I am looking into purchasing a trampoline for my bouncy three year old who is the size of a five year old, and I was wondering if anyone knows of a safe, quality trampoline that would be appropriate for this age range (and that would also possibly be not incredibly expensive
I would look at online sites like craigs list etc and see what is out there. You just want to make sure the fabric has no tears in it and I would look for one that has the guard or wall around it (don't know what it's called) so that the kiddies don't fall of it. I will say we had a large trampoline in our backyard and while it was a great source of fun for everyone it was also the source of lots of crying and boo boo's. Not injuries but you know what I mean.
I never got my kids a trampoline because of the risks of serious injuries. I know they do make them safer now compared to the ones available back then. I would not buy a used one unless you know for certain that it is safe. I would probably prefer to get one of those inflatable bouncy things instead.
Trampolines can be dangerous, but if you are a responsible parent who monitors their activity, they shouldn't get injured. A trampoline may take some time setting up, but after it is, they are a blast for kids! They are very safe (if you follow all directions in the manual), and can really bring a smile to a child's face. Any new trampoline from, say, Walmart or Sam's Club will get the job done. Good luck!
Why exactly are you wanting a trampoline for a child that young? I'm really not sure any of them are going to be safer than any others. Just make sure you get one with a net/rail around the outside, too, and set very strict rules on some of the stuff allowed.
I would suggest waiting until your child gets a little older. Having worked in healthcare I saw way too many kids come in with injuries because of them. And some very serious. And, I, myself, broke my nose on one when I was younger and was jumping on it with a child I was babysitting for. No matter how safe they make them, the uncertainty of where children bounce is just very dangerous. I would recommend looking at your local YMCA. My three year old son is enrolled in a tumbling class to get the "bouncies" out and it is much more controlled and safe! Good luck though.
Check out AirZone and Pure Fun trampolines at Amazon. While I agree that trampolines are often dangerous, they can also provide hours of fun. So make sure you don't leave your kid unattended while he is jumping on a trampoline.
You will also need to check with your home owners insurance. Adding a trampoline will either make your monthly payments go up or invalidate it all together, pools will also.
I'd think long and hard before really getting the trampoline. Unless you are prepared to be with them at all times, it's just not worth it to me. As others have said, it can be really dangerous and are you going to allow other children to come over and play on the trampoline? Really do more research on trampolines in general than whether it is used or not.
If your child is really that active, make him a set of climbing ropes. Yes, you can get hurting from climbing ropes but the chances are, relatively speaking, very much less than that of getting hurt on a trampoline. Plus a set of climbing ropes should cost a lot less.
Getting a good trampoline (rebounder) is one of the best things you could do for your child. The exercise they would get would put them miles ahead of their contemporaries. Just jumping on a trampoline has all kinds of health benefits and I am sure that you are a fun and responsible parent so there is nothing to be concerned about. I wish there were more parents like you. There would definitely be more healthy children around. Look at a sports warehouse, as they stock very good quality ones at good prices. For the utmost fun, safety and fitness...would be jumping on the trampoline WITH your child. All the best.
I would look for one which you can put the netting up on the sides. Then you can know your children will not bounce right on out of the trampoline. However, even then you should get one which will be lower to the ground to avoid harm coming to your kids.
Oh good point! I actually broke my arm on a trampoline. No, I didn't fall off it. I landed on the trampoline itself and crushed the bones right above my wrist (I was so lucky it didn't break my wrist itself!). We ran into issues getting insurance to cover it at the time (it was on someone else's property, to boot), but finally did. Better safe than sorry by checking before you ever buy one, though.
I am going to have to ask why exactly you want a trampoline. If it's just a matter of letting your kid jump around then you can look into the YMCA or similar places for that. If its wanting your child to be active then a playground or just letting them use some simple cheap toys like jumpropes and hulu hoops work. I know that trampolines can be fun, but your child is only three even if he looks bigger and the risks of him seriously hurting himself at this age rather outweigh the benefits. I mean I'm sure you'll be keeping watch, but all it takes is a split second and then everyone's rushing to the car.
I was never allowed to have a trampoline when I was a kid. I suppose the safest trampolines are those with sides on them to prevent kids from falling off. However, I think trampolines are not designed for small children. I personally wouldn't let my kids play on a trampoline until they're at least six or seven.
