Trampoline Resources

Spring is here. Longer days, warmer weather and green grass hint that summer vacation looms. As a child, you couldn't wait for the long days of lazy playtime. And then you became a mom. As your kids' excitement about summer break increases, your own thoughts of summer vacation turn to panic as you ask yourself how on earth you'll keep your people entertained for an entire summer without breaking the bank.  That's where your backyard trampoline comes in. When you have a backyard trampoline, the options for free and easy ways to entertain your kids are endless. So, grab a few sheets, a hose and some sidewalk chalk. And get ready to get the most out of your trampoline — and your summer— with these ideas for the best ways to entertain your kids on the trampoline.  Go Backyard Camping on Your Trampoline Backyard camping for kids is a great way to make memories. But let's be honest. A weekend away can take serious planning and serious cash.  Ditch the campground. How about camping adventures in your backyard instead? It's simple, really. Let's start with a tutorial on how to use a trampoline as a tent.  1. Grab some pillows and blankets, and spread them out over the surface of the trampoline. Hang a few sheets around the sides to make it feel like a cozy fort or, if you love embracing DIY backyard camping ideas for kids, sew four king-sized sheets together and then drape them over the top and down the sides to create a tent. If you want to incorporate stargazing into your camping experience, make sure you leave the top uncovered.  2. Once you've got your tent set up, light up your nearby firepit or fire up the grill, and get to cooking at a safe distance away from the trampoline. Hot dogs and marshmallows are always a hit as standard campfire food— what's a campout without a s'more or two! — but since you're at your house and still have access to a stove and fridge, the sky is the limit for what you can prepare.  3. Employ some of the best trampoline games for sleepovers to keep your family amused. You may want to tell funny ghost stories while you are all in your sleeping bags or have a bouncy pillow fight. Materials Needed For Camping Out On Your Trampoline In The Backyard:  Pillows Sheets Blankets Clothespins to secure the sheets in place Sewing machine if you plan to sew the sheets together Grill or firepit, and favorite camping foods. Stay safe while camping in your backyard by putting out the fire in the pit before you go to sleep. Set up a DIY Movie Theater on the Trampoline Movie night on the trampoline is a great activity to do in tandem with a campout or on its own. Grab a large white sheet and hang it securely across one side of the trampoline's mesh siding.  Set up a projector connected to a source to play the movie, aim it at the sheet and wait for it to get dark, at which point you can switch the projector on and show the movie on the sheet. Don't have a projector nearby? You can project videos, images, and games from your smartphone using this Smartphone Projector. You can even amplify the sound on your smartphone using some common household items!   For the cherry on top, don't forget some homemade popcorn. To get the authentic theater feel, you can make movie theatre popcorn at your own home using butter, coconut oil, popcorn kernels, and salt.  Not only is this a great family activity, but using the trampoline for seating means you'll have enough space for your kids to invite friends over, too.  Materials Needed To Set Up A Movie Theater On Your Trampoline: White sheet Projector Laptop or DVD player to connect to the projector and movies Optional Items: 2 Plastic Cups Cardboard Tube Smartphone Projector Homemade Theater Popcorn Water Play on a Trampoline The combination of water play and trampolines is a touchy subject. If children are left unsupervised or a trampoline is in poor condition, water can quickly become a safety hazard. However, if your trampoline is in good working order and there's a trusted adult watching over all the activities, a trampoline can be a great way to keep kids cool when the mercury starts to rise. Try these games: Grab your sprinkler and place it beneath the trampoline. Adjust the water to come through the trampoline, and let the kids cool off in the spray.  Instead of a sprinkler, turn on the hose. Have or an adult spray a stream of water into the trampoline while each child takes a turn jumping through the spray. If you angle the water to catch the sunlight just right, it will create a rainbow for the kids to jump through. Fill up a bucket of water balloons for a good, old-fashioned water balloon fight on the trampoline. This is sure to keep kids busy, especially if you have them fill up the balloons before playtime and take care of cleanup after. The mess will be contained to the trampoline, and you won't find broken balloon pieces around your backyard for months.  