Safe trampolines
These guidelines can help you choose a safe trampoline and set it up so that your child can use it safely:
- Always use safety padding to cover the frame and springs. Even better, look for a trampoline with a safety net installed around the sides.
- Check regularly that the mat and net don’t have holes, springs are intact and securely attached, frame isn’t bent, and leg braces are locked.
- Create a safe, clear area of at least 2.5 m around the trampoline with a soft surface, like grass, just in case your child does fall. Or you could set the trampoline in a pit in the ground. Make sure the area around and underneath the trampoline is free from hazards like fences or garden furniture.
- Make sure there’s plenty of clear space above the trampoline, so there’s no risk of your child jumping up into trees, clothes lines or wires.
Safe trampoline use
Safe trampoline use starts with some simple precautions:
- Wait until your child is older than six years before getting a trampoline.
- Make sure that only one child uses the trampoline at a time.
- Always supervise your child on the trampoline. Younger children are more prone to serious injury.
- Keep toddlers away while the trampoline is in use.
- Let your child use the trampoline only when the mat is dry.
Rules for having fun and staying safe in the trampoline
These simple rules can help your child learn to have fun on the trampoline and stay safe at the same time:
- Jump in the centre of the mat.
- Jump with bare feet (no shoes).
- Avoid somersaults, because these can cause neck and spinal injuries.
- Don’t bounce off the trampoline net.
- Climb or carefully step off the trampoline. Don’t jump off.