Trampoline therapy has been found to help kids with autism. Adults could also use it for their fitness. If you have hyperactive kids, you could take them to a trampoline park so that they can spend their excess energy while also having fun. For most people, getting a mini trampoline for their indoors might not be easy since it is expensive and would also take some space in the house.
They therefore opt for communal trampolines at the park. In some settings you do not have to pay anything to use this trampoline since it will be in an entertainment joint where you will buy food and drinks. While munching away your dinner you child could be bouncing away at the trampoline.
Trampoline Park for kids with Autism
Do you have a child with autism?
Trampoline parks are a great way to get kids active and having fun. But what if your child has autism? We’ve compiled some games that they can play at the trampoline park. These games will help them develop their motor skills, social skills, and more!
Your child will be able to enjoy themselves while also getting exercise in an environment that is safe for them. You won’t have to worry about any other children bothering or bullying your kid because there’s no contact allowed on the trampolines! And it’s not just for kids with autism – these games are perfect for all children who want to play outside but don’t like sports or running around too much. They’re also perfect for adults who need some exercise but don’t want anything too strenuous.
Fun things to do at a trampoline park
So what things can one do at the park trampoline?
- Simple jumps–When your kid arrives at the park trampoline, they will want to just do jumps with no defined games. As they start interacting with others, they will come up with their own fun games to try out. You could also ask them to incorporate the following jhmps
- Jump as you dance and sing–Your children could sing or even dance as they bounce on the rebounder.
- Jump as you count– To help your child learn counting, ask them to jump as they count 1 to 10.
- Jump as you recite A to Z–Related to jumping as they count, you could ask your kids to jump as they recite the alphabet
- Seated bounces–Other than bouncing while standing, kids will find seated bounces to be cool and enjoyable.
- Jump on one leg and then jump on the other leg–Your kids will want to experiment jumping on one leg and when tired, they will want to jump on the other leg. It is so fun.
- Compete to see who jumps the highest–While this might be unsafe for trampolines with no safety net or soft ground to land on in case they bounce off the trampoline, kids will like to compete see who jumps highest.
- Play basketball–Your kids could play basketball as they bounce away
Safety first while at park trampoline
While trampolining at the park, you need to make sure that your child is safe. How so?
Here are a few things to look into before you allow your child to jump in the park rebounder.
- That the tricks they are doing are safe and not very risky
- That there is an adult taking care of the children as they jump so that they do not hurt each other.
- That there are safety nets and safety bars so that your child can hold onto them as they bounce.
- That the trampoline space is not too crowded. Though most health professionals will tell you that a trampoline should be used by one kid at a time, this is not often feasible. Not unless you have a mini trampoline for your indoors like the skybound. For communal rebounders, you cannot have your kid jumping alone. At the same time, having too many kids at a time is dangerous especially if they are of different ages since some will jump too dangerously and this could pose a danger to the younger children.
Pros of bounce rebounders
- Your child whether neurotypical or atypical is going to meet others where they will interact as they bounce. It will therefore improve their speech and social skills
- Rebounders have been found to be great in helping a child develop their muscles as well as their motor skills.
Cons of park rebounders
- Safety is the biggest issue that you are going to face with park trampolines. There are far too many kids on the trampoline doing dangerous antics which could pose a roisk on the health of your child.
According to Statistics, park trampolines have been shown to cause most of the trampolining accidents. There were about 6932 trampoline accidents in 2014 according to American Academy of Pediatrics. Don Mcpherson, a gymnastics trainer says that he has been an expert witness for over 200 trampoline accident cases from 2011. He says most of the accidents involve broken necks, dislocated elbows and shoulders which are all catastrophic for your child, right?
Related: Mini trampolines for autism
- Most park trampolines are badly maintained. They have chain links and steel cables that have thin paddings. These rebounders give your child double bounces while at the same time being too hard on your child which could hurt them.