Let’s talk trampolines, friends. If you have a backyard trampoline, you’ve got a zillion ways to keep the fun going in your backyard! Today, I’m sharing fun trampoline games and other trampoline fun ideas to keep your kids busy and OUTSIDE on nice days!
I’ll also cover some trampoline basics if you are new to trampolines.
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If you are reading this post, it is likely for one of three reasons. You already have a trampoline and your kids are kind of over it. They’ve jumped to their hearts content over the years and now you are looking for ways to liven up the trampoline fun once more with some fun trampoline games and accessories.
Or maybe your kids still love their trampoline as much as ever but you want to ensure their enthusiasm doesn’t die this summer. I mean we want to keep them outside as much as possible, right?
The third reason might be that you are still in the process of purchasing a trampoline and you are just considering ideas.
Let’s discuss trampoline basics before we get to the fun. If you already have a trampoline, just skip the next section and continue on.
What Sizes of Trampoline Should I Consider?
If you are in the last boat, you should put in true consideration as to sizes of trampoline to get. Trampoline sizes vary as do trampoline shapes.
Three Things to Consider When Evaluating Trampoline Sizes
- How many children you anticipate jumping should definitely be considered for trampoline sizes. If you have an only child who often plays alone, you may be able to purchase a smaller trampoline. However, if you often have the friends of your multiple children over, you will need to consider a larger size trampoline.
- The size of yards determines the sizes of trampolines. This is pretty obvious. The smaller the yard space, the best trampoline size will be small. Likewise for a large yard, the larger you can go with trampoline size.
- You will also want to consider the different sizes of trampolines in relation to your children’s ages. Are they younger children who will grow into this trampoline?
Only you can make these decisions, but you need to think of whether you would rather pay more money for a larger size now or go smaller now and potentially upgrade later.
In general, an 8 foot trampoline could be considered a smaller size. A medium one would be a 12 foot trampoline. Larger sizes tend to be 14-17 feet. Olympic size trampolines or gymnastics trampolines are usually in the 17 foot range.
We were blessed to have been gifted a 17×10 oval trampoline by our neighbors. It is older but is in good shape. It was their daughter’s gymnastics trampoline. But their teenagers lost interest in using it, and we were desperately trying to find a trampoline during the pandemic (when trampolines where out of stock all around the country). Our 17 ft trampoline can easily accommodate 5 active jumpers (10 and under) at once though my mama nerves still kick in sometimes when all those feet and arms are flying!
For a more detailed trampoline sizes guide and more general information on trampolines, check out Get Trampoline.
How to Take Care of a Trampoline
You will want to take care of your trampoline so your family can enjoy it for many years!
Replacing the Safety Pad Over the Spring Covers
To give our older trampoline life for as long as possible, we have updated some things on it including adding a replacement trampoline safety pad that covers the springs. What’s funny is we didn’t realize our oval trampoline was oval at all. It looks round from a normal side angle so we had a bit of trouble finding the right size and shape of replacement safety pad. We bought and returned a round safety pad before finding one that fit. Our new replacement pad arrived in a deep purple which we were not expecting. But my girls love purple, so it works!
Using Trampoline Socks
One downfall of having an older trampoline is the children’s feet often come away black all over the bottoms. I have read that this has something to do with carbon release from the older bounce mat. At some point, we may replace the mat. For now, I have the kids wear trampoline socks when they are on the trampoline. This keeps us from having to wash feet every time they come in and out of the house. I just keep a basket of clean trampoline socks near the back door. They grab a pair in a certain color on the way out to the trampoline. When they have finished playing for the day, the dirty socks go in the laundry. Most people probably do not have to deal with trampoline socks.
Using a Weather Cover
To protect our trampoline from the sun, we try to keep it in the more shaded areas of the yard. Obviously, we prefer the kids be in shade for jumping rather than full sun anyway. I’m not gonna lie. During Snowmageddon 2021, I really thought the trampoline was a goner. The weight of the snow and ice had the jump mat down near the ground. But it bounced right back (hehehee) after the snow melted.
You can buy weather covers for trampolines to add extra seasonal protection. You will want to make sure you buy the correct size for your trampoline.
Stakes for Trampoline
You can buy stakes for trampolines to secure it to the ground if you need to make sure it is extra secure ahead of a storm, etc. If you live in a windy area, this might just be a given. We do not keep ours staked as the Hubs likes to be able to easily move it for mowing.
Helpful Trampoline Accessories
Our trampoline didn’t come with a ladder. For the longest time, our girls just used a stool to climb up and down. Finally, we ordered this trampoline ladder which comes with a handy mesh organizer for storing shoes, trampoline socks, water bottles, whatever.
Now for the fun stuff…
Trampoline Sprinkler Fun
I would be remiss to discuss trampoline fun without starting off with trampoline sprinkler fun! If your kids have been ignoring your backyard trampoline, a trampoline water sprinkler might be just what you need to bring it to life this summer!
