Trampoline- Is It Worth Spending Lots More $$ for Safety Reasons

We've had ours for about 7 years. No accidents (knock on wood). My boys have used it every week year round for all of those years. They're 10 and almost 17 now (17 in just a few weeks), and they still use it. It was given to us by a former nanny, and it doesn't have a net. It's a very large trampoline. My boys are unusually calm, though. They don't rough house, and we live on a farm, not a neighborhood, so there aren't a bunch of neighborhood kids on it. That has probably cut down on the chance of accidents.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pediatricians-warn-against-tr...

The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly advises against home trampolines. Period. Google "trampoline injuries children" and you'll see why your husband is right. Not only will you have potential for injury and the cost of the trampoline, you will have the cost of your increase in homeowners' insurance.

This is from an insurance web site: "Trampolines have also become what are known as an “attractive nuisance”; attractive to guests entering your property but a “nuisance” should any physical harm come to those using it. According to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), trampolines are responsible for an average of $300 million a year in insurance, legal and medical costs in this country." The article goes on to add that some insurers will simply refuse to cover you for anything that happens on the trampoline, including any injuries that a neighbor kid incurs. Putting in a trampoline and just not telling your insurer could void your homeowner's policy.

If a stranger gets on it in the night and is injured, you will be held liable, fence or no fence, net or no net, in most places. Even if that stranger didn't have permission to be on your property -- in some places that does not matter and the property owner could still be legally liable for injuries.

Not sure why you are so very sold on this except that it seems to provide a lot of high-energy action in the small space of your yard. Please reconsider. Your husband is right on this one. Even if it's the boys' only gift, it will suck up a ton more money than the trampoline itself costs, and you will always have to worry that if someone enters your yard to use it without your knowledge, you will be held liable. Really not worth the expense and worry, especially since the kids will tire of it eventually.

We had 1 for years and when it wore out we got another one. The kids loved it. Never had an injury from a fall and we had them before they came out with the safety netting. My son basically lived on it when he was young. Once they all got older and the second one wore out we decided not to replace it.

i think what you said is exactly right. the risks outweigh the benefits.
i don't think that's what you meant, though.
when we got our homeowners' insurance, the agent didn't bat an eye at the horses or the pool. but when i mentioned we were thinking about a trampoline, his eyebrows shot up and so did his quote.
our pound puppy got named 'trampoline.' the boys are gone, tramp is still here, and we never got the trampoline.
get a tether ball or a badminton net.
khairete
S.

My husband did a ton of research and this is what we settled on: Spring free Trampoline out of San Diego.

they have a wider jumping area and smaller foot print because "springs" are on the bottom, not the sides. I love that part of it. Also, not garish green or cobalt blue in color. It was developed by a physician who's wife would not let them buy a trampoline because of the safety issues. When he researched it for himself he also concluded that they could not purchase a large trampoline due to injury.

Then, realizing that most of the injuries were coming from the springs themselves, he developed a "spring free" method.

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We have had a trampoline since our oldest was a toddler. Our kids love it and play on it all the time. So far no one has gotten hurt. We have pads and an enclosure on ours.

Trampolines are a touchy subject in this site. You get mostly cons.

I grew up with a trampoline with no net ( gasp) and jumped on it daily. I nor my brother or friends ever got hurt. This was WAY before all the hoopla now.

We had a trampoline for our daughter with enclosed net. We had rules. No
one in 5+ yrs ever got hurt. We used common sense.

Our trampoline was in our backyard and unseen by the street or neighbors in both cases. I agree that it is s visual eyesore for small lots with no privacy.

Could someone get hurt? Of course... Just like they could get hurt on the swing set, riding a bike, scooter, or walking to the park.

Yes check with your HOA and insurance. Yes, your husband has a right to concerns because yes, if someone gets hurt you are liable.

I've never seen a $1000 trampoline but we bought ours years ago with thd net for less than $400 at Academy.

I as well as my daughter enjoyed our childhood trampolines.

I have a friend who is a nurse in the peds ICU. She says there are three things her kids will never have based on what she has seen in the ICU. #1- a trampoline, #2-a backyard pool, #3-a motorized vehicle for kids.

After watching my little brother fly off a trampoline and hit the side of a garage, we will never have a trampoline. The family who owned the trampoline had rules and we were following them when it happened. It was the slightest misjump from the other kid that sent my brother flying. I haven't been on a trampoline since.

My mom had to rescue a neighbor kid when he ended up caught in the springs, hanging upside down. She just happened to go out in the yard and heard him yell for help.

The only time my kids are on a trampoline is at the gym where they do gymnastics. There is 100% supervision and they are taught the appropriate way to jump and avoid injury. Trampolines scare me.

