So you’ve bought (or are thinking of buying) a trampoline. But how can you fully utilise what is an awesome piece of home garden equipment? Here is a collection of Trampoline games and activities with the fun ways to play on your trampoline.
While regular bouncing is incredibly good fun, there are many other ways that both kids and adult can enhance their trampoline use. The following games and exercises are a wonderful way to bond as a family – or you can let the children and their mates play to their heart’s content without any grown-ups getting in the way…
Catchee ballee
A simple game that involves one person on the tramp and one outside. The person outside throws the ball up and over the safety net for the other person to catch. However, they only get a point if they catch the ball mid-jump – and the higher the better!
Poison (or lava) ball
One person gets inside the trampoline and starts bouncing. The other players (anything from 1 upwards) then throw balls into the trampoline. The jumper must avoid making contact with any of the balls. Once a ball touches them, their turn is up. The person who can manage to bounce for the longest without being eliminated is the winner.
- Another take on this game is for everyone playing to get on the trampoline along with a load of balls. All the players must try to avoid the balls. Once a ball touches a person they have to leave the trampoline. The winner is the last one left.
Keepy uppy
Always a fun game, this can be played with any number of people. You can use different types of balls, including balloons and beach balls. The longer the ball stays in the air, the better – but the more you bounce, the more difficult it gets
Balance games
Try timing each other as to how long you can stand on the tramp on one leg. Trust us – it’s hard! Or try yoga poses or even chalk on some coloured dots and play Twister…
Crack the egg
An old favourite, this involves one person sitting in the middle of the trampoline, bringing their knees into their chest and wrapping their arms around them. They are then, ‘the egg’. The other players jump around on the trampoline trying to make them unwrap their arms – or to ‘break’ the egg. The winner is the one who can stay in the egg position the longest.
Bum wars
A hugely popular trampoline game. Everyone starts jumping and then someone calls out ‘1,2,3,4, I declare a bum war’. At this, everyone must bounce once on their bum and get straight back on their feet. Any double bum bounces or failure to get back to your feet means you’re out. The last one standing wins…
Water balloon dodge
Fill up a whole load of water balloons and place them on the trampoline. The kids get in the enclosure and… well, just let nature take its course. Throw them, bomb the others, catch them, bounce up and try and land on them. Best played on a hot day, naturally…
These are just a handful of different games that can be played on a trampoline. The best ones are often those the kids make up themselves – such a wonderful way to encourage creativity. Adults are encouraged to join in too – either by taking part or carrying out those all-important tasks of timing players or helping get the equipment together.
The above games are all best played on tramps with safety nets, so making sure everyone involved can play without risk. Apart from that proviso, the only limit is imagination. So enjoy…
