Active play is important in child development and affects coordination, strength, and healthy activity patterns later in life. Engaging in physical activities helps children develop their gross motor skills, build muscle strength, and establish a foundation for an active lifestyle. But, as many parents and caregivers know, the most active play is outdoors, or at least in the backyard. Outdoor play allows children to explore their environment, engage in imaginative play, and benefit from fresh air and sunshine. Trampolines are a great way for kids to get outdoors and have fun. They provide a safe, enclosed space for children to jump, bounce, and burn off excess energy while enjoying the thrill of weightlessness.
You will remember the joy of flying if you ever played on a trampoline as a child. The sensation of soaring through the air, defying gravity with each bounce, is an exhilarating experience that stays with you. Kids today also love to jump, finding endless entertainment by springing up and down on a stretchy surface. But some may need a little more precise guidance to start the fun. They might feel unsure about how to engage with the trampoline or what to do beyond basic jumping. That’s where trampoline games come in handy. Games and competitions can entertain children and adults, providing structure and goals to the jumping experience.
These 8 fun trampoline games you can play with your kids will keep them engaged and excited about outdoor play:
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Bum Wars
No trampoline game is as classic as Bum Wars. The premise here is that the last person standing wins! You need a minimum of two players, but you can play with more for added chaos and fun. Each player starts by jumping a few times to warm up and get a feel for the trampoline. Once they feel ready, they agree to begin and all participants fall onto their buttocks before jumping back up and landing in their original standing position.
The catch is that each player can only jump up once while landing on their butt and once while landing on their feet in each cycle. If you accidentally land on the same body part twice in a row or “double bounce”, then you’re out. Play continues until only one person remains successfully alternating between butt and feet landings.
The weight difference between players makes the game more challenging and unpredictable when adults and children participate together. So don’t miss out on this silly yet highly entertaining activity. If you don’t have a trampoline yet, then you can easily buy a quality trampoline online from reputable retailers.
Crack the Egg
This classic trampoline game is among the most popular with kids of all ages due to its simplicity and the silly imagery of being an “egg”. It begins with one child sitting in the center of the trampoline, raising their knees to their chest and then wrapping their arms tightly around their legs to create a compact “egg” shape. This child is now the designated egg for the round.
Their goal is to hold this scrunched-up egg position for as long as possible while the other children jump around them, trying to jostle them enough to make them let go of their legs. The jumping children can bounce near the egg, jump over them, or gently nudge them with their feet as they land to “crack” the egg shape. The egg tries its hardest to squeeze its arms and legs close to its body, resisting the disruptive hopping. The person who can maintain the egg pose for the longest time without breaking form is the winner and becomes the next round’s egg.
Strike a Pose
This open-ended trampoline game is all about creativity and silliness. To begin, have each child take turns jumping as high as they can in the centre of the trampoline. The higher the bounce, the more air time they’ll have to create their pose. Please encourage them to make the funniest, most exciting poses they can think of while suspended at the top of their jump. The possibilities for trampoline tricks and poses are endless – they can pull their legs up into cannonball shapes, arch into backbends, split their legs into mid-air splits, or twist into funny arm-flailing contortions. There’s no right or wrong, just creative expression. This game usually has no clear winner since the purpose is to laugh at the crazy moves each kid dreams up. Feel free to snap pictures of their silliest poses to embarrass them later. This can go on for a long time as the kids’ imaginations run wild, and it’s always fun to see what they come up with.
DodgeBall
Dodgeball is a classic game that’s popular in school gyms and playgrounds everywhere. Playing it on a trampoline adds an extra element of excitement and challenge, making it a fun way to spice up the old standard. This version works best for older kids who have more body control and awareness for safety reasons. To begin, use chalk or masking tape to create a clear center line dividing the trampoline in half to create two sides. Divide the kids into two even teams, sending each team to their designated trampoline side. Provide a soft foam ball to one side to start. Players then take turns throwing the ball, aiming to hit players on the opposite team. The bouncy trampoline makes aiming trickier but also allows players to jump to avoid getting hit. If the ball hits a player anywhere below the neck, that player is out and must sit outside the trampoline. However, if the ball is successfully caught in the air by the targeted player, the thrower is out instead. The game continues back and forth until all the players on one side are eliminated. The team with the last player(s) standing is the winner.
