Trampolines - size for two children?

[SigmaPi26]

We're thinking for buying a trampoline for our sons, aged 6 and 8. All the trampolines say that they're for one user at a time. Realistically, what size of trampoline would be safe for two children to bounce on at the same time with minimal risk of injury?

I don't think there is a safe size for two children to bounce together. The moment you have two, slightly different size bodies bouncing out of sync with each other you get into the realms of really nasty, life changing injuries.

10ft. Both of mine can bounce together comfortably on this size and they are older than yours. I'd say anything smaller is too small. I know they say 1 at a time but I've never seen this enforced, kids always go and play on trampolines together.

It’s not about the size of the trampoline. It’s about what happens if they don’t time the bounces perfectly.

Why do you think they are all for one user only?

Trampolines are so dangerous, do you really have to have one? A badly broken leg can easily result in a lifelong limp/immediate end of any hope of competitive sport.

We have an 8ft one, two children fit on it fine, currently 7 and 9. Got one rated for heavy weight so even adults can go on it. Loads of fun!

We have a 10 foot and my three can go on without banging bodies lol.

None, ever.

Never, ever have more than one child jump at a time, even in proper Olympic sized trampolines there should never be more than one at a time. I say this as the best friend of an orthopaedic surgeon and the daughter of a trampoline instructor. Please please please don't get a trampoline if you don't intend on enforcing the one at a time rule. I cannot express enough how strongly I feel about this and some of the horrifically sad stories there are about people who assume it's ok because it's in your own garden. Please don't.

Watch all the trampoline places closing down-they can no longer afford the rising insurance premiums due to the number of accidents. No trampoline should have more than one person on.

Thank you for your messages. I'm quite happy to enforce the one at a time rule, but thought that it was a rule most ignore, which is why such large trampolines are available. Why else would you need such big trampolines for just one child? I'm now thinking of buying a 10ft one and enforcing the one at a time rule.

The one at a time rule is precisely why we got a climbing frame and not a trampoline. I've heard of so many nasty accidents and there's no way I was constantly marshalling the kids taking turns. With the climbing frame, the kids can all play on it together.

The 10ft trampolines are generally available because you actually need a lot of space to properly and safely do tricks on a trampoline and once your child is around 9 or 10 they are generally quite tall!

Why else would you need such big trampolines for just one child?

Tricks. An ex circus-performer friend uses all the space on ours. Tbh though, that's a pretty minority situation!

It's be really hard to enforce the 1 person at once rule in practise, mind you. You might achieve it with your kids, but their friends will struggle.