Water balloon jumping can be great fun. Fill up a large batch of water balloons and place them all in the middle of the trampoline. As the kids jump around, the water balloons will bounce and pop unexpectedly.  Blowing bubbles can be a great trampoline activity as well. Have an adult stand outside of the trampoline and blow bubbles inside for the kids to jump over and pop. Have the kids compete to see who can pop the highest bubble. This can make the trampoline very slippery, so make sure children are very careful when bouncing. Materials Needed: Sprinkler Hose Water balloons Bubbles and various bubble wands. Non-Water Games on a Trampoline Water play and trampolines can be a messy topic — both literally and because of the safety debate. So, if you're looking for games that err on the side of caution and won't need as much cleanup, we've got you covered. Again, all require proper adult supervision.  Do you have a group of kids of different ages? Here are some of the best trampoline games for toddlers that older kids can also enjoy: Marco Polo Remember the old pool game Marco Polo? Revive it on the trampoline by having one child stand in the middle with their eyes closed while the others fan out around them. Have the one in the middle yell "Marco!" while the others take turns yelling "Polo" and moving around the trampoline to avoid being touched by the kid with closed eyes. The first one to be "found" becomes the new "Marco."  Trampoline Twister™ Trampoline Twister™ takes a classic board game outside. While you can certainly use the actual Twister set, we think it's more fun to use sidewalk chalk to draw the colored dots directly onto the trampoline. The traditional game has five dots each of yellow, blue, red and green. You can either use the spinner from an indoor version of Twister or let the kids take turns calling out directions to the group.   Rock, Paper, Scissors Just like the old-school hand game, Rock, Paper, Scissors is a way for kids to one-up each other on the trampoline. Instead of using hand motions, kids perform a different "trick" on the trampoline depending on the item they choose. The "rock" is landing on your knees, the "paper" is landing flat, and the "scissors" is landing in a seated position. Trampoline Popcorn In Trampoline Popcorn, one child sits in the middle of the trampoline hugging their knees to their chest. Instruct the other children to jump around them and try to make the one in the middle "pop" up into their air. As with all trampoline play, avoid allowing too large a group of children to jump together at the same time. Balloon Bumping Toss traditional latex balloons or beach balls onto the trampoline. Kids will love chasing them around and jumping up to hit them through the air.  Materials Needed: Colored sidewalk chalk Optional Twister game Latex balloons Beach balls. Making Chalk Art on a Trampoline Trampoline play doesn't have to be all about jumping around, especially if you have several kids to entertain at once. Turn the surface into a giant blackboard, hand your kids a few sticks of sidewalk chalk and see what happens. Here are a few suggestions to get started: HOPSCOTCH: Draw the traditional hopscotch board on the trampoline and let them hop their way from 1 to 10.  TWISTER: As we mentioned earlier, Twister is a great game to play on the trampoline. Use chalk to draw the colored dots and watch your kids twist themselves silly. TIC TAC TOE: X's and O's abound in this old-school game. Use a damp cloth to wipe the "board" and start fresh. MURAL ART: Let your little artist decide what to create. The trampoline is a blank canvas ready for their pictures and stories to come to life.  Materials Needed: Sidewalk chalk. Non-Traditional Ways to Use a Trampoline Besides outdoor camping and movies, there are a lot of non-traditional backyard fun ideas for kids that your family can enjoy with a trampoline, such as: Stargazing: Similar to camping, but less of a time commitment. Grab a pillow and blanket, and meet your family outside under the stars. Everyone can lay comfortably on their backs on the trampoline to gaze up.   