Telephone
Telephone is a popular game that tests listening skills and memory, leading to silly mixed messages. This jumping version offers a more active take on the old favorite. To start, have one child jump up and down several times in the center of the trampoline to build momentum. On their last jump, have them perform a unique pose or action in the air before landing.
The next child in line then jumps, trying to recreate the first child’s exact pose at the apex of their final bounce before adding their own distinct action. So the second child performs two poses – the first child’s pose plus their own addition. The third child then jumps and attempts to recreate the first two poses in order before adding a third new pose to the end. The game continues with each new participant trying to remember and perform the entire growing sequence of poses.
The challenge comes not only in recalling the right order but in executing the poses while airborne and bouncing. Hilarity ensues as the poses get misinterpreted, forgotten, or embellished as they get passed down the line like the garbled messages of the original telephone game.
Dance Battle
Dance battles are always a hit with kids who love moving to music. The trampoline version amps up the energy and allows for crazy new moves. To play, gather the kids on the trampoline and cue up an upbeat, danceable song everyone enjoys. Then, give each child a turn to show off their best dance moves while jumping in time to the music.
They can choreograph short 15-20 second solo routines or freestyle with the beat. Please encourage them to be as silly and creative as possible, incorporating the extra bounce of the trampoline into their performance. They might jump super high at the chorus, perform jumping jacks to the rhythm, or even toss in a flip or two if they’re advanced bouncers.
After each kid takes a turn individually, have the whole group create a synchronized routine. They can collaborate to create a cohesive dance that showcases all their best moves and then perform it as a unit. Whether they nail it or dissolve into a giggling mess, it’s all about having fun and expressing themselves.
Or have the children create a dance or program together for the whole family to perform.
Do Not Wake the Baby
This sneaky trampoline game is all about stealth and delicate movements. To begin, choose one player to be the “baby”. That child lies down in the center of the trampoline on their back, eyes closed with hands covering their face as if they’re asleep. All other players quietly exit the trampoline, gathering on the ground surrounding the trampoline’s edge.
The goal is for the ground players to take turns silently climbing onto the trampoline and sneaking up on the sleeping baby to tag them without disturbing their slumber. One by one, players carefully step onto the trampoline, trying not to make it shake or bounce with their added weight. They slowly tiptoe closer to the prone baby, being as light-footed and sneaky as possible.
If they can successfully reach out and gently tag the baby on the shoulder without them noticing, that player succeeds and returns to the ground. However, if the baby feels the trampoline shifting or senses someone getting close, they can call out “Wake up!” and sit up with eyes open. The sneaky tagger is then out and must return to the outside of the trampoline. If the baby remains undisturbed through all the tagging attempts, they win the round and get to choose the next baby.
Basketball
basketball with trampolining makes for a high-flying, fast-paced game that’s a hit with active, competitive kids. To set up, place a portable basketball hoop on the ground next to the trampoline so that a player jumping in the centre could reach out and shoot the ball towards the net. Players then take turns jumping and attempting to sink baskets. They can bounce once and take a shot from a standing position or try to shoot from the apex of their jump for an extra challenge. Keep score as you go, with the first player to reach 10 baskets winning the game. Only count baskets made while the player is airborne for a more complex version. The excitement of jumping on the trampoline makes it easy to keep shooting and trying new trick shots. You can add more challenges and variations to keep the game fresh, like reciting the alphabet with each made basket or trying to sink it backwards.
Conclusion
Trampoline games are a great way to keep kids engaged in active outdoor play. With a little creativity, parents and children can come up with endless ideas for new challenges and silly competitions. By regularly mixing it up with new games and activities, you can hold kids’ interest and motivate them to keep jumping. The sheer fun of bouncing combined with the structure and goals of games creates an inviting play experience that children will want to return to again and again. Plus, all that jumping and laughing together makes for great family bonding time while sneaking in some exercise. So head outside, hop on the trampoline, and get gaming! Your kids (and your inner child) will thank you.