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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to worry about trampoline with nets being safe ?

170 replies

Babieseverywhere · 06/04/2010 08:31

My parents have very kindly offered to buy our children a garden trampoline with a safety net as a joint birthday gift.

But I am worried that these trampoline look very dangerous, no facts or horrible RL stories to base my opinion on, I just think they must be dangerous...AIBU

My DH thinks I am silly for worrying and points out the children love their indoor small, low trampoline and bounce on it for hours (when it is not in the utility room as it takes up so much space in the house when it is being used.)

Our garden is totally paved if that makes a difference to the safety factor.

So what is the Mumsnet verdict on trampolines ?

OP posts:
CheerfulYank · 06/04/2010 16:01

I think they can be dangerous, but with proper supervision and a safety net can be lots of fun and good exercise.

The boys I nannied for had one, and the four of us used to bounce on it together all the time. As long as you're careful and don't allow them to try to launch each other it's fine.

Of course I'm one of those parents who, in a backlash to the oh-so-precious kids I see who are barely allowed to run for fear of tripping, lets her child do almost anything. My mother is always shrieking "he's going to fall! He's going to fall!" as she watches my DS climb around. When I shrug and answer, "Ah well, he'll learn to balance then won't he" she gives me her very best I'm-going-to-report-you-glare.

ShrinkingViolet · 06/04/2010 16:01

it's because the knees aren't designed to take that kind of pressure, in the same way as you wouldn't land on a hard surface on your knees.

cyb · 06/04/2010 16:02

there is no pressure, its a soft forgiving surface. Crawling around as a baby woudl be worse I'm sure

ShrinkingViolet · 06/04/2010 16:03

sorry, meant impact, not pressure - too much chocolate has rotten my brain .

ShrinkingViolet · 06/04/2010 16:04

rotteD - honestly, I should just give up I reckon

cyb · 06/04/2010 16:04
Grin
Macdog · 06/04/2010 16:07

I got my dd (now 4) a low trampoline - about 18" off ground, surrounded by a net, last summer and she loves it.
Similar to this one
I felt it to be a bit safer for her, because it's closer to the ground she can climb in and out herself.
What about gettting interlinking polystyrene mats for surround ing it on the slabs?

activate · 06/04/2010 16:41

I have never seen any trampoline being used under the 1 at a time, adult supervision rule

thhey are always used under the as many kids as possible just leave me alone to talk to other adults rule

such is the way of the world

DONTtouchMUMSspecialJUICE · 06/04/2010 16:42

ach... you gotta love teachers training you how to use trampolines safely and doing it in a fashion that will injure you.

lucysmum · 06/04/2010 16:47

amidaiwish - not sure what my friend meant but didn't what any more damage to my poor pelvic floor ! Interesting that it doesn't give you any problems - maybe I'll give it a try

ClaraRenee · 06/04/2010 16:57

We have a 14ft trampoline with a safety net.DDs age 8,7 and 3 use it all the time. They are not allowed to do risky moves but have trampolining classes so know how to do moves. Some friends of mine have enrolled their DC on a short course during holidays to teach them safety. Think its brill exercise and great fun.

LittleMrsHappy · 06/04/2010 17:12

OK, Im confused how on earth can someones child knock them self out in a secure and netted trampoline? .

Clearly the net was not fitted correctly?

I have my own dc on a slabbed surface we have never had a accident, or has he even injured himself playing on it. (now touches wood, after reading these stories.

biddyofsuburbia · 06/04/2010 17:24

on the pelvic floor thing, I am not sure about it actually causing damage but the damage my kids did on their way out makes trampolining something I only ever do if I've been to the loo first

moomaker · 06/04/2010 17:36

Cages are a must

Knee drops are fine as long as feet are flat and bum lands on heels (landing "knelt up" can fling you forward)

two at a time is more dangerous IF both bouncers land at the same time, alternating is fine.

most injurys caused from not "Falling right"...

on a trampoline you must keep arms in tight to your body or on your head (think brace position on an airoplane) and chin on chest. If you stick out a hand it will "land" first and be rebounding up as the body comes in to land. Similarly if you chin is on your chest, even landing on your head is unlikely to be anthing more than scarey as the body will land together and leaves the surface together.

bronze · 06/04/2010 17:42

I'm with Cyb and OMDB. Its either that or I send them out to play in the traffic.

