For the last two years Hanna has been BEGGING for a trampoline. Then we went to one of those trampoline parks, and I started really wanting one too! I had forgotten how much fun it is to jump on a trampoline, and what a great workout it was too! (I was super sore after our trip to Get Air!)
This year for her birthday we decided to finally invest in a trampoline. I did a lot of research, a lot of reading, and checked a lot of reviews… and finally decided to get the 12 foot Skywalker Trampoline. I ordered it on Amazon, it’s free shipping with Prime. (If you don’t have Prime yet, this is a good enough reason to do the 30 day free trial! #justsayin’) It takes more than 2 days to get here, but not too many more, and the shipping is free… and you don’t have to heft that thing in and out of your vehicle! That counts… it’s heavy!
So it arrived the day before her birthday, as it said it would. I was expecting the 2 day shipping, so good thing I didn’t procrastinate any longer than I did!! The UPS man was nice enough to hide it in the garage for me, so she wouldn’t see it.
On her birthday, while she was at school, my husband and I dragged it out of the garage and over to the side yard, where we’d decided to put it up. We decided on this spot for a couple reasons. It’s fairly level, her other outside things are in the area, and it’s in plain view of a window I can see out of when I’m working, so I can keep an eye on her when I’m not out there myself.
I’m really glad I did this, because even though I knew it was going to be a hit, I didn’t realize just how much time she would be out on the trampoline, and I’m glad I can glance over and see her!
First things first… putting this thing together isn’t all that difficult, but you must follow the instructions. I read this in many reviews, where people didn’t actually read the instructions and ended up having to take the whole thing apart to get it done right.
The enclosure and mat get put together at the same time, so they are connected. As you connect the jumping mat to the springs the enclosure connection goes in between them. It’s great because it doesn’t allow for any gaps where a kid could slide through, but you’ve got to do it right or you’ll be taking the whole thing apart, and that would suck.
Once you get going, the process goes fairly quickly, it probably took an hour or so to put it together, two people is really handy, but probably not totally necessary.
They sell a spring pull tool separately, but ours actually came with one in the box. I’ve read that in a bunch of other reviews as well, which is why I didn’t pick one up separately.
I also bought a ladder and the stakes. Which came together, but separate from the trampoline. We live in Kansas, the wind here is nuts. There was no way I was putting up a flying saucer in the yard without it being staked down. The kit came with 4 stakes, I still think we could use a few more. We’ve had severe storms come through here with over 70 mile an hour winds, and it’s been fine so far. But still. It’s scary. 🙂 The ladder is nice, it attaches directly to the trampoline. The steps on the ladder are really thin, and hurt your feet when you try to walk up them. It was an easy solution I read in a review… pool noodle. We cut a pool noodle into the right size pieces and then split it open and slid it over each step, which makes it much more comfortable. Hanna had no trouble jumping up on the trampoline before we got the ladder installed. I’m not sure a ladder is necessary, a step stool would probably work just fine, but the stakes came with it, and we definitely needed those. This accessory package also came with a bag that hangs from the trampoline so you can put your shoes, and glasses and whatever else in it. It’s nice to have a safe place for the small things you take off when you jump.
So… with the logistics out of the way, what do I think about this trampoline?
The bad:
I wish it was a little bigger. The size isn’t bad if you’ve got one kid jumping. Hanna is 10, she’s a little over 4 ft tall, and can do handsprings, and cartwheels and round offs on the trampoline no problem. The problem comes when there’s more than one person on it, especially if that one person is an adult. It feels a little tight, but it’s not something we’d send it back over. If you’ve got more than one kiddo who will be using your trampoline regularly I definitely suggest going up to the 15′ size, though the price definitely jumps when you get past 12 feet.
The Good:
The safety net is really strong. I like the way it’s set up, and how it attaches to the trampoline. I’ve driven by a ton of trampolines in our area and the netting is almost always wrecked. Granted, we haven’t had it all that long yet, but the design was well thought out, and I think it will stand the test of time. (I’ll come back later and let you know how it does over time).
The system they’ve created for the entrance in the safety net works from the inside and outside, so it’s just one thing, that works both ways. It makes it really easy when you’re getting in or out to open and close it behind you.
The trampoline is so bouncy and fun. 🙂 I sneak out there when Hanna’s not around so I can jump as high as I can. 🙂 I love that feeling of floating. You have to be really careful when you’ve got two people jumping, especially if they are really different sizes, that you don’t buckle your legs. When we’re out there together, we take turns, I jump, she watches (and directs lol), she jumps and I watch (and usually need a rest anyway lol).
This model also has a basketball hoop that comes with it. It is held on with velcro, but seems very sturdy. It hasn’t come off yet, through play or storms. 🙂 We don’t use it as much as we could, but I bet it would be great if we had boys around more, or if we had someone who like basketball.
There are so many things you can do besides just jump on the trampoline. We’ve read books, done homework, had great chats, practiced gymnastics, ran the hose through it, used it for chalk drawing, played hopscotch, worked out (there’s tons of YouTube videos on trampoline workouts!) It’s really become one of our favorite places to hang out. It’s a great place to have conversations you might not otherwise be comfortable having… when you’re focused on jumping you don’t have to stare at the other person. 🙂 Here’s 50 more things you can do on your trampoline! I wasn’t kidding… they’re for so much more than just jumping!
I highly recommend this trampoline. It’s fairly easy to put together, it’s really fun, it gets used every day, all day! I think it’s probably some of the best money we’ve ever spent on a birthday present.
If you’re thinking about getting a trampoline and have questions… feel free to ask in the comments I’ll do what I can to answer your questions. 🙂 You’ll find our Skywalker Trampoline (12 Foot) as well as the 15 foot Skywalker, and the accessories we bought (and are thinking about buying) below.
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Hi Jackie, We got out children a trampoline 5 years ago. It is still going strong but this year we need to buy some replacement parts. Wind and snow on the frame do damage over time. That said, truly the best gift ever!