to worry about trampoline with nets being safe ?

[Babieseverywhere]

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 ?

Not sure why wanting to avoid the inevitable breaks and injuries that are very likely is not getting perspective.

We live in the country and I have very active dc who at the moment spend their lives riding bikes,go-carting,climbing(everything) etc,etc. I do not wrap them in cotton wool.

I would simply rather they engaged in activities that they are free to access without fear of somebody landing on them thus causing injuries that may take weeks of operations or worse.

Leaving dc penned into a tiny enclosure and left unsupervised at risk of other heavier children falling on them when countless members of the medical profession say it's dangerous could be said to be rather irresponsible to be frank.

If I had the money and space to buy 3 very big,netted trampolines then I'd be less reticent but I haven't. The fact is if my kids can fight over a piece of Lego you can bet your bottom dollar they'd fight over a bloody trampoline and within minutes of my leaving the garden all 3 would be cramming themselves into said trampoline with the weakest(probably dd)ending up in a crumpled heap under her twin brothers. Sooooo not work the bother or risk, there are plenty of other activities they can do.

I have 2 olympic sized 'garden trampolines' as I coach trampolining. I have strict rules about 1 person bouncing at a time and children are always supervised by an adult(obviously in a class this goes without saying). My children are 2 and 3.5 and have been using them for more than a year- I attach a climbing harness belt or walking reigns on the 2 year old so I have some control as to where she bounces. I did this previously with ds but now he is competent enough to jump in the chalk animals/shapes I draw on the tramp mat showing where he has to be. If he is silly he gets of immediately. I won't risk his safety. No children have been injured or fallen off. This is because of the rules and supervision. Accidents can happen dispite all of this, however as others have said you can't wrap children in cotton wool and stop them having some fun,but you can minimise/prevent the predictable accidents.

What do people expect using a dangerous peice of equipment as a toy WITHOUT rules or supervision - that is when they become dangerous. If you want to use it as a 'toy' you are likely to have injuries. If you don't want to supervise them then don't have one in the first place.

Alysonpeaches and amidaiwish What sort of surface was your swing on? Can't quite work out if Alyson was saying her childhood swing was on a paved/concrete surface?

keepitsweet - Do you have a safety net? The one with the fractured ankle - was that with one bouncing at a time and also was that under adult supervision as well - sorry couldn't work out from your post if you were saying all the accidents happened under supervision or just the cut head one?

Apologies for my lack of understanding I'm a bit tired - just finished a 12 hour shift with no break!

All accidents were on separate occassions, under adult supervision with one child on the trampoline at the time. It was a 14' one, so not a tiny one.

This one did not have a safty net, but noone has ever fallen off the trampoline. All injuries sustained on the trampoline bed.

I bought a trampoline, despite my injuring myself at school, many years previously, so badly, that when I was seen in A&E, they presumed I had been in a severe car accident due to the whiplash damage to my neck.

I would not say do not buy a trampoline, but like a lot of things they have risks.

Depends on how accident prone your children are, and how careful you are. I have broken my arm on the garden swing, my sister broke her toe on the garden slide. I have fallen off my bike numerous times, and have all the scars to show for it. Rightly or wrongly are mum was much more for us to be adventerous, and we were allowed to use the equipment as we wanted (i.e. toe was broken by my sister dangling down backwards and it getting caught in the frame at the side).

But my kids still have these things, and touch wood, the only injuries they have sustained is my dd broke a toe in gymnastic lessons. But I'll always stop them if they don't use any equipment correctly.

My 4 year old broke his leg on a trampoline at a birthday party in a activity place. It seemed to be because a bigger boy bounced at a different time to him so he bounced off. He still goes to parties there but now we are just more careful about not bouncing with other children at different times. At the hospital there was a bit of tutting but one of the doctors just said that each year its something - skateboards, scooters, whatever. I think its just up to each parent to decide whats right for them regarding risk - some of us will always let them do things that others wouldnt.

I think the thing is, in this day and age, it is really hard as a parent not to be paranoid about all kinds of things that our own parents seemed not to worry about.