I don't have any experience with a $1000 dollar trampoline. I wouldn't spend that much. Ours was under $300 with enclosure. I was in the not safe-no thank you camp. But it was a gift. I was really nervous the first two months, but I've loosened up since then. The kids follow the rules and really have a blast. Our neighbor got in there and showed them some games she used to play on hers when she was a kid. I'm sure you could google some games and have good family time in there.
I'd say it's a much better investment then electronics for them to stare at!!

We got our first one from BJ's for under $500...it was 15ft in diameter and had a safety net. When that one bit the dust we got another one from BJ's again. It's 16x14 and has a safety net. We have never had an issue with them.

We have never had anyone get hurt, everyone abides by the rules, and we have had kids of all ages on them. The novelty has not worn off, it gets used plenty - and we have had one for almost 10 years now.

I don't like toys designed to keep kids at home. I prefer to have a reason to go places. $1000 would pay for lots of time at a trampoline place, where they get to play with other kids and you are not liable for injury. You also wouldn't have an eyesore in your yard that would be a pain in the butt to mow around, and when your kids decide they are tired of the trampoline you aren't stuck trying to get rid of it. Why is it not safe to run around in a small beach community?

We have had one for about 5 years now and the kids love it. We have girls, insurance was not an issue, and it is in the back yard not visible from the front but I can see it from the kitchen. We do limit it to 2 kids max at a time. It is 14' in diameter, no net ( the kids hated it), bought at sports authority. We did replace the edge pad after about 3 years. We also disassemble it in October and put it in the basement. It is a lot more activity than you would think. I like it too! I think it was about $250.

Everything Mel R says. I would NEVER have a trampoline. They can still get paralyzed on an expensive one. And it's only one kid at a time, not two.

You got a lot of good advice, but there are a couple details that I think need restating

Best safety practice for trampolines is ONE child on at a time. Not two. Two kids = two projectiles and increases the risk of injury exponentially.

An adult must also be out there physically supervising the entire time. Make sure you're ready to put in the time commitment if your kids love to be on it all the time.

We have a small one that fits 2 kids, could be 3 but is tight, but small enough they don't even try flips and that's where I think the real danger is. Neck injuries.. Broken arms can happen anywhere. A friend has seen both her daughters break their arms by falling on the kitchen floor... We have a net inside and padding around the outside and we've had it almost 2 years and it still gets a lot of use. One of the best things we ever got. And if I jump on it, I get tired so fast so seems like great exercise. It's light enough too that I can drag it from spot to spot in the backyard so the grass can keep growing. I think it was about $350. Over $1000 must be a really large one and I think that might allow for more injuries bc of flips and just a bigger base enabling bigger bounces, more movement etc. Go with a small one. Cheaper and safe as far as I have seen.

We purchased a really good trampoline with the high safety net.
We made sure our daughter and anyone else using it, ALWAYS followed the rules. I am talking about me having to be out there any time anyone was on it. . Only 1 person at a time. No flips.. etc.

The trampoline was about $250. The net about $125. Of course this was about 15 years ago...

She loved that trampoline. There was only 1 friend not allowed by her parents to play on it and we totally honored it and did not make a big deal out of it.

Be aware your home owners insurance will go up. You will need to have a self locking gate placed on your fence.

I would personally not have one.

The liability for other people's kiddos would keep me away (attractive nuisance). Not to mention that many home owners insurance policies have issues.

I suggest you check with your insurer (or landlord, if that is the case). Then make a decision!

merry merry!

I'm always fascinated when Christmas rolls around and people don't actually seem to have a budget for gifts. Over $500 per kid? That's absolutely crazy. No. Way.

I'd take a step back from your emotionally driven desire to make this purchase and reconsider.

I think that for something to get them running around, you should invest in something other than a trampoline. We have one, DD likes it, it's a "hand me down" from her big sis (we got it when SD was 13), but it comes with rules like "no kids on the trampoline without adult supervision". In all these years, we've never had a problem (our swingset caused the worse accident - you know the flying swing dismount? One of the top causes of childhood dislocated elbows. Yay.) but it's not been a huge draw for any of the kids on a regular basis. I'd spend $1k on something else. Oh, and check your homeowner's policy first.

ETA: Absolutely, Jill K. I don't want to always be out there, but I also don't want 6 and 7 yr olds on the trampoline solo. So it becomes a time sink for me, too, especially when the kids are happy to run around otherwise and I can watch them (off the trampoline) from the window. Also, if it is YOU who is begging for one and not the kids...not worth it.

If your insurance company sees it, they will have u pay more.
Ours was going to drop us unless we got rid of it. We sold ours.
My kids used it for 3 months and that was it !

I wish I had it for me now---I would jump on it all by myself for stress relief !

