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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Thoughts on Trampolines...?
kidcrazednluvingit 09:21 AM 02-10-2017
Hi everyone...

My 7 year old is a gymnast and has been begging for a tramp for a couple of years now. I have resisted due to obvious liability risks with with the daycare. Next fall I am going to begin homeschooling my kids, and I will begin a school-age only before and after school program. I am wondering if this might make it possible to get her a tramp finally or if it's just a bad idea all around...? I haven't even checked with licensing to see if its permitted yet. Just wondering if anyone has had one. If so what rules/safety liability protections did you put in place for its use. Would you give a green or red light on the idea? Thanks for any input!
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Sumshine 09:26 AM 02-10-2017
Originally Posted by kidcrazednluvingit:
Hi everyone...

My 7 year old is a gymnast and has been begging for a tramp for a couple of years now. I have resisted due to obvious liability risks with with the daycare. Next fall I am going to begin homeschooling my kids, and I will begin a school-age only before and after school program. I am wondering if this might make it possible to get her a tramp finally or if it's just a bad idea all around...? I haven't even checked with licensing to see if its permitted yet. Just wondering if anyone has had one. If so what rules/safety liability protections did you put in place for its use. Would you give a green or red light on the idea? Thanks for any input!
I have a very small trampoline that is about two inches off the ground attached to my small swing set and licensing was okay with it. It's not netted all around but has pool noodle material around the hand bars and a net blocking it from the swinging portion.

I am sure a trampoline is fine so long as you have a net that isn't torn around it. I have also seen some cool stuff online about trampolines dug into the ground so it's not high up and then they still put a net around it for safety. If I were to get a real trampoline that's how I think I would do it to prevent obvious liabilities that come with having a trampoline.

You could also possibly get one and not permit daycare children to use it as well but may be harder if you're doing only/mainly school agers. It would be easier to tell someone under 5 "no trampoline only for the bigger kiddos sorry hunny!"
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Second Home 09:27 AM 02-10-2017
Here in MD we can not have trampolines on the property.
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crunchymama 09:27 AM 02-10-2017
I personally love a trampoline but we don't, and probably wont ever, have one. Our regs, in WV, say Trampolines shall not be accessible to the children in care. Also, our homeowners policy says that we can't have one. I'm sure there are homeowner policies that would allow one, but I like my current company so I've never felt the need to seek coverage elsewhere; we'll just stick to the trampoline parks and not have one here.
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Baby Beluga 09:48 AM 02-10-2017
We used to have a smaller little tikes trampoline we purchased for my DD's 3rd birthday. DCK's were not allowed on it (you could lock the zipper.) When ever I got liability insurance quotes they always asked if I had one. Here, it makes insurance rates go up or renders you uninsurable all together depending on the company.
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sharlan 10:12 AM 02-10-2017
Check with licensing first. We cannot have them on the premises in CA.
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daycarediva 10:29 AM 02-10-2017
Originally Posted by crunchymama:
I personally love a trampoline but we don't, and probably wont ever, have one. Our regs, in WV, say Trampolines shall not be accessible to the children in care. Also, our homeowners policy says that we can't have one. I'm sure there are homeowner policies that would allow one, but I like my current company so I've never felt the need to seek coverage elsewhere; we'll just stick to the trampoline parks and not have one here.
Same
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kidcrazednluvingit 10:29 AM 02-10-2017
Originally Posted by Baby Beluga:
We used to have a smaller little tikes trampoline we purchased for my DD's 3rd birthday. DCK's were not allowed on it (you could lock the zipper.) When ever I got liability insurance quotes they always asked if I had one. Here, it makes insurance rates go up or renders you uninsurable all together depending on the company.
Good info! I hadn't even considered how it would change my policy!
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Crazy8 11:32 AM 02-10-2017
We have always had a trampoline but DCK's have NEVER been allowed on it. I only take kids 4 and under so its never been an issue, they can't get up there. My own kids love it. I have a rectangular one, it has a different jump than a round - great for tumbling (I have a cheerleader).
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jenboo 12:46 PM 02-10-2017
If it were allowed on the property, i would never let dcks on it regardless of age
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Daycare Insurance 01:26 PM 02-10-2017
Definitely check with licensing first, as there is a good chance that they are not permitted. As others have mentioned, this could also affect your insurance policy. Here at DCI, a trampoline does not render someone uninsurable, but if a claim were to arise out of a trampoline injury, it would not be covered. So definitely check with both your homeowners insurance and your liability insurance as well.
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Conoad 01:30 PM 02-10-2017
We have one but my license excludes daycare children from using it. My children are on it constantly! We have a large square one with a safety enclosure. We ordered it from sams club.
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kidcrazednluvingit 07:30 PM 02-10-2017
Thanks everyone! I talked to my licensor and she said there is a rule but she couldn't remember and she would get back to me. If it is allowed on the premise I may do what some of you recommended and just not open it up for dck use... I'm not sure it wouldn't be a huge headache though... I appreciate all the input!
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Gemma 04:54 AM 02-11-2017
Originally Posted by kidcrazednluvingit:
....... she said there is a rule but she couldn't remember ....
Not fair! I'd write her up!
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finsup 09:24 AM 02-11-2017
My homeowner's insurance alone could drop us if we had one
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Blackcat31 07:02 AM 02-13-2017
Originally Posted by kidcrazednluvingit:
Thanks everyone! I talked to my licensor and she said there is a rule but she couldn't remember and she would get back to me. If it is allowed on the premise I may do what some of you recommended and just not open it up for dck use... I'm not sure it wouldn't be a huge headache though... I appreciate all the input!
MN here too... there is no rule that I am aware of although I am not 100% positive but I know several providers in my area that have trampolines FOR daycare. It might be a county rule but IRC, there is nor licensing rule about it.

Personally, I would not get one. Too much liability for my comfort. If you read up childhood injuries via the American Pediatrics site you'll see how common injuries are and how easily they happen even with the best intentions and best safety rules.
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Lovisa 05:53 AM 02-14-2017
Originally Posted by sharlan:
Check with licensing first. We cannot have them on the premises in CA.
I am in Ca. I asked my analyst and she said it was fine as long as daycare kiddos didn't use it (my own kids want one).
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CityGarden 06:48 AM 02-14-2017
Originally Posted by Lovisa:
I am in Ca. I asked my analyst and she said it was fine as long as daycare kiddos didn't use it (my own kids want one).
This is what I was told as well....
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CityGarden 06:50 AM 02-14-2017
My dd loved when we had one but I will never have one that dck would be allowed to go on not even school age. We had one for years and it was a ton of fun however I find children can get hurt - bump each other, act wild, etc. There is just too large a margin for error on them for me to take on that liability personally.
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DaycareDays126 10:00 AM 02-14-2017
I have always been terrified of trampolines! Any time I see a child on one I almost have a panic attack (same as on a jungle gym but I'm crazy lol)! After seeing the ones dug in the ground I have wondered, why haven't they always done that?! Such a smart idea! Maybe still not for any dcks but if it's for your own children, that's the way I would go!
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Play Care 11:17 AM 02-14-2017
I know I've posted before about my friends high school boyfriend. He was paralyzed from the neck down on a trampoline. Just jumping with his brother and he fell and the brother accidentally fell on him the wrong way.
On one hand I hate to live in a bubble, but I just feel there are safer ways to get exercise. While nets prevent falls from the trampoline it doesn't prevent collisions or kids doing unsafe tricks, etc.

On a side note, it always cracks me up that people who rear face their kids in the car until they are 10 think nothing of putting a trampoline in their back yard.
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