My mum used to let me go off on my bike from about 7 and didn't really have a clue where I was, climb trees etc. etc. My best friend lived on a farm and we were always climbing on old machinery, cars and barn roofs (not that we were allowed to but it was hard to keep check without keeping us in). All of it was potentially quite dangerous and I probably wouldn't be that happy about my kids doing things I did myself. At the same time I want them to have the same kind of carefree childhood. Big ask.

Now the media is full of reports about missing/murdered/maimed children and with that in mind it is difficult not to go over the top when it comes to the various 'risks' or when thinking about what 'could' happen.

As I said earlier my kids have a climbing frame/trampoline/bikes/scooters etc. but I just try to balance my own perception of the risks involved. i.e. I do have 'rules' for the trampoline and I do supervise. Just like I make them wear a helmet when they ride bikes and scooters. I have many friends who take a more laid back approach.

I think it is about keeping our own fears in check whilst maintaining a balanced approach to risk or perceived risk. They can't learn if you don't let them do some things which could result in some injury, but there are things you can do to minimise the chances of anything going wrong. For me that means rules and proper use of equipment and me hovering nearby trying not to spoil the fun whilst keeping a close eye on things! If you are scared of injury from a trampoline just don't get one.

nappyaddict - it was on grass. it was one of those swing sets with two swings and a see-saw. i just fell off the swing - landed awkwardly on my wrist and broke it. no one believed i was seriously hurt despite my tears until the next morning when it had doubled in size. wasn't a bad break though.

i also fell off my bike a few times - stitches, broken fingers.

DD (age 5) has gone head first over the top of her scooter and landed on her face.

we haven't even had a near-miss on the trampoline [touch wood]. BUT once they get bigger and start going crazy on it, or not following the rules it will go. but at 8ft, as they get bigger it isn't big enough to bounce more than one at a time. as toddlers it has been truly fantastic. at age 6 and 4 now it is still great and doesn't cause me any stress. yet.

I think tramoplines and bouncy castles are different to other activities,on a bike you are master of your own destiny. You teach your child how to keep safe and on the whole they do.

When a child is penned into a trampoline or bouncy castle you just have to hope others will use it properly and not land on you-obviously kids are kids and not all have been trained to use either properly.For this very reason I'm happy with mine riding bikes,climbing trees,climbing frames etc etc. They have the space and ability to judge situations without fear of another child landing on them.

No way do I want to be constantly supervising my 3,I make sure our garden or wherever we are is relatively safe then leave them to it so they have the freedom to breath. Before they were swimming I would never have left them unsupervised near water, I would treat trampolines in the same way.

I lived on my bike as child as did dp and my sister. Out of the 3 of us there was only one accident during our entire childhoods and that wasn't that horrendous(just a lot of blood). Having said that I wouldn't let my dc ride their bikes on a busy road.

Just this weekend I let my 3 go on a farm helterskelter with sacks,they had a fab time when it was uncrowded. The minute a gang of teenagers appeared not waiting for the little ones to get off properly my 3 were off instantly. As a parent I assessed the situation and it was no longer safe due to my dc having to rely on others being sensible which they weren't.

I'm the same with bouncy castles and hideous soft play, they're great but the minute things get too crowded with too many older bigger children they're off instantly. Too many kids penned into a bouncy small area is an accident waiting to happen and they do happen. To pretend accidents don't happen and hope they just get a regular break and not one that involves months of ops is just plain irresponsible.

I thought Catpers post hit the nail on the head they're great if you're prepared to stick to strict safety rules and supervise them-I'm not so that is why we don't have one. That does not make me a mollycoddling parent.

Part of being a parent is ensuring their safety that doesn't mean you smother them but that you judge things give them freedom when you can but also ensure you monitor situations and act appropriately.

It is up to each parent to decide what activities their DC should do. The parent is the adult and must weigh up the risks against enjoyment and educate about safe usage, then ultimately make the decision. I think that children should not be wrapped in cotton wool, generally children are going to get injured playing, it is all part of growing up. Now in saying all of that, I do NOT think that the trampoline that I saw on the balcony of an eighth floor apartment block was a particularly safe place to have one...