Board games: Having a large, flat space to spread out on is perfect for Monopoly or Risk or even a card game or two. And there's always space for extra players. Dance parties: Turn up the music and bust a move on the trampoline. The flexible surface can spice up the moves of even the most reluctant dancer. You can also string lights around the trampoline in advance and turn it into party central. Materials Needed: Pillows Blankets Board games Music player. Educational Uses for a Trampoline Just because it's summertime doesn't mean your kiddos should stop learning. Use your trampoline to keep their minds sharp and be the mom who can brag to her friends that her kids spent the summer learning. Start by writing the entire alphabet around the periphery of the trampoline. Add numbers inside of the letters. Then let the games begin:  Jump from letter to letter. Call out a letter and have your kids jump on top of it. To make it a little more challenging, add an additional instruction. For example, say "Find letter B. Now jump on it five times!" For the older kids, give them a word and have them jump from letter to letter to spell the word.  Instead of having them spell words, call out a combination of numbers and letters and have them repeat the combination by jumping on each one.  Materials Needed: Sidewalk chalk. Pool Noodle Trampoline Hack Pool noodles are a fun and safe addition to trampoline play. But, besides being a great toy, they're actually a helpful tool to use to make your trampoline safer.  If the springs of your trampoline are exposed by a worn or missing mat, pool noodles are a great way to easily and cheaply cover them up. For this project, you'll need approximately 10 pool noodles (depending on the size of your trampoline) and box cutters or a pair of scissors. Then follow the instructions below: Before you start cutting the pool noodles, measure the length of the spring. Make sure you account for the fact that the springs stretch out while in use, and adjust your measurements accordingly. Measure off each noodle to match the length of the springs and cut them to the correct length. Repeat this step until you have one piece of pool noodle for each spring.  Once all of the pieces are divided, cut along one entire side of the noodle to create an opening you can use to wrap the foam around the springs. If you don't want to cut into each piece of foam, you can remove one spring at a time and slide the piece of pool noodle over the spring until the spring is completely encased in foam, then put it back in place.  Once all of the pieces have been cut, slide them onto each spring until they cover the entire trampoline.  Not only does this protect kids from the dangers of trampoline springs, but it is a great way to make your trampoline look more fun.  Materials Needed: Pool noodles — the number will vary depending on the size of your trampoline Scissors or box cutter. Easy Ways to Entertain Your Child for Free With a Trampoline When all is said and done, a trampoline is a great way to give your kids a memorable summer vacation without spending a fortune. All it takes is a little advance planning and creativity. Is that intimidating? Nah — it shouldn't be. With our guide to summer trampoline fun, you're all set.  By the way, in case you haven't noticed, some of these games would be pretty fun for adults, too. We promise not to tell if you and your friends head out to the trampoline after the kids are in bed. See the Fun You Can Have With SkyBound USA Trampoline and Accessories SkyBound USA has been providing trampoline parts since 2009. Our Orange County-based company has expanded to include premium trampolines, and we love designing quality, high-performance trampolines and providing customers with award-winning service and support.  Standardizing safety and excellence on every level, SkyBound USA combines a desire to promote an active lifestyle for children with nurturing the inner-child in everyone by designing innovative products the whole family will love. Our Orion trampoline features a safety mat to cover the trampoline springs and also act as a secondary safety barrier under the safety pad. We use this feature to protect jumpers from falling in between the springs or pinching themselves.  Trampoline safety is a very real worry in this day and age. SkyBound USA understands the concerns that surround trampoline play, and we work tirelessly to promote safety through our quality products and education of our users. For more on our safety advocacy, read our blog.   Now that you've seen how much fun a trampoline can be, don't miss out on all the summer entertainment. Whether you're in the market for your first trampoline or you're rekindling a love affair with this backyard entertainment that harkens back to your own childhood, give us a call. We can help you make the right selection for you and your family. For more information, visit SkyBound USA or call us at 888-891-4689.

