Children's trampolines: types, models and tips for choosing

Trampolines are suitable for children with different temperaments. Too active will satisfy their irrepressible energy, they will jump for hours, giving adults a rest for a while. Calm children also benefit from trampoline jumping for their physical health. Everyone will benefit from the purchase of the attraction: both children and adults.

The jumping attraction cannot be called completely harmless, injuries happen on it. Let's talk about the benefits and harms of this wonderful invention. Trampolines in a fun, playful way set the child up for a healthy lifestyle, make it possible to get up from the table, break away from the computer and smartphone, and make a choice in favor of active movement. Jumping has a positive effect on children's health:

• strengthen the musculoskeletal system;
• improve coordination of movement;
• develop endurance and agility;
• are a useful cardio load for the cardiovascular system;
• strengthen the respiratory system;
• if the baby is overweight, help fight him;
• After jumping in the fresh air, the "little one" will acquire a long-awaited appetite;
• jumps give a lot of positive emotions.

Children who are just starting to learn the machine may experience nausea and dizziness. In this case, the load should be increased gradually, over time the condition will return to normal. If the symptoms persist after a week of classes, you should consult a doctor, check your health and find out if there are any contraindications.

Damage can be caused by injuries resulting from improper use of the trampoline:

• if the simulator has low protective walls or a broken net, the child may fall out of the attraction and get injured from hitting the ground;
• poorly fixed or overloaded trampolines can roll over;
• careless behavior during jumping leads to a collision of children with each other;
• on mesh simulators, there have been cases when adolescents, during active bouncing with their knees, injured themselves in the jaw area.

There are three main types of trampolines: inflatable, net and mini trampolines. All three types can be designed for children of different ages, be outdoor or used indoors.

Children's inflatable trampolines look very cute and are often complemented by a slide. They are bright, varied, and have a plot-like appearance, for example, a medieval castle, a dragon, an exotic island. Trampolines for the smallest ones are more like inflatable arenas, and for older children - like complex intricate structures. Some types of trampolines are equipped with water, which makes them even more attractive to children. The designs can be with a dry pool (with balls) or swim in a real body of water.

The material used for modern inflatable trampolines contains several layers: polyvinyl chloride, reinforced mesh, fabric elements. Such designs are not only beautiful, but also have a good repulsive effect.To do this, you need to ensure that the trampoline is fully inflated, and does not represent a sluggish playground. As for the slides, if this is not a water attraction, then they stop sliding over time. To activate them, you should use a silicone spray that is sprayed on the stingray. It extends the shelf life of the slide and keeps it slippery.

Let's figure out what are the advantages of inflatable trampolines.

• They are varied and can satisfy every taste. They can be purchased for children of all ages. The variety of shapes and sizes allows you to choose a design both for premises and for the external environment.
• Inflatable trampolines are colorful, story-driven and very much loved by children.
• They have a fairly durable modern material that is easy to repair.
• They help children to be healthy and active, direct the child's energy into a peaceful channel.
• They are easy to install.
• In most cases, inflatable trampolines are safe.
• They are compact and mobile.
• They can be deflated and then stored until next season.

Spring and springless trampolines are fenced with a net for safety. In the Russian markets, more than 90% are spring structures, they are cheaper and less complicated to manufacture. Let's try to understand what the differences are. Both are a jumping board surrounded by a net. They differ in the way the web is tensioned. The springs stretch the trampoline in different directions and are attached to the frame. Springless structures (Springfree) provide tension through flexible fiberglass shock absorbers. This option allows you to make jumps more springy, but less sharp, which helps the body to better control its movements.

Trampolines on shock absorbers are safer, since the tensioning device is hidden under the canvas and is inaccessible to jumpers. As for the springs, they are simply covered with a special compacted material, in case of violation of which the child's leg can fall into the opening between the springs and get injured. The frame on which the shock absorbers are attached is hidden under the canvas, it is impossible to hit it. The frame of the spring trampolines is flush with the jumping surface.

The protective mesh in Springfree models is attached to the inner edge of the structure on flexible supports. The child can direct his jump directly into the net, and it will spring him back to the center of the trampoline. Structures with metal springs have rigid posts on which a mesh is attached from the outside. Getting into it, the child falls against the "wall", moreover, the blow may fall on the support. The advantages of both types of mesh trampolines are as follows.

• They have a wide age range. On a small trampoline with a net, you can send your child as soon as he starts to stand and tries to do squatting movements. Children who do not yet know how to stand are also delighted with the attraction, they like it when their parents swing the canvas under them. Larger structures can be used by teenagers and adults to jump.
• Trampolines with a tension belt and a net are made of durable materials, they are stronger and more reliable than inflatable models.
• The dimensions of the structures allow them to be installed in apartments and outdoors (in dachas and personal plots).
• These trampolines are stable and durable.
• In addition to the usual ones, they perform sports jumps with somersaults and turns.

At home, it is more convenient to use mini trampolines, they are so compact (80-120 cm in diameter) that they are suitable even for small rooms. This is a foldable version of the exercise machine.After use, it can be folded and put away under a bed or on a mezzanine, since the weight of such models does not exceed 10-15 kg. Mini trampolines in their variety are not inferior to large counterparts. They can be used by jumpers in different age categories, from babies to retirees. There are children's options: frame with a protective mesh; frame with a handle-holder; inflatable; in the form of a playpen for the little ones. Adult mini-models are a stretching canvas on a frame, about a meter in diameter, 20 cm high, without a holder and mesh, used for fitness. Features of mini trampolines:

• compactness, do not take up much space;
• easy to fold, carry and store;
• have a protective net or a handle-holder;
• they have a weakly repulsive surface, which may not please older children, but due to safety, it is well suited for babies;
• frame mini-trampolines, despite their small size, can withstand a load of 50 to 70 kg, such a simulator is also suitable for mothers for physical exercises using a step platform.

