To not want my 15 month old trampolining

[Bizawit]

I consider myself to be a fairly relaxed mum. My DD (first baby) is almost 15 months. My childminder (who is also a friend) wants to take my DD and her daughter (13.5 months) trampolining tomorrow. I said I didn’t think it was safe- I’ve read a lot of stuff about the number of child injuries caused by trampolines , and also that you shouldn’t allow children under 6 to go on them. Friend/ child minder seems put out that I said I wasn’t keen, and is trying to persuade me that the advice only applies to trampolining at home and that the toddlers get given non-slip socks. I’m not saying I’ll never let my daughter get on a trampoline but she’s barely even a toddler- only been walking about 2 months, and still somewhat wobbly!

So AIBU- would you let your 15 month go on a trampoline?

As a childminder I'd like to see the risk assessment she carried out on that activity . Personally I don't think it is safe activity for a childminder to do with her minded children .

I take mine to morning toddler sessions pre covid. Unlimited juice and toast. Bounce with under 4s

I was talking to a lady at primary school one day, and she told me that her son had had a kidney removed due to a trampoline accident.
He was on one of those toddler ones with a ‘n’ shaped bar to hold on to. He had come down hard with his side onto the bar and damaged his kidney.

This thread is absolutely packed with
"My postman's first removed cousins doctor heard of someone who nearly died on a trampoline"

My dd2 has spent years under the orthopaedic surgeons for a hip problem.

her lovely consultant made sure to say at every appointment "no trampolining, for you or your brother and sister". She said she'd seen some horrific injuries, including paralysis and thought trampolines and trampoline parks should be banned.

My dh is a Dr and did part of his training in A&E. Once had a guy who got his face caught in the springs

God no. I went to a trampoline park a few years ago with my DP. The amount of small kids I saw who went flying when someone heavier jumped on the trampoline they were on! It will be years before my DS goes near one!

@Yeahnahmum

All these comments about not ever letting young kids in trampolines. ... like kids never fall (or colide with other kids) off of balance bikes or scooters or in the playground 🤔

The difference being that as a childminder, her insurance probably doesn't cover her for trampolining whereas it standard childminder insurance does cover bikes, scooters and playground equipment.

I don't see the rush. Why take a tiny toddler there. There is plenty of time for the children to enjoy trampolining once they are older, but seriously, no, I'd not take babies to a trampoline centre.

15 months is far too young - they can’t even jump at that age.

@yeahnahmum

Comment illustrates perfectly how bad people are generally at assessing risk, both the incidence and severity of bike accidents etc is much lower than trampolining.

@FixTheBone

Over 75% of trampoline injuries on children occur because of 2 people jumping, where one is significantly heavier than the other.

Most well run trampoline parks will operate a 1 child only policy per trampoline which minimises the risk hugely.

No way....too small/young and places too manky...

DC have been but when much older eg10 for birthday parties but still not keen seen some horrible injuries

You should have seen what I used to do in the 80’s ! Trampoline parks are safe in comparison. We go to the SEN sessions and never had a problem. Of course there is a risk with everything but I was a child that lived through a time where we did did wheelies on bikes without helmets at 6.7! All of use ok the estate lol . My mum grew up in a time where she said they were even wilder. I do helicopter my children far more than my previous generation but my kids have also been safe at these parks, they have some pretty tight guidelines But they enjoy it and it’s a treat every now and again.

Too young.

Hell no! What is your childminder thinking?
They can only just walk at that age never mind Bounce!

A lot of these references seem to be to something totally different from what I've experienced. There is a chain called "jump lanes" in my region with long rectangular trampoline "lanes" padded on all.sides. they do toddler sessions and mostly families occupy a lane each. people do walk/jump through lanes sometimes bit it's not very busy and the parents and other relatives generally helicopter around the smaller ones constantly. They're often playing with them, holding them, helping them walk, bounce holding them up etc.

It's all in the flat so there's nowhere to bounce off.

And the potential for larger toddlers to collide with smaller ones etc is almost entirely mitigated by parents/carers supervising/helicoptering.

I don't know if this is the type of setup this childminder is referring to or not (though obviously the more kids she has the harder to helicopter).

They can only just walk at that age never mind Bounce!

They're not expected to bounce, just sit s d enjoy being bounced lightly, or crawl on a boingy surface or walk on it, or walk/bounce supported by an adult, or be gently bounced on an adult, or play with the
Soft balls that are often thrown in etc. Etc.

But the adults do need to supervise carefully to avoid active older toddlers going near smaller ones.

hell no.

Whether or not they're dangerous in general, why the need to do now something that wil be really exciting for them when they are quite a bit older? At the moment, it will be quite exciting enough for your daughter to go for a walk in the park, or woods, or some other place she's not had a chance to experience out of her pushchair. Big piles of leaves, muddy puddles...

I would say no. You could also try asking whether she is insured for an accident which cannot be blamed on the trampoline park. The TPs usually insist that parents have signed a disclaimer which means they only pay up if they can be shown to have been negligent. Is she covered for the situation where both toddlers head off in different directions and your child has an accident?

We have taken DS3 to a toddler gymnastics session since he was about a year old. It’s kind of a cross between soft play and some balance/agility stuff (mini beams and barres).

• they can’t jump at that age, so trampolines are super-boring for them (our class has a couple of individual ones, and DS has only really taken an interest in the past six months or so - since he’s been able to jump on the spot. They are not getting major air aged 1. Even aged 3, he jumps up and down a couple of times and wants to get off and play on the crash mats instead.

• they fall over on top of each other all the time. On a crash mat that is fine (few bumps, nothing serious). On a trampoline, if either child has managed to jump properly, the smaller child is likely to be seriously injured.

I’d be more than happy for DS to take proper trampoline lessons when he is older. I would never take him to a trampoline park, with groups of kids bouncing into each other. I have no idea how these places risk assess, but however they do it, I don’t agree with their conclusions.

I'm massively against it. My ds was looked after by a relative at the same age who took him to one and i was furious. There's no point in it for them as they can't even jump

I'm a hypocrite really as I would say no, only because I wouldnt be there.

My DD 3 loves "toddler jumps" and I took her regularly pre covid. It was just me and her playing in all the different sections. Funny enough the one accident she did have was in the soft play part when she was kicked in the side of her head coming down the slide 😳

We got a trampoline for DS1's 3rd birthday, so DC2&3 have been trampolining pretty much since birth, starting with lying down and being gently rocked, then crawling and walking.
I know you have to be careful to prevent accidents, but the trade off of hours of bouncing during lockdown, when it was almost the only exercise they got is worthwhile.
There's not much entertainment and exercise for toddlers on offee indoors at the moment and there's only so many times you can take them jumping in puddles. I think your childminder is trying to do something nice for both DC and I'd let her get on with it.

I hate trampolines and certainly wouldn't let a toddler use one.