Trampoline Safety Rules Every Parent Should Know

Most injuries on home trampolines are preventable. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) stops short of an outright ban for older children but urges families to skip home trampolines altogether — then offers strict rules if one is already in your yard. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adds its own guidelines. Together, they paint a clear picture of what makes a backyard trampoline safer, and which common habits cause the ER visits.

Why The AAP Advises Against Home Trampolines

Pediatricians see too many fractures, sprains, and head injuries from what looks like innocent backyard fun.

That’s the professional stance. If you have one anyway, the same organizations agree on the non-negotiables:

• Only one child jumps at a time.
• An adult supervises every jump session.
• No flips, somersaults, or tricks — ever.
• Keep the safety net zipped while in use.
• Remove the ladder when nobody is bouncing.

Setting Up A Safer Trampoline

The setup decisions you make before the first jump matter as much as the rules you enforce. The CPSC and AAP offer specific, practical guidance for positioning and maintaining the trampoline.

• Install the bouncing surface as close to the ground as possible.
• Place the trampoline far from trees, walls, buildings, fences, and other play areas.
• Cover all springs, hooks, and the frame with shock-absorbing pads.
• Inspect pads, netting, springs, and hooks before each use; replace worn or torn parts before anyone jumps.
• Stop use in high wind or if the trampoline could shift or blow away.

Routine inspection catches problems before they cause injuries. A torn pad exposes metal hooks; a ripped net invites falls. Both are easy to spot with a thirty-second walk-around before the kids climb on.

Common Mistakes That Send Kids To The ER

The most dangerous habits are also the most common ones. Knowing them helps you see the risk in your own yard.

Multiple jumpers at once. Collisions are a leading cause of injury. When two kids bounce together, one lands awkwardly or gets launched off balance — and the smaller child usually absorbs the worst of it.

Flips and somersaults. These are the major cause of serious head, neck, and back injuries. The math is unforgiving: a failed flip on a moving surface sends a child down hard, and the neck takes the force. No trick is worth that risk.

Treating the net as a shield. A safety net mainly prevents falls off the trampoline — it does not prevent injuries that happen on the mat itself, like collisions or bad landings.

Leaving the ladder attached. An unattended ladder is an invitation. A toddler who can’t climb onto a sofa can still get up a trampoline ladder when nobody’s watching — and even the smallest jumpers need safe, supervised options. Take the ladder down after every session.

Under-6s on full-size trampolines. A young child’s bones and joints cannot handle the repeated impact of a full-size mat, and their coordination isn’t ready for the unpredictable bounce.

Poor placement. A trampoline near a wall, tree, or fence turns a fall into a collision with something hard. Give it clear space on every side.

The Mayo Clinic’s guidance reinforces the same core message: supervision, one jumper at a time, and no flips. The professional consensus across pediatric and safety organizations is unusually consistent.

Rules To Post Before The First Jump

If your trampoline stays, these rules are not optional. Post them near the door or on the frame itself.

1. One jumper at a time.
2. Adult supervision at all times.
3. No flips, somersaults, or tricks.
4. Safety net zipped shut during use.
5. No rough play or pushing.
6. Ladder removed when the trampoline is idle.

But the distance between a trampoline that causes a broken bone and one that provides years of controlled fun is almost entirely a matter of adult enforcement. The rules are simple; the discipline to follow them every single time is the hard part.