It’s no secret exercise is the key to a healthy lifestyle. It burns fat, stimulates the senses, relieves stress and releases endorphins. It leads to better sleep and decreased chances of developing diseases. And to reap its benefits to the max, it’s something we should maintain our whole lives, starting in early childhood. For their best development, we should make sure our kids get their fair share of physical activity, too. But sometimes it’s not that easy. Maybe life’s a little too busy to take the kids out on hikes. Maybe they don’t have the motivation for family exercise, and they’d rather play video games inside. Maybe all that early-20s jogging took its toll on your joints, and you can’t comfortably keep up. There’s a brilliant, bouncy way for everyone in the family to get active and have fun together — and it’s good for more than just your bodies. Below, we’ll explain all the health benefits of jumping on a trampoline, from helping your kids learn to energizing everyone with easy exercise! How Exercise Can Boost the Brain You might think childhood development is all about exposure and education — learning language, social cues, numbers, spelling and reasoning skills. But the best tip to get kids learning is to get them moving — a concept known as “exer-learning.” What is exer-learning? Well, we now know the brain is about more than book learning. It’s connected to every part of the body, composed of 100 billion neurons that communicate through chemicals, synapses and signals that control our thoughts and actions. Exercising regularly boosts and balances neurotransmitter levels to improve the way the brain communicates with the body. Physical activity also strengthens the connection and growth of neuron cells, enhancing learning capabilities and helping kids learn through exercise. There are so many reasons for kids to be active. Simply put, more exercise makes for a stronger, healthier brain that learns more effectively. Studies show kids who engage in 15 to 45 minutes of exercise before class have increased levels of energy, attentiveness, alertness and motivation, making them not only better students, but better thinkers and problem-solvers. In fact, children who exercise regularly show a 20 percent increase in comprehension, display fewer behavioral problems and are less distracted in class. The effects aren’t just temporary, either. While the immediate benefits of exercise lead to better in-school concentration for two to four hours, an active lifestyle builds brain cells and increases cognitive functioning permanently. Exer-learning isn’t only for kids — people of all ages should stay active to improve their moods, prevent cognitive decline and boost their brains, providing them with healthy benefits for a balance of productive work, self-improvement and family life. What Happens to Your Body on a Trampoline You might not have it pinned on the top of your exercise routine list, but bouncing — also called rebounding — is a surprisingly healthy way to stimulate your brain and body. A springy workout delivers a variety of boosts to your body for a refreshing aerobic reaction. Here’s the anatomy of bouncing in both kids and adults: 1. Muscle Reaction for More Energy When you begin bouncing, you engage your muscles in a challenging way they’re not used to. To keep them functioning properly so they can continue to support your new movements, your body triggers the need for more fuel. This means you use higher levels of glucose and ATP, your body’s natural energy source. Everything amps up so you can spring into action! 2. Increased Breathing Rate To create more ATP and tap into extra energy, your body needs more oxygen. Your lungs must work harder, and your breathing rate speeds up. Don’t worry — heavy breathing doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of shape or it’s time to call it quits. You’re just adjusting to a new activity type and making sure you have enough air and energy. 3. Rising Heart Rate With increased lung function comes a quicker heart rate — all that oxygen needs to filter through your body to deliver energy to your muscles and increase circulation. Your heart works harder to pump oxygen-rich blood everywhere you need it, which keeps you energized. Not only is this good for conditioning, but it keeps your most vital organ happy and healthy. 4. Brain Buzz Think of bouncing as a snack for your brain. It engages your synapses and triggers stress reactions, releasing chemicals that affect your body in different ways. The spark in brain activity will increase your focus and sharpen your alertness, helping you escape external stressors and experience the moment. A flood of endorphins and serotonin will also increase your happiness and leave you with a natural buzz. 5. Core Temperature Spike All that work raises your core body temperature, dilating your blood vessels and sending blood flow to the skin’s surface. You’ll sweat to cool down more quickly, ridding your body of extra toxins and allowing you to feel relaxed, refreshed and rejuvenated. Who knew something so fun could have such serious potential for a good workout? Health Benefits of Rebounding Now you know what bouncing can do for your body in real time, but did you realize it has long-term physical benefits, as well? This aerial, aerobic exercise can help you sleep better, keep you slim and trim, improve your brain and enhance various parts of your body. Incorporate rebounding into your regular routine to see these advantages for yourself and your kids: 1. Heart Health You probably haven’t thought of it this way, but a good rebounding workout is a unique way to deliver a healthy dose of cardio, increasing your heart rate and strengthening the muscles for your cardiovascular system. Increased lipids and protein levels work to rid your cells of excess fat blockage, and your strengthened heart will enhance muscle performance, enable better breathing capacity and prevent heart disease. Bounce your way to longevity. 2. Bone Health Jumping is a strength-building exercise for your legs and core. Landing, bending and working to push yourself upward repetitively puts a healthy amount of stress on your bones, encouraging them to increase in density. For this reason, rebounding even reduces your chances of developing osteoporosis. For young children, bouncing stimulates the pituitary gland, encouraging bone growth and strengthening the musculoskeletal system. 