What Size Trampoline Is Right For Me?

What Size Trampoline Is Right For Me?

Trampolining is great fun, and an excellent way to get kids (and adults) exercising! But what size trampoline should you get?

A trampoline can provide you and your family with hours of fun. But it’s also a great way to get a little extra exercise into your routine. Trampolining is a low impact, accessible exercise, and whether you live in a one bedroom flat, or have oodles of outdoor space, there’s a trampoline for you.

With World Health Day on 7th April 2021, it’s a good time to assess your exercise routine and see what more you can do to make you and your family a little fitter and healthier. And trampolining could be the perfect way to do it! Not only is it an excellent way to improve your fitness levels, it can also build confidence and help improve gross motor skills in young children too. But before you buy a trampoline, there are a few key things to consider.

Why is trampolining great exercise for kids and adults?

Bouncing on a trampoline is not only great fun, but it’s also a good way to get kids outside, without even leaving your home. If you don’t have a garden, there are lots of indoor trampolines on the market which are just as much fun.

Trampolining is a complete workout for growing bodies, but it’s also great for adult fitness too! It’s the perfect workout for busy parents who aren’t able to go running or get to the gym, and just 30 minutes a day can help you become a much fitter and healthier you. Here are some of the health benefits of bouncing on a trampoline for kids and adults of all ages:

Less stress on joints: If you’re an elderly person, or someone who’s recovering from injury, doing some light bouncing on a trampoline could do you the world of good. This low-impact exercise removes up to 80% of the stress typically put on weight-bearing joints, which could also help reduce the risk of arthritic pain in the future.

Improves cardiovascular health: As with other muscles in the body, the heart improves through frequent exercise. Regular 30-minute trampoline workouts can improve cardiovascular health in adults. And a strong heart can help fight off heart disease, and improve overall health and stamina, even in young children.

Increased lung capacity: Jumping on a trampoline provides a good cardio workout, which in turn, can increase your lung capacity. As you exercise, your body takes in more oxygen, while carbon dioxide is expelled. As your fitness improves, your body becomes more efficient at getting oxygen into the bloodstream and transporting it to your muscles.

Helps prevent disease: Research has found that bouncing on a trampoline can activate the lymphatic system, which helps protect you from infection by releasing white blood cells that fight off bacteria, viruses and parasites. It also helps to remove toxins, fats and dead cells to cleanse the body.

Strengthens young bones: Regular exercise helps increase bone density, which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis in later life. As trampolining is a low-impact exercise, it’s a much safer way to strengthen growing bones, compared to high-impact sports which can put more stress on the body.

Improves balance and coordination: A trampoline can help to develop a child’s gross motor skills—which allow them to do everyday activities such as walking, jumping and bending—by using the larger muscles in the arms, legs, back and torso. Bouncing on a trampoline also requires more coordination than on solid ground, and it improves balance and strength too.: A trampoline can help to develop a child’s gross motor skills—which allow them to do everyday activities such as walking, jumping and bending—by using the larger muscles in the arms, legs, back and torso. Bouncing on a trampoline also requires more coordination than on the solid ground, and it improves balance and strength too.

Young girl jumping on outdoor trampoline, doing splits in the air

What are the different types of trampoline?

Trampolines have been around since the 1930’s, but they’ve come a long way from the first prototype, created by teenage gymnast Nissen and his coach out of some scrap steel and tyre inner tubes. They’re popular with both kids and adults, and trampoline parks have sprung up all over the country in recent years. There are lots of different shapes of trampoline, from the usual round trampoline, to hexagonal and octagonal-shaped too. So if you’re looking to buy a trampoline to use at home, here’s a little more information on the different types available, and the benefits of each one.

  • Round trampoline

    Round trampoline

    This is the most common shape of trampoline. They come in a variety of sizes and weight capacities, but they are generally the best option for use in the garden, and the safest. This shape is perfect for small children, as due to the design, a person jumping on it will naturally be guided back to the centre, which reduces the risk of falling.

  • Rectangular trampoline

    Rectangular trampoline

    This type of trampoline is widely used by professional gymnasts. They provide a unique jumping experience and a different bouncing pattern, and they can usually take more weight compared to round trampolines. For these reasons, they are usually more expensive, so they might not be the first choice for those new to trampolining.

  • Square trampoline

    Square trampoline

    This shape offers the benefits of both round and rectangular trampolines, as it’s as safe as the round model, but it can be used for professional training too. Square trampolines work well for both indoor and outdoor use, and they’re commonly used in trampoline parks. If you or your child practise gymnastics, a square trampoline could be a fantastic option for perfecting your technique at home.

  • Hexagonal/Octagonal trampoline

    Hexagonal/Octagonal trampoline

    If you have more than one child, a hexagon or octagon-shaped trampoline is ideal. They have a large surface area, which allows several people to jump on it at the same time. Though always check the weight capacity! These trampolines are a little more expensive than round ones, but they offer a more exciting experience by allowing higher bounces and more responsive jumping.

  • Mini (fitness) trampoline

    Mini (fitness) trampoline

    This is the perfect option if you want to do trampolining at home. It’s small so you can use it in any room of the house, and it’s a great fitness and weight loss tool. It’s a fun way to burn those extra calories, and you can use it to exercise whenever you want. Regular workouts on a mini trampoline will strengthen your muscles, as well as increase your stamina over time. This size is also great for toddlers!

What size trampoline is right for me?

Trampolines come in a range of sizes, and the size you buy will be determined by who will be using it, and the amount of space you have. In general, the bigger the trampoline, the better it will be for children.

A large trampoline will allow more than one child to bounce at once, and with less chance of injury due to the large surface area. Though for younger kids or for fitness purposes, an indoor mini trampoline may be the best option, especially if you don’t have the outdoor space to have a large trampoline.

Here’s a guide to the different sizes of trampoline so you can decide which is best for you and your family.

Woman using small indoor trampoline
What Size Trampoline Is Right For Me?

Round trampoline sizes:

8-10 foot: For small gardens, a round trampoline measuring less than ten feet in diameter is a good option. Just remember you should only ever have one child on an 8ft or 10ft trampoline at a time, and be mindful of the weight limit.

12 foot: This is considered a medium size for round trampolines. You may be able to get more than one child on here if you have little ones, though teens and adults are limited to one at a time.

14+ foot: If you have the space, this whopper of a trampoline provides more flexibility to play, allowing several children to bounce at the same time. It does come with a higher price tag, but it’s sure to make your neighbours jealous.

What Size Trampoline Is Right For Me?

Rectangular trampoline sizes:

7x10 foot: This small rectangle trampoline is a great size to pop in between the swing and the garden shed. They’re nice and compact, though the one-child rule applies.

8x12 foot: This size has good bounce for kids up to around 13 years of age, great for any budding gymnast to practise their routines at home. A 12ft rectangle trampoline also usually provides a better bounce compared to a 12ft round trampoline.

9x14 foot: The extra 2ft here makes all the difference, providing plenty of space for flips and more advanced trampolining. Two children can bounce together comfortably, and it will have a much thicker frame and pads for safety.