My friend is an emergency nurse.....kids come in injured all the time----from trampoline falls----They either fall off the sides or they collide and their heads get bonked!

We got the kids 4&6 a trampoline a few months ago. We spent a couple hundred $$. If you are concerned about safety, make the rule one at a time. Having lots of tramp experience, as a gymnast, one of the biggest problems is double-bounce, which, when anyone else is on the tramp, makes the other person go twice as high, unexpectedly. Confidence on the trampoline comes with time, but being in control of where you are in the air (Air Awareness) and on the tramp is crucial in preventing injuries.

Your Insurance company will drop you. Someone gets hurt, people sue unlike years ago..I would not do it.

Well, IME, the novelty wears off.
Bikes, helmets, scooters, or those cool bikes that drift as you turn the wheel back & forth, skateboards, tether ball.... All better for the long haul.
What about a basketball hoop?

Better check with your homeowner's insurance. SO many kids get hurt on trampolines that some homeowner's insurance companies will not cover them. And if they find out you have one, they cancel your insurance.

You can't prevent kids from coming over and playing on it when you're away, and all of a sudden you've got a kid in the hospital and a lawsuit looming, and no insurance. So before you do ANYTHING, find out if you are covered to have one.

They'll use it for awhile and then the novelty wears off within about 2 months.
Our neighbors had one for awhile and it ended up being great shade for the dog.
You'll have to mow around it, and if you get high winds you'll have to make sure it's weighted down and/or staked to the ground.
Trust me - it's a bother and a pain in the neck.
They'll get more use out of a pogo stick or a basket ball hoop.
There's less opportunity for tv and gaming if you limit their watching time and just have it/them off.
They'll find other things to do if tv/gaming are not available options all the time.
Oh - and 2 at a time on a trampoline isn't safe - only one at a time so they don't land on each other and knock each others teeth out.

I think it's a huge risk. You need to provide fending to keep neighborhood kids out of it and carry additional insurance. It's like having a swimming pool. So on top of the $1000 price tag, you will extra up-front costs as well as monthly insurance for liability. Talk to your insurance agent.

You will have to keep track of your chldren's friends and whether they are allowed to use it. I get that you want them to play in the yard rather than you having to take them places all the time, and of course we want our kids to be able to be outside. But I think you will have to be much more vigilant than you think.

Invest in safety equipment for the kids if you go forward with this.

I think the novelty wears off quickly (as it does with a puppy!!), and it's not nearly as versatile as a couple of bikes and a bike rack to go to new places. If your neighborhood is truly unsafe, then you have probably explored the idea of state parks and nature areas for the kids anyway, and you can probably find some that have paved bike trails. If your neighbor is really unsafe, can you let the kids in the yard without you watching them??

If you are determine to get the trampoline (which you seem to be), then I think you have to get a good one that is not going to add in design flaws to the decision. I think you might find something used that someone could no longer afford, but take someone with you who is experienced and can evaluate its condition and make sure none of the parts are worn and likely to fail.

Here's what happens. No trampoline is safe. The ones with net surrounding them are the most dangerous. They rip out teeth and break bones. Not safe at all.

If the pad moves the trampoline is dangerous. Period. The action of bouncing is the dangerous part.

I hate trampolines. I have one in my yard and it's yet to be put back together. When we moved we simply didn't get around to doing that.

Your house insurance could double. Your medical insurance could deny claims when the kids get hurt. Then you'll have to pay for their injuries yourself.

For what it's worth a home trampoline is the most dangerous item a parent can buy their child. Google the numbers. Kids die from simply bouncing. It's there on the internet.

If you choose to go ahead and get one please understand you will be tied to your backyard every minute your kids are outside. If there is a possibility of them getting on it you must be right there. Why? Because it's fun to double bounce, it's fun to do flips when mom's not looking even though mom said not to do that.

I sat at the trampoline the whole time the kids were outside and we only had 1 broken leg and 1 bad sprain.

We got a 16' last summer (a year and half) and it has the safety net. I think we got it on clearance at the Sears Outlet store and it was about $250. My kids loved it, especially my now 12 yo son who is ADHD and was on it a lot. However, we live in AZ and after a year, the top of the safety net broke from being in the sun, so half the net is down now. Neither my husband or I have climbed up there to see how easy it is to fix. I'm also in insurance, check with your agent because with a net or not, kids can get hurt and your friends/neighbors will not think twice about suing you if their kid got hurt. Good luck.

We have tossed around the trampoline idea for a while now but my hubby does not want our yard to have a dead spot and we get really bad winds sometimes where we live so we have not got one yet.

For me i get more nervous with my kids on their bikes in our neighborhood where cars just do not get that you should only drive 15 miles per hour.

Anyway good luck and many blessings