This thread caught my attention as I am a qualified trampoline coach who has coached performers from beginner level to national level. Many of the children I coach have trampolines in their gardens and to date there have been very few injuries because they know what they are doing and most importantly they know their limits. Before getting a trampoline I would recommend having a few lessons. Many leisure centres have trampoline course and taster sessions and they often start from pre-school age. Just a few lessons can give children the necessary awareness they need to bounce safely. British Gymnastics (the governing body for trampoline gymnastics) has a safety notice on garden trampolines [[http://www.british-gymnastics.org/site/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=905&Itemid=469 here] which gives useful information about where the trampoline should be sited and how to make trampolining safer. Trampolining is a great sport and by ensuring that a few simple rules are complied with you can help your children to enjoy the sport safely. Happy bouncing!

Oops, the British Gymnastics link is here

I had the same dilemma last year when dd kept asking if she could have one after playing on one at a party. In the end she wore me down - she is good at that! we went for a tp star trampoline from john lewis. Its great and even me and dh have had a go on it when she isn't looking!!!

Kids should be able to take risks and live dangerously.

Life is full of risk, I'm not going to wrap my DS up in cotton wool or stop him rock climbing or cycling no-handed or messing about on a half pipe with a skateboard. A trampoline with a net sounds pretty low risk in comparison.

I fully agree with you. This is why our kids are staying in more playing on Ds and Wii consoles. LET THEM PLAY AND TAKE RISKS! I was 15 and fell off a horse countless times doing daft things like jumping, racing each other and rounding up the cows because it was a darn sight easier than running after them! I dislocated my shoulder once too but I always got back on when I was better.

I agree that kids need to take risks. I also think there's no point in taking stupid risks/risks with potentially catastophic outcomes.

I don't personally think having a trampoline in the garden is an essential part of childhood in the way swimming/cycling/climbing trees etc are, and so I think the risk outweighs the positives.

I would never let the kids on a bike without a helmet - again they don't benefit by NOT wearing the helmet, but it could save their lives.

Mum2Luke who says not having a trampoline is not letting them play and take risks ?

We don't even have a Wii,my boys(6) were out all day on their bikes yesterday pm,funnily enough in the morning they were indeed rock climbing with me in our local woods.I have nothing against rock climbing or skate boarding.

Re horse riding. My father is an investments advisor,he is constantly investing payouts for people seriously injured whilst horse riding so unsupervised horse riding wouldn't be high on my list of things for my kids to do either.

Supervised horse riding lessons with the appropriate rules and equipment yes but galloping round a field helmetless and unsupervised-no thanks. I won't be allowing my boys motor bikes either when they're living under my roof.

Trampolines and bouncy castles(and I include these as the same risks are involved)are modern day toys which are hellish expensive and not actually needed in order for kids to have fun and take risks. The risk taking with these toys are not the same as those involved with other activities.

I have no problem with them having a go on trampolines at farms etc or at a club when it's strictly 1 child at a time but having one in my garden largely unsupervised when all 3 of my kids and indeed the neighbourhood kids would very likely be piling on together constantly whilst my back is turned-no thanks! That does not mean I don't allow my kids to take risks.

To the person who asked about medical journals and stress incontinence on trampolines. Admittedly I can't locate the original newspaper article with comments from relevant consultant. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18224267 talks about trampolining and incontinence, though admittedly it's organised trampolining (but including what they call the 'recreational' kind). I'd guess the medic in the article I read was probably extrapolating from that kind of finding - possibly wrongly, but I'm not a urology consultant, so who am I to judge?!

In our case our garden is only about 12 foot by 12 foot, and my daughter is only 2, so luckily for us the question is entirely academic, for now at least

The big problem with listening to the views of A&E docs etc is that they only see the kids who have been injured.

One of our friends is a OB/GYN Doc and he was quite insistent that his wife have Csections when pg. He told her no end of horror stories about the damage vaginal birth does and the health risks. But then these are the women he sees every day IYSWIM. He never gets exposed to the tens of thousands of women who have straightforward Vbirths.

