
One of the most human responses to feeling excited is to jump up and down, and enclosed trampolines are amongst the most popular types of garden fun for families. However, getting hurt is a worry, particularly with kids and teens. There are, of course a lot of safety suggestions included when families make this purchase, however kids will be kids, and safety is not always taken to heart, which can result in tumbles or other injury.
Without specific training, trampolines are meant for basic jumping techniques with just one person jumping at a time. Children will probably think since they are smaller they can "fit" an extra person or two, but this is not the way it is. They can also betempted to try out flips and other acrobatic leaps that should really only be executed by those withthe right training to do these things. Parents should do their best to ensure that kids don't try out anything too fancy, or go on the trampoline unsupervised.
It may feel tempting for some parents to own enclosed trampolineto make jumping safer for their family and friends. But like many things that are meant to increase the safety factor, these enclosures merely create a false sense of security.
The netting on the majority of enclosures is not very strong, and hurling yourself into it could make it tear. For somebody that jumps out of bounds, the enclosure can help stop the jumper from actually falling off during basic jumping, but in any event the jumper is encouraged to still follow basic safety guidelines, as if the enclosure wasn't there. The presence of a net should not be a carte blanche to be careless. Parents should still be supervising young children closely, and no one, including older teens and adults should not have be jumping without some sort of spotter.
So is it worth using the enclosures at all if extra care and supervision are still needed to jump? There has been some discussion about this very thing, but enclosures are still worth getting for various reasons. Being able to clearly see where your boundaries lie when you are jumping will help you stay focused and centered, and decrease the probability of coming near the netting. Equally, since the nets go up 12 feet or more depending on the type of enclosure, the enclosures may discourage curious animals, or even neighbouring kids from jumping unsupervised.
The enclosure sends a clear message that you take your friends' and neighbours' safety seriously, without having to be too straight-laced to have fun. With those basic safety principles in place, you'll be sure to jump your way to a a terrific time!