Playing on the trampoline is so much fun for kids of all ages, and even many adults love it. What’s not to love? It’s good exercise, good fun, and time spent outdoors with your loved ones. We believe that an investment in a high quality trampoline is something that will pay dividends for years to come in family time, additional exercise and decreased screen time for the kids, and a good way to get everyone outside for some extra Vitamin
Here are some ways to ramp up the fun with some games that are uniquely fun to play on a trampoline:
Water Balloon Hot Potato
This is a really fun variation of the game that many of us played as children. Use a water balloon instead of a hot potato for extra fun on a warm summer day. Pass the “potato” around while music plays and whoever has it when the music stops is out. If someone drops it they are also out. If you want to play without music, just pass the potato/water balloon around until it is dropped. Don’t be surprised though, this can really quickly turn into a regular water balloon fight with everyone laughing and trying to get each other!
Poison Ball aka Lava Ball
Poison ball or lava ball is a fun one, and gets even more fun the more people you have to play with. Place several balls on the trampoline along with your jumpers. You can use bouncy balls, soccer balls, any other balls that are relatively soft, the smaller the ball the more difficult the game will be. The name of the game is to move around on the trampoline while avoiding the balls. If a ball touches you, you are out! This is a high energy game that will have your jumpers worn out in no time (and loving every minute of it!)
Monkey in the Middle
Another classic game that can be ported over to the trampoline for even more fun. To play Monkey in the Middle you will need at least three players but could have more monkeys in the middle or more players on the outside tossing the ball. If you are not familiar with the traditional game, here’s how it’s played: two players (or more) stand on the outside of the trampoline with one (or more) players standing in the middle. The outside players throw the ball back and forth over the head of the middle player or players, who try to intercept the ball. If a middle player gets the ball, they become a thrower and the thrower becomes the monkey in the middle.
Trampoline Basketball
To play trampoline basketball you can either buy a specific basketball hoop made for your trampoline or you can use a regular basketball hoop positioned near the edge of your trampoline. Players shoot hoops while jumping on the trampoline and have somebody on the ground to retrieve the balls. Horse is a great old basketball game that ports over well to a trampoline. You can either play the classic version where you shoot hoops from different spots and take a letter spelling out H-O-R-S-E for every miss. First person to spell horse loses. Play it this way if you have a basketball hoop for your trampoline. Otherwise you can play a version tailored to the trampoline. In the trampoline version, players take turns doing a trick such as a back bounce, a knee bounce, or a flip. Any player who cannot imitate the move takes a letter of horse.
Crack the Egg
This is a great game for anywhere from two to six kids. Your kids will love this game and it will quickly become a favorite. Here’s how to play: one child sits on the trampoline and hugs his or her knees. This is the “egg” of the game. The other kids are instructed to jump around the trampoline without touching the egg, who tries to stay in the leg-wrapped position. Inevitably the egg will bounce around (a lot!) to the point where they “crack” as in, let go of their tightly held legs. Then it is the next person’s turn to be the egg. This game is a lot of fun and kids love the challenge of trying to crack the egg! This is also great exercise for everyone involved.
Simon Says
Simon Says is another classic game that kids always love to play. The trampoline adds another dimension of fun because you can encourage kids to do somersaults and flips, lots of other physical tricks that will get their heart rates elevated, work their muscles and coordination. It is a great game that kids really seem to love too. Especially the part where a younger sibling can tell the older kids what to do and try to “trick” their older siblings into making a move without saying “Simon Says!” Kids of all ages love this game and can play together. Bonus: While this is not technically a trampoline game per se, stargazing with your kids on the
trampoline can be a really fun way to spend family time together in the evening and teach your kids about astronomy. Your children will cherish the time together for their entire lives. You can even enjoy an evening together looking for constellations or shooting stars. Your kids will probably want to spend the night sleeping on the trampoline at some point too! While these games can be a lot of fun, it is also important for you and your loved ones to keep in mind some safety tips while jumping. We advise that most all trampoline owners install a net around your new trampoline for maximum safety from dangerous falls and potential injuries. If a game gets too rowdy, take a minute to calm down so nobody gets careless and gets hurt (an elbow or knee to the face or an accidental head butt can be really painful!) Take breaks to have water and rest if you are playing on a particularly hot day.