3. Joint Health Even if we’re active in our lives, many of us worry about joint health as we get older, and it can be a major impediment in selecting exercise. Is jumping on a trampoline bad for your joints? Not at all — in fact, it’s quite the opposite. The springy give of a trampoline’s surface absorbs the force of impact when you land, preventing your spine, knees and ankles from shock. Bouncing is the perfect way to get your body moving without jolting and jarring your joints. It’s even a good exercise for people with knee issues. 4.  Energy Levels All the increased oxygen, enhanced blood flow and extra endorphins involved in your body’s aerobic reaction to rebounding result in higher energy levels. Incorporating bouncing into your lifestyle will help you or your kids remain alert, focused and full of energy, increasing performance, productivity and enjoyment. 5. Balance and Coordination The process of jumping, landing, balancing and rebounding are beneficial to your vestibular system, a structure located in your inner ear that helps determine your sense of balance. When you bounce on a trampoline, you provide your body with vestibular stimulation, helping you gain better motor skills, coordination, spatial orientation and balance. The activity also contributes to better core strength, assisting your overall, long-term wellness in similar ways to yoga and meditation. 6. Mental Health Rebounding can be beneficial to both your mind and body, and its vigorous stimulation can actually be the key to letting you relax. The extra oxygen circulating to your brain tissue increases concentration and focus, while the released endorphins help you feel happier, maintain more energy throughout the day and sleep more soundly at night. There’s nothing better than reducing stress and spiking mental activity through a fun, freeing release. 7. Weight Loss Rebounding is a full-body workout that engages all your muscles in rewarding ways. It will boost your metabolism, burn quick calories, get rid of excess cellulite and increase your ratio of muscle to fat. With lower cholesterol and a better resting metabolism, your goals of weight loss or maintenance are simple to reach and exceed. 8. Lymphatic Boost To stay healthy, your body needs a way to rid itself of harmful toxins, keep your immune system strong and fight off potential threats like illness and disease. Your lymphatic system is responsible for these jobs, and plays a key role in your overall health. Rebounding stimulates your cells, aiding the lymphatic system in balancing important components like your spleen, thyroid gland and lymph nodes. 9. Aging Prevention Here’s a bonus benefit of bouncing — it helps slow the physical process of aging. In addition to everything else it does for your body, rebounding prevents atrophy, keeping you looking as youthful as you feel when you jump up and down. Why Outdoor Exercise Is Best for Kids In addition to the benefits of bouncing itself, outdoor activity has a unique set of advantages for child development. While you and your kids bounce your way to better brain function and health, you can also help them grow in other ways. Here’s how outdoor exercise challenges your kids: - Social Skill Development An awesome trampoline offers an activity hub for all the neighborhood kids or allows quality time with parents and siblings. Exercising with others is a great way for kids to improve teamwork, communication and building a sense of community. - Sensory Stimulation Video games might spark the imagination, but exercising outside lets your kids experience the world in a nitty-gritty, real way. There’s nothing like breathing the fresh air, smelling the seasons and feeling the spring of a trampoline beneath their feet. - Creative Stimulation As opposed to being glued to screens, playing outside gives your kids the chance to test their imaginations and build their creative skills. They can invent games, act as new characters and complete special missions as they jump around squashing bad guys or competing for the highest hop. The fun is up to them! - Interaction With Nature Observing the outdoors and appreciating natural beauty is essential to children’s aesthetic development and mental health. It’s invigorating for the body, relaxing to the mind and gives kids a wider scope of the world than they can gain from sitting inside. Your kids will be happier and healthier than ever bouncing in the backyard, staring up at the open sky and catching leaves that cascade onto the trampoline. Games for Fun Trampolining If you or your kids need some extra trampoline inspiration to bounce you over the moon, here are some games to try: 1. H-O-R-S-E Get your creative juices and gymnastic skills flowing as you compete with tricks, flips and bounces. Take turns calling out different moves to try on the trampoline. When one player performs the trick successfully, everyone else must copy it correctly. When you mess up, add a letter to your score. If you’re the last one to spell out H-O-R-S-E, you win! 2. Hot Potato Pass a ball around as you jump, pretending it’s too hot to hold for more than a second. But be quick and careful — if you carry the ball for too long, drop it or stop jumping, you’re out. The last one standing wins the game. 3. Hoops For a fun take on a classic game, try installing a play net to the side of your trampoline and getting everyone together for a round of basketball. You can compete, dribble while you bounce or take turns shooting from different distances. See who can make the farthest shot! 4. Dance-Off If you don’t mind getting goofy, show off your moves by turning your trampoline into a stage. You can use your bouncy surface to add a spring to your step as you turn on some tunes and dance without a care. It’s so much fun, you’ll forget you’re exercising. 5. Bouncing Contests See who can spring the highest by challenging each other to a bounce-off. You can do seat drops, bouncing off your butt and back up to see who gets tired first, or bounce at opposite times to propel each other farther upward. Bounce With SkyBound If you’re ready to get your bounce on and see the benefits for yourself and your family, explore all SkyBound USA has to offer. Providing high-performance, premium trampolines since 2009, we’re invested in nurturing the inner child in everyone! With safe, secure, all-weather-resistant products in various shapes, sizes and colors, we’ll deliver the reliable family fun you desire. Check out our outstanding products to bounce your way to better health today!