Who doesn’t love a good trampoline on water? You can almost recreate this affect by adding your own trampoline water accessories. We have this heavy duty trampoline sprinkler hose, and the kids absolutely love it!
If you have a good lawn sprinkler, you can likely set up something with that, as well.
More Fun Trampoline Games with Water
Another water activity my kids enjoy is “balloon fights” with these Thrill Zoo reusable water balls. The concept is the same as water balloons, but you don’t have to worry about waste or about refilling. It is a bonus for us busy parents that want our kids to be able to take care of their own play needs. I can just put out a bucket or barrel of water. When they need to refill the balls, the kids can just dump the balls in the water and the balls fill up in minutes!
Also, there is a mesh bag to hang on the trampoline. When the kids are finished playing, they pack the balls into the mesh bag to dry. Sometimes, the balls do get grass or dirt on them so we just hose them off or just let the dirt come off the next time the balls soak in a bucket of water.
When you receive the order, you can send a text to receive an automatic video with ideas for 5-6 fun trampoline games using the balls.
We have the Thrill Zoo water balls I linked above, but here is another brand of trampoline water balls for a little less.
Trampoline Ball for Trampoline Games
You have to be careful when allowing trampoline ball. Obviously, you wouldn’t want any overly physical contact sports on the trampoline. The jumping itself can sometimes bring a little too much contact. I suggest soft foam balls when possible and activities that will not lead to too many fly away balls as that gets annoying.
My girls enjoy a good game of trampoline paddle ball.
Nothing could help liven up a night game of trampoline ball more than a fun glow in the dark volleyball or glow in the dark beach ball! And since my oldest has now attended volleyball camp and thinks she is some sort of pro, it only makes sense to consider getting this trampoline volleyball net (which can also be used on the ground for regular volleyball)! It would be cool with one of these glow in the dark volleyballs for exciting glow in the dark volleyball trampoline games.
Some of the trampolines I linked above come with their own basketball hoops. If yours doesn’t have one, you can easily add a basketball hoop for the trampoline for some fun trampoline games.
Trampoline Lights and Music for Extra Trampoline Fun
Create an ultra cool bounce party for your kiddos and their friends with a trampoline lights and music machine combo, which is the model we have. The light works kind of like a strobe light of bright multicolors. The music connects through Bluetooth. The kids go wild for the festivity brought by this trampoline with lights and music! One con is that the lights plug into electricity so we have to use an extension cord. And they are not waterproof so they must be taken down after each use. These trampoline lights are more for special occasions for my family – like a backyard barbecue, a sleepover, etc. But they sure are fun!
Now, if you are interested in a more chill vibe with trampoline lights, you might choose to look into these trampoline LED light strips. Although they still bring a fun vibe, they do not have the music component and will definitely bring a special ambiance to the trampoline zone. Since they are waterproof and operated by batteries, they are not quite as high maintenance as the ones I linked in the above paragraph.
Additionally, you can use basic string lights or fairy lights to surround the trampoline frame at the top. Or you could use LED light strips and surround the frame at the bottom to give a ground-up lighting effect.
This lights and music combination is fun for setting up a bounce party – especially when combined with some fun trampoline games!
Trampoline Tent for Trampoline Sleepovers
What kid doesn’t like a sleepover? Or a fort or tent? Challenge your kids to make a trampoline tent or fort using old sheets and lightweight blankets. The larger the trampoline, the more tricky it is to make a trampoline tent. Make sure they layer fabric on fabric and cover the top of the trampoline fairly well to keep the critters out. You could also provide clips for the kids to clip pieces together for an extra hold. Then, let them load up the trampoline with sleeping bags, blankets, and pillows!
Granted, you can purchase tents for trampolines. Some are really cute and look like a little house and others look like a true camping tent. However, what I have observed through tons of searching and reviewing is that many of the models are designed particularly for one brand and are not guaranteed to work on the others. Also, sizing is extremely important. You have to have the right trampoline size with the right structural design.
We like to make our trampoline sleepover a low-tech affair (except for Mommy’s mandatory pictures of course). Well, I guess the old-school binoculars for stargazing are still considered tech? Trampoline sleepovers offer the perfect set up for star gazing (just carefully unfold the sheets from the top so you can have a clear view or just add the roof sheets at the end of the night).
It is also fun to drape tarps or old sheets around the bottom part of a trampoline for an on-the-ground trampoline tent or fort for daytime play.
Well, there you have it, friends. Keep those kiddos busy with trampoline games, trampoline ball, trampoline sprinklers, and all the rest! There are plenty of ideas to help sustain your kids’ interest in the family trampoline.
Of course, this post is also meant to serve as a trampoline gift guide, too. What birthday boy or girl wouldn’t love some new fun trampoline games or trampoline accessories? Be sure to check out another one of our popular gift guides – Best Gifts for RV Owners.
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