A childhood that is filled with hours of regular trampoline play is a happy one, promoting a positive outlet for the stress of school, socializing with neighbours, and getting an adequate amount of exercise. Despite cautions regarding safety, they remain a popular piece of play equipment – this can make trampolines both a hesitant but unavoidable subject for parents. With trampolines scattered throughout most neighbourhoods, children will eventually experience them, and not always the safest of versions. Luckily, there is a new design that reduces the risk of injury at three major impact zones including the springs, metal frame, and the ground.

In 1999, trampoline manufacturers were required to add safety features to their products, this included padding to cover the springs, a frame and safety nets. A decade later however, studies showed these additions were not making a significant dent in reducing injury.Consequently, one father (and mechanical engineer) recognized more could be done to improve the traditional design, and invented an alternative to traditional trampolines that would be safer for his kids – and yours.

The Springfree Trampoline (as it later came to be called) removed springs and replaced them with flexible composite rods placed beneath the jumping surface. This eliminated the chances of fingers, toes, or other limbs from getting pinched, or becoming trapped between the coils. The traditional metal frame which caused twenty percent of the approximate 100,000 trampoline injuries per year was moved to rest under the jumping surface as well – safely supporting the structure without the risk of impact. Furthermore, parents no longer have to put their trust in thin padding as a cover for dangerous spots and sub par shock absorption, the SoftEdge mat implemented takes care of that. This soft mat combined with the protection of a FlexiNet to keep jumpers from coming into contact with the ground, makes for a more comfortable jumping experience; the FlexiNet is also supported by flexible poles that bend to absorb the jumper’s energy and reduce injury.

An important safety recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) where trampolines are concerned is to have one jumper using the apparatus at a time because 75% of injuries happen when multiple jumpers are in the ring. By partnering with the tgoma digital game system to create the world’s first smart trampoline, Springfree’s design offers active game-play for one jumper at a time.

There is no denying that trampolines are here to stay, especially with new and innovative features making them exciting for digital generations –but safety should be of paramount importance. The safest companies commit to rigorous testing for quality assurance, do not outsource their parts, and are backed by trusted awards which speak to their commitment; this new smart Trampoline has been awarded The Parent Tested Parent Approved Award as well as The US Family Choice Award, among others. When sitting your children down to talk about trampoline safety before jumping doesn’t always guarantee secure play, choose a safer trampoline that will.