Well I NEVER leave him unattended, I was also planning on getting a SMALL one, brand new with the net and safety ring obviously. The smaller ones are more appropriate for small kids, they cant get very far and this means that they are less likely to get hurt, and I have also been looking at ones that are closer to the ground as well, so he won't have as much trouble getting on and off of it. I was just wondering if any brands are of a better quality in anyone's opinion. He has a lot of energy, and I grew up playing on trampolines and NEVER got hurt. I think coordination has a lot to do with trampoline safety, and my son happens to be extremely coordinated. Bounce houses are actually extremely unsafe, I wrote an article on them for eHow a year ago and they have caused way too many fatalities for me to even consider one, and no other kids will be on the trampoline because I know that this practice often causes serious injuries, children are far more likely to get hurt on trampolines when there are other children on the trampoline. I rent my home so I don't have to worry about the insurance issues. There isn't a YMCA (or anything else really) for three hours, I live in a very remote area and I can't afford a three hour trek one way every day. While my son enjoys climbing, he is too brave for my liking when it comes to climbing, he has too much temptation to do something crazy. There is an ER if he gets hurt though (for everyone that seems to think that I would be uncaring enough to leave him unattended, which would NEVER happen...I work at home so that I can be with him every minute that he is awake and so I can pay attention to him, while this may seem really demanding for most people I love spending time with my son so I enjoy it, but I know that not many other parents out there are as attentive as I am. Don't judge people you haven't met.) He loves to bounce specifically, and has actually run more of a risk of getting hurt trying to jump on other things that are more inappropriate than a trampoline, I have had to intervene and have caught him midair before he was able to complete the bounce. This is why there are some trampolines that are designed for younger children, some even have games that help them identify animal sounds and numbers. He has playground equipment but specifically wants to bounce, so I think I will just try to read as many reviews as possible and find the safest and best quality trampoline available that meets my requirements.
Well, no one is going to be able to change your mind because you've already made it up. However, there is no parent walking the face of the Earth that hasn't left their child unattended. Sorry, not buying that one. Plenty of children sneak off and do things that they aren't supposed to. Pools and trampolines are just backyard items that have led to many accidents for the children of parents than NEVER leave their kids unattended.
Well you don't have to buy it, I don't need to prove my ability to care for my child to complete strangers on a forum that I was posting on to find the best product. It is true. Whether you think it is possible or not is trivial. He is three years old, why on earth would I leave him unattended, or furthermore be so inattentive that I would completely fail to notice him sneaking outside? I only have two doors and he is always on the same floor of the house as me, so I can always see the door he would be trying to go out. As annoying as it may be, I follow him when he goes upstairs to make sure he doesn't trip on the stairs or get into anything he shouldn't. Not to mention the fact that he has a habit of not closing doors completely behind him and I don't need my indoor cats getting out to get covered in fleas. He IS never left unattended. In my opinion you are a really poor excuse for a parent if you would let a three year old outside by themselves. I don't want him to trip and fall, to get bit by a spider, to eat something he shouldn't, or to get kidnapped. This is why he is going to be home schooled and why I am never more than six feet away from him. I was a live in nanny for five years before I had him, so I am accustomed to spending ALL of my time watching a child. I have seen terrible things happen to the children I cared for after I left my positions because their parents were incapable of paying attention to what their children were doing (smacking their heads on tables, eating paint etc.) At that age, to avoid getting hurt, he needs to be watched. It is my duty as a parent (gosh even as someone who loves him) to be there and to be paying attention to him to make sure he doesn't get hurt. I don't see why this is such a tough concept for people to understand. I spend all of the time that he is awake with him, our bedrooms are even connected. If he is going to have a trampoline I will be there to spot him. I spot him on the ladder to his slide too, I don't just allow my child to run around in the yard by himself as incredible as this may sound to some people. It is called attachment parenting, look it up.
I didn't say that you didn't want to watch your child, I just said that it's impossible to always be there. I hope you don't really think you are that special one that can do it. Your child will have mishaps while in your presence as all children do. Do you really think all of the people that have to take their kids to the ER weren't there or were too busy to watch them? Some of those kids got hurt while playing with the parent. Yes, you came on the board to ask advice about purchasing a product that has been known to be very dangerous for children long before you had one and long after you stop making them. You asked for opinions and you got them.
Can we all just calm down? I'm sorry you feel put upon OP, but no one is saying you are a bad mother. We just want to share our concerns regarding possible injury and the like. We're just trying to help. Sugarhill - really? No one is perfect, but there is no need to rub their face in that fact. She might turn her attention away at just the wrong moment, but if she feels like she can handle the issue you don't have to push it. ...Maybe the OP should have just checked google or looked for a couple of review sites.