If you have a family, you know how important it is to keep your kids not only occupied, but active. So many of today’s learning and playing options have removed the element of physical activity, and when kids are glued to TVs, iPads or phone screens watching their favorite cartoons, playing video games or scrolling through an assortment of apps, they’re not gaining the full-body experience they need to learn and grow best. That’s right — kids still need some good, old-fashioned fresh air and activity to stimulate their brains and trigger attention and learning skills, while building strong muscles, bones and hearts. And don’t forget about yourself. Between work, household responsibilities and raising a family, it’s hard to get to the gym or pick up your old jogging habit, but adults need regular exercise, too. An active family is one that is happier, healthier and invested in quality time together. You don’t have to force the kids into activities to make sure they stay moving, and it’s not as hard as you think to make exercise a priority for yourself. To make sure everyone’s staying active, make working out fun by exercising as a family! You’ll be surprised where you can throw in physical activity — in between dinners and TV shows, during daily routines — and even in exciting ways that don’t feel like work at all. Fit exercise into your lives with fun family workouts that strengthen bodies and bonds. We’ll show you how. How Much Exercise Do Kids Need? Physical activity is crucial for growing kids. Not only does it allow them to express their energy and move their bodies, but it triggers healthy brain growth, leads to better in-school performance and prevents childhood obesity, which is at an alarmingly high rate. Children who exercise have stronger bones, lower body fat levels, reduced chances of depression and anxiety and better cardiovascular and muscle systems. Active kids also tend to have healthier adulthoods and reduced chances of chronic diseases like hypertension, osteoporosis and heart disease. Despite the importance of being active, however, 74 percent of children aged 5 to 10 don’t get the amount of exercise they need to stay healthy. The American government’s Physical Activity Guidelines recommend kids engage in 60 minutes of vigorous- and moderate-intensity activity every day. For the best overall health, workouts should combine different types of exercise that stimulate various parts of the body for the best overall health. Here are the three types of activities your kids should get involved with. Aerobic: This kind of exercise involves rhythmically moving large muscle groups to increase heart and lung fitness. Appropriate activities might include running, jumping, skipping, swimming, bicycling and jumping rope. Aerobic activity should make up most of the daily hour of exercise, and kids should include vigorous activities at least three days a week. Muscle-strengthening: Exercise and play that work the muscles harder than usual should be part of kids’ routines at least three days a week. Activities like climbing trees, using playground equipment or playing tug-of-war put children’s muscles into “overload” and make them stronger, much like weightlifting for adults. Healthy muscles are important for energy, metabolism and better growth down the line. Bone-strengthening: Activities that build bone capacity are also essential to a child’s development and involve impact exercises that promote bone strength and growth through force. Basketball, tennis, hopscotch, jumping rope and running are all appropriate activities for strengthening kids’ bones at least three days a week. The kinds of exercises your kids need are easy to incorporate and combine, and yet most parents let their children spend an average of seven and a half hours on screens every day instead. Everyone needs some time for relaxation, but make sure your main priority is to keep your family moving! Their health will thank you for it. How Much Exercise Do Adults Need? Exercise is important for adults, as well. Like kids, you need a combination of aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities of moderate to vigorous intensity, but you don’t need nearly as much. Two and a half hours of moderate aerobic activity or a little over one hour of vigorous aerobic activity should suffice weekly, in combination with some muscle-strengthening exercise at least two days a week. Fitting in a workout can be as easy as some brisk walking, jogging, swimming or dancing a few times a week, but more than 80 percent of adults don’t get the exercise they need. How to Turn Exercising Into a Family Activity We know raising your kids is a full-time job on top of your full-time job, so we’ve brainstormed some simple, fun, accessible workout routines for your family. With these family fitness ideas you can do at home, nearby or on the go, everyone in your household will get the amount of activity and quality time they need. 1. Bounce It Off Bouncing on a trampoline is one of the best ways to build brain activity, get your heart pumping, increase muscle function and circulation, boost the immune system, improve joint health and have tons of fun! You and your kids can play all kinds of games as you jump, springboard your imaginations, compare hopping heights and enjoy each other’s company. Trampolines are perfect for backyard spring and summer fun, autumn bouncing with crunchy leaves and indoor excitement in the winter. With so many ways to enjoy bouncing, your family will never want to sit still again. 