to not buy dd a trampoline as I think there dangerous ?

[misstiredbuthappy]

So my dd (5) keeps asking for a trampoline, I saved some cash but now im not to sure I know loads of people that have them and their kids have never hurt themselves but about 5 friends say there dc have hurt themselves. Dd has no fear an falls over fresh air. What do you think trampoline or no trampoline ?

No, but with childhood exercise being increasingly circumscribed (we ran wild 'out' after school each day, took bikes out alomg quiet roads as a matter of course, usual for mums to have no car so we walked / cycled everywhere etc etc) and obesity becomes more common, we need to keep in mind the need for all children to have sufficient exercise daily.

My children are not fit just because of the trampoline. They dance / play lots of sort respecitvely. But a lot of their core cardiovascular fitness, from a very young age, comes from daily trampolining (DS had many ASD traits when younger and trampolining for him was a godsend durig those years).

My children use an outdoor trampoline pretty much every dry day from, say, March to October half term. I don't think they're very unusual - other friends wuith trampolines use them smilarly often.

We've just got rid of our second trampoline. Our kids (19&17) were outraged! They've had one for the last 10-11 years, used it loads, as have lots of other children in the neighbourhood and never had an accident.

My kids have both suffered broken bones falling off bikes and DS2 has suffered a severe shoulder injury playing rugby. I still let them do that, too.

So tonight, DS came back from a school cricket match, did his homework, bounced on the trampoline for 20 minutes or so, ate supper, played on the Kindle for about 20 mins or so, showered and went to bed. DD was on the trampoline between a music lesson and a couple of hours of dancing. That's pretty niormal - it's just part of their everyday life.

[I should say, though, that our trampoline is a) very big and b) very well mantained. I can understand that some of the sad-looking 7 footers with broken safety poles I see don't get used every day - they're not big enough or safe enough to use]

Anyfucker Perhaps all your family do lots of exercise and keep fit in other ways? Otherwise that argument is a bit like saying my Grandad smoked 20 a day from when he was a boy and it never did him any harm.

And yes, my son will go on the trampoline every day unless the weather is so rainy or windy that it wouldn't be safe.

All those who are opposed to trampolines do you also prevent your DC's from riding a bike, riding a horse, climbing a tree, skiing, skateboarding, rollerblading, playing rugby - the list goes on and on. All those activities mentioned are potentially dangerous.

The reason why thousands are seen in A & E with injuries sustained from trampoline use are probably because literally millions of people use trampolines. They are so common now of course statistically you will see many injuries. I'm sure of my list above far more children are exposed to a trampoline than a horse or a set of skis.

I do, and my DC's do, all of the above activities and have done for years. I fell off a horse and broke my collar bone around 30 years ago and fell off a bike 40 years ago (both times ending up in hospital for a week or so - no hats in those days). I'm still here, I'm not saying everyone is so lucky but god my life would have been a lot duller without doing all those fabulous, exciting things over the years.

I used to have trampoline lessons as a child and so did eldest dd. I wouldn't have one in the garden though as they're the cause of so many accidents.

According to my chiropractor, there is an issue with children damaging the insteps of their feet by stretching that part of the foot whilst bouncing. Or something.

we have a huge 14 footer, one of the best things i have ever bought. agree with other posters in that the large amounts of injuries are due to the huge numbers using them. My dc all play rugby anyway, far more dangerous, and ds4 rides, and events (as i do) probably still one of the most dangerous sports if you spend the time adjusting for number of participants.
Our trampoline is used virtually every day, winter and summer ( have some fab photos of them trampolining in 6 in of snow) and i would far rather they were outside, having fun, relaxing and getting exercise than safely in front of the xbox, but storing up CHD, type II diabetes etc for later on.

If she doesn't get hurt on the trampoline it'll be something else. Kids will get hurt no matter where they play. It's just part of growing up.

For what it's worth, I've never gotten hurt on a trampoline and neither has anyone I personally know.

