Who loves bouncy springy trampolines more than a toddler? Well, it’s hard to say because kids of all ages love them, but older kids are much better equipped to jump on them safely. We have discussed in previous blogs how trampoline jumping is a great developmental activity for kids of all ages, including tots. For toddlers, jumping on a trampoline can help develop their young brains as well as their muscles, coordination, and confidence. When you bring your toddler to your local indoor trampoline park, there are a few extra things to consider to help keep them safe.

At Rebounderz Grand Rapids, we offer Toddler Time jump hours to give toddlers the time they need to bounce around with their adults without the worry of the big kids hopping around. Join us in today’s post as we discuss some other toddler trampoline safety tips.

Always supervise the toddlers.

It is recommended that all children are supervised when using a trampoline. Whether the trampoline being used is a mini-indoor trampoline with a grip bar, a backyard trampoline (with or without safety side nets), or at an indoor trampoline park, supervision is important for kids of any age. However, toddlers should be watched especially close because they have not yet developed total body control, a protective sense of fear, or the logical thought processing to help them mitigate risks. Additionally, their larger heads and soft bones make them prone to injury. Supervising tots will ensure that you can intervene on unsafe acts, offer some teaching moments, and be there to help right away if a fall or injury does happen.

Limit the number of jumpers.

It is always a good idea to limit the number of jumpers on any trampoline. However, when there are tiny tots on board, it is a better idea to limit the number of jumpers even further. Be mindful of the ages and abilities of jumpers on the trampoline as well. If there are a gaggle of toddlers, they can hop around in safer large groups than if there are big kids mixed in, who are capable of jumping higher and landing harder.

Refrain from using backyard trampolines.

Backyard trampolines are among the most unsafe home activity equipment. Every year, more than 100,000 emergency department visits by young children are the direct result of injury from a backyard trampoline. If you do have a trampoline at home, the small, single person trampolines that are only about a foot from the ground. If you do have a backyard trampoline, create steps to children can safely climb onto the trampoline surface and invest in the protective pads to cover the springs and the protective netting that goes around the trampoline. The safest option, for children of any age, is local indoor trampoline parks. At Rebounderz in Jenison, we use the Exoskeleton Jumper trampoline arena that prevents jumpers from being exposed to springs or trampoline joints.

At Rebounderz indoor trampoline park in Grand Rapids, we provide a safe area for our young visitors to safely jump, away from the big kids. We also offer toddler time, where our trampoline park is limited to children six years and younger only. Stop by our Jenison location with your munchkins for a jumping good time!