Trampoline v climbing frame?

[TwinklyLightsForXmas]

We're thinking about getting DS one for his birthday . We don't have space or budget for both. Which would we get more use/enjoyment from? He'll be 5 in November. Thanks!

We had both. The trampoline was by far the best used. We bought it when the DC were 8, 7 and 5 and they stopped using it when the youngest was about 16.

Just the one broken collar bone!

Personally I would say climbing frame, but maybe it depends on the type.

DD had one that had a little tent thing at the top that she could go in. It also had a slide and a scramble net. Also it could be at two heights so when she was still small we put it at the lower height then added the extension legs when she was bigger. She did use it lots. I suppose an added attraction was that the children in adjoining gardens also had climbing frames so they used to sit at the top and chat over the fence!

I think a trampoline is potentially more dangerous and needs more supervision - although no doubt can also be fun. A friends child broke his arm badly by going underneath the trampoline when other children were bouncing on it.

climbing frame

I'd say a really interesting climbing frame has more potential for a greater variety of play (both physical and imaginary/creative) while it is being used, but a trampoline would be used for many more years.

Climbing frame - less annoyance for the neighbours and it can be a spacecraft, a tree house, all sorts of things. A trampoline can only be bounced on.

As a child, I would've preferred a trampoline. And that is what I chose for my daughter.

From a sensible parents POV I'd say the climbing frame but from a kid POV definitely the trampoline.

We had a trampoline that was used by the kids virtually every day for seven years until it fell apart - and they want us to replace it!

Trampolines are fantastic but you do need to enforce strict safety rules, like only 1 child on at any one time, nobody underneath while anyone is on, safety nets must be up, springs must be adequately covered, etc.

We had a climbing frame with a slide for a while and it was actually very good while dc were interested in it. After that we sold it and replaced it with a trampoline. Could you perhaps start with the climbing frame and move on when dc is a bit older?

Trampoline, such good all over exercise for them as well as fun. Kids grow out of climbing frames so quickly

Was a neighbour to a trampoline, please go for the climbing frame. It’s just an irritating, repetitive sound (especially when it hasn’t been oiled and starts to rust).

As*

Climbing Frame
We bought a TP Challenger on Ebay - huge thing with all the extra bits

THe kids used it for about seven years - fantastic for creative play and dens and parties and chilling

at the end of that we sold it for the same amount it had cost us

Happy times

My dc definitely prefer a climbing frame. We've added to it over the years so it now has a few platforms, 2 slides, swings, swinging tyre, climbing wall, 2 slides and lots of other stuff. We do a bit of maintenance every year and it's seen us through from my now adult ds to our youngest 6 year olds.
Wasn't cheap but definitely had our moneys worth now - and I imagine it has several years left of regular use.

Trampoline. That and the dog are the best things we’ve ever bought the children.

Definitely a trampoline. My kids always use ours.

Climbing frame is much safer. I know too many children who have ended up in hospital as a result of garden trampolines.

My DD got a trampoline for her 4th birthday. We chose one that went up to adult weight.

She is now 23 and was out there on it last week. It has been used endlessly.

Climbing frame. Trampolines are horrendous for injuries, especially considering we leave the sitting in our gardens largely unmaintained. I'd always go to a proper trampoline centre over a garden trampoline. Saying this, my best friend had one and we did enjoy it but I had to stop using it cause it was knackering my knees.

As a kid, I would have gotten much more use out of a trampoline. The park has climbing frames.

trampoline.
all day every day
my DC used it so much-best thing we ever bought

We went for a trampoline, DC are 6, 9 and 11. We got it 9 years ago, keep the springs oiled and have changed the netting and the spring padding every couple of years. It’s great they burn off so much energy on it, DS dribbles his football around on it, they’ve even camped out on it and I’ve sunbathed on it.

We did squeeze a climbing frame in with slide and climbing wall but it didn’t challenge them for long. They prefer going to the park to use bigger climbing frames or to climb trees.

Trampolines, my DD probably spent half her childhood on hers, from about the age of 4 to about 13 (she sort of started to grow out of it and a few of the springs were stuffed by then).

I really don't think trampolines cause that many injuries? There was no kids that I knew of DD's age that suffered any major injuries (sprained ankle at most).

Besides trampolines are probably much safer nowadays with full protection netting that is about 3ft.

My trampoline was one of the best things I ever got as a child. It got years of daily use. To be fair, I am Australian, so our weather is more conducive to playing outdoors, but I still think kids should have a trampoline if you have the space/money.

Plus, they are a lot safer now than they once were.

I’d say trampoline.
They will outgrow a climbing frame much quicker than they will outgrow a trampoline.

Trampoline. We have just put ours away for the winter & bring it back out again Easter time again. Means it stays in great condition & easy to put away/put back up. You can play all sorts of games on it, it's not just for bouncing. Buy a good quality & the largest size you can fit.