Basic 12ft Trampoline Safety Everyone Should Follow

Regardless of your age, bouncing on a 12ft trampoline always seems to bring the inner child out in you. It can be exhilarating and fun, until you hurt yourself. While bouncing on a trampoline is not a serious matter, 12ft trampoline safety is. As an adult it is your job to educate your children on how to use the trampoline in a manner that will keep them safe. Below are a few tips that will help you address safety concerns when setting up and using a 12ft trampoline so you can continue on enjoying the trampoline knowing you are safe.

Location, Location, Location

Where is your trampoline located? It needs to be placed out in an open area. This includes the vertical space above. If you have many shade trees that can crowd the top overhead, then it may not be a good location for your 12ft trampoline. Steer clear of any poles, fences, or loose hanging cables as well. If you can, put your trampoline on something that has a more absorbent and forgiving surface like grass turf. You can even dig a hole directly underneath just so you have enough height clearance for safe jumping yet you can keep your trampoline at ground level so falling off is not as dangerous.

Establish Rules for Children

Even though you may have hated when you were a child, trampoline rules here are for safety. As a responsible adult who knows better, sit down with your children and their friends before they use the trampoline and establish some basic safety rules first. Children may not understand their physical limitations and have wild imaginations and desires. Make sure that they know what the consequences are for unsafe behavior as this should be the reason why the listen, not any fear of discipline from you.

Even after you’ve explained the safety rules, it is your job to keep an eye out at all times so you can stop any unsafe behavior or handle any emergency situations. Children using trampoline always need adult supervision. If your children are less than six years old then you shouldn’t even allow them on. Collisions with each other are common, especially with circular trampolines that bounce you inwards, so keep a limit to the number of children on based on your trampoline’s size. For a 12ft trampoline, four children at a time is the maximum occupancy. To be very safe, only allow on child one at one time. Collisions are so common in fact that it makes up for over half of all trampoline injuries that occur. Don’t be one of them.

Safety Tips

Never jump off a trampoline. Even as an adult, do not let your children see your unsafe behavior because they will certainly think it acceptable and try to mimic it. Always climb down in a safe way. As mentioned previously, always have someone keep an eye standing by at all times. If you wear watches or glasses or any other jewelry, then you should remove them as you can scratch each other and the trampoline. Learn the basic skill for stopping by bending your knees as you land from a bounce. Know what your limitations are and don’t bounce higher than you are comfortable with. It takes years of training to bounce at the heights of Olympians seen on television. If the weather is rainy or windy then it establishes unsafe conditions for bouncing. Just like driving, never use the trampoline or any physical activity for that matter if under the influence of alcohol or drugs (this one’s for you, not your kids).

Accessories for Safety

Accessories for safety have been designed for 12ft trampolines. The most important accessory to get is a 12ft trampoline enclosure. This net is also known as a trampoline safety net or safety enclosure and builds a strong wall of netting around the circumference of the trampoline. This prevents you from falling off the trampoline. The frame tubes are made of zinc and the nets of polythene which is very strong and durable. Since children are known to fall through springs near the edges, it is important to buy safety pads to plug up this area. There are also trampoline enclosures that should be set up within the circumference of the trampoline frame to prevent exactly that. Consider getting bright color safety pads as it is easy to get disoriented while jumping and have a bright visual marker of the boundary will help immensely.

You can continue to have fun while using your 12ft trampoline, just make sure you follow these basic safety rules. Establish some rules with your children, exercise common sense, and buy yourself some safety accessories so a trampoline injury is the last thing you will have to worry about.