We got a trampoline, with safety net about 3 yrs ago and it has been fantastic. All 3 kids and friends spend a lot of time on it when the weather is dry which is great exercise. We had one accident - the 'door' section of the net had broken and I hadn't got round to fixing it and my son flew through the gap and landed on his head and in hospital with concussion for the night. That was our only accident in all the years of use. My advice is, get the trampoline, with a net, and make sure the kids close the door when they get in!

We got a trampoline via a lazy teenager and I would far rather risk the outcome of a misjudged bounce than bring up a couch potato. If I can provide and encourage ten minutes of exercise in between pouring rain and howling winds, I will. And besides, it's fun. Remember fun?

Oh my life! Seriously guys - lighten up! My parents bought a 12ft trampoline WITHOUT a net for my younger sisters about 10 years ago (long before they became regular features in every 2nd garden) and we've never had a serious accident on it. (i.e. nothing more than a split lip or bumped head) We've had my 2 younger sisters, my 2 nieces, 3 nephews and my own 2 kids on it regularly, as well as half the neighbours! They don't always adhere to the 1 at a time rule, but they all have a modicum of sense in how to stay safe. We've even had the kids on as young as 1 lying down while an adult gently jumps to bounce them - they love it!

When I was younger I split my chin open in the swimming pool and my head open while on the climbing frame at school. I broke my wrist during a school PE lesson and broke my foot by tripping over a stone in the garden - so what!

Of course I look after my children - just today we were out for a walk and they weren't allowed to run when going downhill as there is so much grit left on the (now dry) path that it's become extremely easy to slip and fall face first. Having said that they then went to the grassy hill nearby and ran/jumped and skipped up and down it resulting in a fall by my 2 year old daughter and a cut lip. She's was fine after a minute or two and has forgotten all about it already. Accidents happen and kids need to toughen up - as do parents!!!

We don't have a trampoline OR a Wii. And the kids get loads of exercise - they had a long cycle ride on Monday (9 miles for dd, 18 for ds1), are utterly active, and have loads of fun.

My kids must be wierd, they've never injured themselves and never go on together, it's always one at a time.
Give them the rules and ensure they stick to them. It's a great way to get my DS out of the house.

You see I wouldn't stop my child running down a hill for fear of slipping over to quote yourself KRH "kids need to toughen up" and the worst that could happen when slipping over on a road would be a grazed knee. Also when running down a hill kids are in charge of their own speed and judgement which are good skills to practice.

On a trampoline you are relying on other kids not landing on you and breaking your neck.

Bloostocking if all the excercise your ds is getting is 10 minutes bouncing on a trampoline I'd be seriously concerned. My dc 6,6 and 5 did a 2 mile walk yesterday followed by an afternoon of continual bike riding outside our house. The best bit being I was free to Mumsnet as I didn't need to constantly watch that they were using an overpriced not exactly essential ugly piece of garden furniture correctly.

I don't need a trampoline to keep my kids fit,teach them risk taking or give them fun I just throw them out the door or onto the beach,woods or moor and leave them to do it for themselves. They don't actually need anything else.

ha ha ha! MilaMae you make me laugh! No-one said a trampoline was essential - what we're saying is that having an OTT anxiety about the safety of them is uncalled for. No kid NEEDS a trampoline, but then no kid NEEDS a bike, a space-hopper, a paddling pool, a swing set or any of the other million and one things we buy to please our children and enrichen their life's experience. (As for kids being in control of their own speed when running down a hill - clearly you've never watched a 2 year old running down a steep path covered in dry grit before - if you had you'd know that they can very quickly lose control and the consequences when so close to a road could be far worse than a grazed knee!)

Oh, and btw - I'm not sure the "best bit" about kids getting exercise is that the parent is free to ignore them and chat online!

trampolining is mild comparing top half the stuff we used to do. Riding down a hill backwards anyone? I cringe when I think of the mad stuff we used to do but hey it was fun.