When I think of the things we did as kids a trampoline seems like wrapping them in cotton wool

princessparty · 06/04/2010 17:47

We had a 14ft trampoline for years without a net and all the children were fine on it from the age of 2 onwards.After it got too close to a bonfire we had to buy a new one last year with a net.Since then we have had hurt backs and 2 sprained ankles.When tehre is no net the children behave sensibly in the middle.But I guess the fun of a trampoline is doing acrobatics on it, and a net makes them feel invincible.

cyb · 06/04/2010 17:47

yes bear in mind most of these 'safety warnings' are just to protect the bloody trampoline company from being sued

ShrinkingViolet · 06/04/2010 17:52

actually the safety warnings are because it's a dangerous sport - we've had a couple of sprained ankles and a broken arm, and that's despite my DC knowing what they are doing on a trampoline, and being properly supervised at club training sessions. I also know a girl who completely ripped her knee apart twisting slightly as she landed .
That said, my DC love it, and have used our trampoline a lot over the years. It's apparently "not good enough" now and they're after a proper competitive one...

TottWriter · 06/04/2010 17:52

We had a 14" trampoline without a net in our garden from when my brother was about ten. (Admittedly, this was a biggish garden mostly laid to lawn.) I'm five and a bit years older than him, and used to be on the thing at the same time as he and my sister. Never had a problem.

Mind you, when I was younger I did have lessons. Knowing what you are capable of is a big must in my opinion.

I would certainly want my DS to have lessons if we were going to get a trampoline, but I really don't see the need for the nets. Well, I mean I can see the benefit, but surely knowing they're there makes the children less careful? With ours, we knew that if we got too close to the edge we would fall off. So we stayed away from the edge, and by default from the tensest part of the trampoline and the springs. If there's a dirty great net there, it removes that sense of danger and gives a sense of security which shouldn't be there with a trampoline - complacency like that is what leads to the accidents. Still, I suppose I'm sheep enough that if I had the space for a trampoline when DS is old enough (a long way off) I'll probably follow the net trend. But I'll be disappointed with myself.

Incidentally, WRT the OP, I certainly wouldn't buy a trampoline for a paved garden. Grass or bust.

DONTtouchMUMSspecialJUICE · 06/04/2010 18:01

i quite enjoyed the trampoline lessons at school. if you were brave you got the harness so you could try turns and more risky moves. harness was so instructor could yank you to a hault mid air if you were going to land wrong.

if you are having a trampoline. i think these lessons are great if you have them on nearby.

biddyofsuburbia · 06/04/2010 18:44

At least you got a harness! at my school they let you do somersaults with the teacher holding a towel around your waist! I quite fancy a go on those bungy trampolines they have at the beach/fairground. I digress.

wonka · 06/04/2010 18:54

We sunk ours into a pit.. level with the grass and the boys love it!

Lucky2010 · 06/04/2010 19:02

Great idea Wonka!

I haven't read allthe posts, but I have treated quite a few kids with very nasty fractures from falling off trampolines, getting their feet trapped in the springs etc.

Having said that, percentage wise it's probably not that big a percentage compared to the amount of kids who use them, and they could just as easily fall off their bike and get hurt.

My kids are 2 and 4 and MIL is getting them a little 8 foot one for their birthday. I'm sure they will love it and I'm all for promoting exercise and wearing them out so they sleep well in my kids.

wonka · 06/04/2010 19:09

Do you think when they're finished with it somebody would extend and seal the pit to make me a swimming pool? LOL

Fliight · 06/04/2010 19:11

Well,

we did put the guinea pigs on ours once.

they didn't quite know what to make of it.

I don't know what we were hoping for, but they could have at least tried a little bounce or something.

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