about always using necessary and properly fitted safety equipment and DH and I pray a lot.  So far we've been a bit lucky and blessed. 

 

Couldn't agree more! I know EM docs' families who decline to play soccer at all, which feels excessive to me, but at the same time I understand the impulse. So funny, earlier this morning I wrote this but felt that it wouldn't contribute to the conversation. But I pulled it out of "Auto Saved Content" because I think you'd understand. ;)

 

If it's an activity that lands people in the emergency department often enough for emergency physicians to see a pattern of activity -> injury, and if the activity involves a lot of expense and is otherwise incomprehensible to a guy who grew up in the city, we probably are not going to do it at our house.  ;) It's not necessarily a judgment -- well, we get a *little* judgy about unsupervised un-netted trampolines and about small children on ATVs without helmets, sorry! -- but just a cost/benefit analysis for our family. DD might do riding lessons when she's older (at least 9, I'd judge, maybe 12) and the kids have done trampolines at friends' houses (DS sprained his ankle on one just a few months ago) but we'll not be owning a horse nor a trampoline in this lifetime.  :)

[LMV]

Couldn't agree more! I know EM docs' families who decline to play soccer, which feels excessive to me, but at the same time I understand the impulse. So funny, earlier this morning I wrote this but felt that it wouldn't contribute to the conversation. But I pulled it out of "Auto Saved Content" because I think you'd understand. ;)

 

If it's an activity that lands people in the emergency department often enough for emergency physicians to see a pattern of activity -> injury, and if the activity involves a lot of expense and is otherwise incomprehensible to a guy who grew up in the city, we probably are not going to do it at our house.  ;) It's not necessarily a judgment -- well, we get a *little* judgy about unsupervised un-netted trampolines and about small children on ATVs without helmets, sorry! -- but just a cost/benefit analysis for our family. DD might do riding lessons when she's older (at least 9, I'd judge, maybe 12) and the kids have done trampolines at friends' houses (DS sprained his ankle on one just a few months ago) but we'll not be owning a horse nor a trampoline in this lifetime.  :)

 

Oh I do understand!  In the interest of full disclosure, our kids know that trampolines at other's homes are not ok and our kids have never had ATVs and as far as I'm concerned will not have ATVs unless they buy them with their own discretionary funds after they are no longer living at home.  However, we own a stable full of horses and our oldest daughter was riding (with full parental supervision) very young---almost as soon as we could find a riding helmet that would fit.  Both DH and I grew up with horses, and her older brother was riding and showing and it made sense at the time.  I was also a soccer brat and played soccer in college so although statistically it is a bad sport injury wise for girls if I look at the statistics in context the risks just settle out a lot differently (i.e., a significant proportion of injuries come from heading so if we take that out of the equation it changes things a bit).  

[Heather in Neverland]

We have a big trampoline with a net. My kids jump barefoot (no socks). No flips. Kids on it must be around the same size/weight. 

 

The only ones who use it are my kids and the children of close family friends but I also don't live in a place where neighborhood kids really go to each other's homes without their parents.