When choosing trampolines, it is necessary to take into account the child's age, weight, size and purpose of purchase. It can be an attraction for one kid or for a group of children, a trampoline is purchased for entertainment or sports training. In addition, you need to know where the attraction will be located - indoors or outdoors, the size, material and shape of the structure depend on this. In addition, you should choose safe options.

The structure must be stable, strong and well protected. The mesh is checked for elasticity, the material of the product - for strength. The sides of the inflatable trampolines must be high.

If the baby is under the age of two years, a construction in the form of an arena is purchased. If the child is 2 or 3 years old, a trampoline with a handle-holder or a net is needed. Inflatable and spring models are suitable for middle-aged children, and sports models for adolescents.

Until the age of five, children should not be put on large items, which will be difficult to keep track of. For middle-aged people, the larger the trampoline, the more exciting and interesting it is to have fun on it. For teenagers, 2-3-meter spring canvases or exercise machines with shock absorbers are suitable. For sports-oriented children, large trampolines of 5-10 m are needed in gyms. For kids, adults (fitness), mini trampolines are suitable for home use.

The safety, strength and durability of the product depend on the quality of the material. You should ask for a certificate, make sure that the model is not assembled from toxic materials. Good trampolines are elastic, resistant to water, household chemicals, ultraviolet light, they do not fade and do not lose their appearance while outdoors.

Modern trampolines are made of durable fabrics, but still there comes a time when the product will require repair. Sometimes the inflatable structure needs to be glued along the seam, or the springs on the frame trampoline need to be changed. Most often, an inflatable simulator bursts at the seams, sometimes children pierce the material with a sharp object anywhere. Sometimes the attraction works, but it feels sluggish to the touch and the jumping ability is weak - all the symptoms of a damaged surface. The first step is to find it.

Then prepare for work:

• glue;
• a piece of PVC (patch);
• solvent for degreasing the surface;
• mounting hair dryer for warming up;
• scissors and sandpaper.

Often, a repair kit comes with a trampoline, it includes the necessary glue and a patch. But if there is none, the glue should be selected taking into account the material. Desmokol and Vitur bond well rubber, linoleum, PVC fabric, leather, leatherette and plastic. Glue "Uranus" is used in work with polyurethane surfaces, by the method of cold and hot gluing. Many inflatable structures are suitable for the "Moment" glue for PVC, which is used during the repair of rubber boats. The seam is elastic and is not afraid of moisture.

Repair work should be carried out in stages.

• Prepare a trampoline (find a hole, deflate).
• Carefully clean the damaged area with sandpaper. If you have to work with fluffy fabric, it should be sanded to a smooth state.
• Thoroughly treat the prepared surface with a solvent and dry.
• The patch should be cut a little larger than the hole and also carefully cleaned with sandpaper and wiped with a solvent. It is applied only with the matte side.
• Apply and distribute a little glue on the trampoline, join the damaged surface, only then attach the flap on top.
• It is good to warm up the surface at the ends of the patch with a mounting hairdryer (but not burn through), the flap will be soldered to the surface of the trampoline.
• Something heavy should be placed on the patch and left for a couple of days for final bonding.

If the springs are lost, they can be easily replaced by purchasing the required copy from a sports store. As for the holes in the jump belt, you need to look at the circumstances. Small holes (from a cigarette) do not need to be touched. If the damage is slightly greater, you should pick up a fabric that is similar in density to a jump cloth (search in travel or sports stores). Place the patch with strong nylon threads on both sides. If the blade is severely damaged, it must be replaced completely. Broken nets should also be replaced; minor damage can be sewn up with strong threads.

To avoid injury and benefit from trampolining, simple rules should be followed:

• do not take foreign objects with you to the simulator;
• do not eat while jumping;
• you cannot hang on the inflatable walls of the trampoline and jump on them;
• it is necessary to go down the hill, lying on your back, moving your feet forward;
• small children should be under the constant supervision of adults;
• it should be remembered that if there are two or more children on the ride, there may be collisions;
• jumps should be made to the side of the exit, and on mesh structures - in the center of the canvas.

Trampolines began to be produced in the forties of the last century by George Nissen and Larry Griswold in their company "Griswold-Nissen Trampoline and Acrobatics". The idea was picked up by manufacturers around the world, today many companies have high-quality and safe modern models.

ELC is great at trampolines for the little ones. It produces inflatable models on the jump platform, in various shapes and colors. Trampolines have handles for safe and comfortable jumps.

Torneo sports mini trampolines are available with handles and even with a net for little clients. But in most cases these are compact sports simulators with a jumping belt, without additional elements, for adolescents and adults. Springfree trampolines are the safest to date. Everything is thought out in them to the smallest detail so that the child avoids injury: elastic inner nets, thin flexible supports and an incredible balance of the simulator, which always returns the baby to the center of the jumping belt.

Having studied the feedback from parents about trampolines, we can conclude that such simulators are quite often purchased for children for birthdays and holidays. Inflatable models are preferred as outdoor options for a younger age; parents consider them safer due to soft surfaces. For middle-aged children and adolescents, spring mesh structures are most often used, placing them in dachas and personal plots. For home use, in 90% of cases, mini trampolines are purchased for both toddlers and teenagers.

Some parents buy exercise equipment on the recommendation of doctors., for the treatment of flat feet and strengthening the musculoskeletal system. Positive reviews refer to instructions that provide an overview of exercises to strengthen various muscles.The loosening of the legs of the simulators and the attitude of some children, who eventually lose interest in the trampoline, are noted as negative points.

For information on how to safely install a children's trampoline, see the next video.