Someone I.know has recently thrown out her trampoline as all her dcs injuries were caused by it. The fact that it was the only physical activity they do in their leisure time (and therefore pretty much the only chance they have to sustain injuries, unless Lego/computer games have suddenly become dangerous) and that she often let multiple children on the 6ft trampoline at the same time (age ranges 5-16) apparently had nothing to do with it.

When they were little my kids used their trampoline as good as every day. (We didn't live in rainy Britain though)

It was the most played with thing they have every had. I used to go on it most days too.

We also had a big and high set of monkey bars that were used all the time by the kids and I. We could all do pull ups with ease. I don't understand why they are not more popular in the UK

Yes, DD broke her arm on the trampoline, but she broke the other one falling out a tree.

If she didn't spend hours trampolining (serious gymnastic trampolining these days), she'd no doubt be cycling on our narrow lanes. She's smashed her helmet and her bike doing that too.

Basically, DD2 can find a way of having an accident in any situation. She loves gymnastics, but she always collects bruises. She has scars from going flying playing netball and falling off the climbing frame.

The daft thing is, that her doesn't do gym, never did ballet, can't catch, but could and did climb absolutly everything. Especially a frighten the other parent tree, doesn't break bones or collect bruises.

You can't win OP

I think there are some kids who can't be trusted on trampolines, my nieces can't walk across a room without preforming backflips and handstands. They are really crazy wild on a trampoline . My kids were less bouncy

Big sister, doesnt break things.

When DD broke her humerous playing on a micro scooter I seen a consultant with twin girls. He said 2 things his daughters ask for but will never get..

A micro scooter and a trampoline.

My youngest DD currently has a fractured elbow. Between 3 of them they have had 3 green stick wrist fractures, a broken humerus and now a broken elbow. They take after me, in primary I broke my left arm 3 times and the third time it was broken and reset so that's 4 and I chipped the bone in my left elbow at senior school during a visit to the roller rink. Non of the DCs breaks were from a trampoline but DD did slam into a metal pole on one, had a bashed up face and had to have a earring surgically removed

Actually, I've found being able to do proper front and back flips an improvement.

You can't have two people on the trampoline at once and DD2 is a bit of a perfectionist, flips have to be done properly.

She didn't learn to do them until she was 13, so she isn't as wild as she might have been if she'd started serious gymnastics at 5

Yes, DD broke her arm on the trampoline, but she broke the other one falling out a tree.

If she didn't spend hours trampolining (serious gymnastic trampolining these days), she'd no doubt be cycling on our narrow lanes. She's smashed her helmet and her bike doing that too.

Basically, DD2 can find a way of having an accident in any situation. She loves gymnastics, but she always collects bruises. She has scars from going flying playing netball and falling off the climbing frame.

The daft thing is, that her doesn't do gym, never did ballet, can't catch, but could and did climb absolutly everything. Especially a frighten the other parent tree, doesn't break bones or collect bruises.

You can't win OP

Just buy a large roll of bubble wrap and then go and live your life in a cellar with just a little hole to pass the pee bucket in and out. That should be safe. Seriously get a grip.

I have an irrational fear of trampolines, I always think kids will end up with broken bones or concussion. My mil has one in her garden (left by a previous owner) and although I don't prevent my kids going on it, I watch them like a hawk and mentally plan my route to A&E.

I wouldn't buy one. It's one of those things I think are just too risky. When my mom was in high school, they had a trampoline which was part of the girls' gym class. One of the girls broke her back in class jumping on the trampoline.

I used to work at a property and casualty insurance company, and we wouldn't insure a home that had a trampoline, because of the liability risk.

That would mean half the properties in the UK wouldn't be insured then?

This is a battle I will have with DP in a couple of year's time! . I like them and would like one with netting so that DC can't fall off / out but he thinks they're dangerous as his nephew broke his arm on one. My view is that kids can break their arm / collar bone / leg anything on any manner of things including bikes, scooters, roller skates etc and you can't ban everything 'just in case'. I've survived 30-odd years without breaking anything worse than a tooth, despite doing all of the above at some point but my brother broke his collar bone on a swing (!) and a friend her arms roller-skating. I think that the benefit of the fun to be had and the exercise outweighs the risk. BUT each to their own and if you don't want one, don't get it!