Buying a trampoline to get us through homeschooling!

[MrsHoolie]

Any one else thought about doing this?

My kids are 12 and 9 but have always wanted one and now is the time as we'll be stuck at home. We are avoiding parks due to so many people being out and about.

Any advice or recommendations?

We have a large patio so could either get a rectangle one (14ft by ?) or a 10ft round one. I'm leaning towards the rectangle as I think there'll be more jumping space.

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MNHQ

Please don't do this. Home trampolines are one of the biggest causes of injury to children and our NHS is stretched enough as it is.

We are thinking like you, we impulse purchased a table tennis table 🙂

I wouldn't get one. I've nannied for several medical parents and they wouldn't touch trampolines with a bargepole due to the injuries they had seen in hospitals caused by them. Not a great time to be clogging up A and E with broken legs.

I got one last week for this very purpose. I want DC to burn off energy. Got 8ft round from argos. Took 5 hours to assemble so I hope it is used!

Safety wise - be strict about 1 person at a time, no flips, always zip down enclosure.

I’d get a round one op

We bought a seesaw rocker thing, goalposts and an extra PlayStation controller yesterday.

Oh and a new doorbell so I don’t miss my Ocado deliveries! 🙈

id Be cautious too - you really don’t want any trips to a and e with broken bones at the moment. If you do go ahead, if you only let them go on it one at a time, that’s much safer than the two bouncing together.

Good activities when mine were that age also included swingball - can play together or in own. This got my teen through GCSEs last year - when she was on a break from revision she’d go and do 15mins outside.

Also games like just dance on the wii are fun and use up a good amount of energy

I have told my son that’s what he’s getting for his birthday. Ordered it today and really hoping it can still be delivered. I agree, home exercise will make a big difference.

We have a springless trampoline.

It was mr BIL who works in Orthopaedics who recommended it to us as the only possibly ‘safe’ option.

Have a look at Wicken Toys that’s where we got ours from and we went for one with 2 sweet spots.

Ooh, table tennis from pp a great idea too.

Purchased a switch for our house. Going to get some more games for it like just dance and I think there's a fitnesses one too

@TheGirlWhoLived why a round one rather than rectangle?

Son is Argos delivery driver, rushed off his wheels with trampoline deliveries. And yes, do beware of broken bones, especially when more than one using it.
www.eadt.co.uk/news/are-garden-trampolines-safe-rospa-issues-advice-1-5621616

Only if you hate your neighbours. The row they make is unbearable. Plus the shrieks and screams.

The rectangle ones tend to bounce higher than the round ones and it’s just annoying. Also there’ll always be a smaller end and you’ll end up bouncing toward it inevitably, which hurts

Mine are using it for PE, DS's idea. They've used it far more today than they have in ages and will do all week as looking dry.

We got a Springfree trampoline too from Wiken toys. Very pricy but we love it and safest trampoline you can buy.

I ordered a 12ft today! We had a massive one that was left by previous house owners but it broke last year. It was the only thing that got my girls playing outside.

I just impulse bought a climbing frame!

I've heard too many horror stories to get a big trampoline, we have a little indoor one as DS is autistic and likes to bounce!

I think getting a trampoline at present is a really bad idea, as it increases the risk of your children breaking bones at a time when there is inadequate medical care available and a risk of catching the virus for anyone going into a hospital. My daughter broke her leg on a trampoline a few years ago. The hospital staff told us trampoline accidents were a common cause of A&E visits among children.

Oh god trampolines in gardens are an eyesore, noisy, unsociable ugly lumps of metal. I suppose UK gardens are now doomed to be filled with even more of the bloody things!

We've had one for about ten years. Kids have to know how to be reasonably sensible on them, but given this they are no more unsafe than lots of other things. Ours has an enclosure which gives a certain sense of security and obviously you need to have it surrounded by soft material. Not on a patio.