2. Cruise the Neighborhood Who says exercise has to be planned out and portioned into sets and strength-building activities? Sometimes, one of the best ways to exercise as a family — while rejuvenating your brain and body — is to spend some time outside. For an easy, carefree physical activity you can do anytime, get your kids out the door and onto the sidewalk. A stress-relieving turn around the neighborhood will get you out of the house and out of your head while giving the kids the opportunity to shake their sillies out. No matter your kids’ ages, you can make your walk exciting in different ways. Walk together as you talk about your day, or play word games like “I Spy” to keep your minds and senses occupied. If your kids would rather bike or scooter, you can follow behind and catch a little Zen time. Babies are welcome, as well! Just bring a stroller. 3. Hit the Park Looking for outdoor workout plans for your family? If you have a park, playground or walking trail nearby, it’s the perfect place to blow off some steam and get your bodies moving. You and the kids can walk, bike, scooter or skate along trails, play tag or bring balls to get you running around in green spaces or divide your time between nature and play equipment. In areas with both a playground and park, you can let the kids enjoy climbing, sliding and swinging while you keep an eye on them from the track. Community play areas also offer a great opportunity for social development. You can even partake in playground games that are both fun and educational for your young ones! 4. Dance it Off Exercise can get goofy and fun, as well as active! If your children love music, let them express their creative side by busting out their favorite dance moves. Dancing is one of the best exercises you can do at home — in the backyard, in the basement, even in the kitchen before dinner or the family room before bedtime. Turn on some tunes and let your silly sides show as you jam together. If you like, you can even try an instructive dancing DVD or show. You’ll be smiling, sweating and laughing as a family as you watch each other wiggle. 5. Shake up Commercial Breaks If some family TV time is part of your routine, sneak in some exercise when your favorite shows pause for commercials. For a few minutes during every break, get everyone up off the couch and involved in some physical fun. Wondering how to make working out fun at home? Incorporate a different exercise into each commercial break. Skip around the room, invent silly names for a few quick push-ups and sit-ups, or play Simon Says with moves like marching, dancing, wiggling, hopping and jumping jacks. Avoid the boredom of commercial breaks or create timeouts to make sure the kids mix downtime with a healthy dose of fitness. 6. Join a Charity Run Get yourself and the kids involved in the community by participating in walks or runs for charitable causes. The exciting buzz of the atmosphere and the interaction with others — not to mention the incentive of a medal or prize — will get your kids motivated. Charity runs are a great chance to make new friends and support meaningful causes while making sure your family stays physically active. If your kids are young, try to choose races with shorter distances so they won’t get too tired. See what charity runs and events are happening near you! 7. Team Up! If you have a family of sports fans, put your skills to the test by engaging in some competitive family fun! Set aside one or two evenings a week to play group games. You can assemble soccer goals in your backyard, head down to the neighborhood basketball court or hit hockey pucks around your basement. Get everyone involved in the game, and break into different combinations of teams each time to encourage all kinds of bonding. If you like, you can even try a different sport every week. You and the kids will be hooting, hollering and cheering each other on as you get your heads in the game and forget you’re even exercising. 8. Walk the Dog Don’t forget about your furry family members! They need exercise as much as you. Don’t just let your dog in and out to do business — use your canine friend as another opportunity to explore the outdoors. Make it part of your daily routine to take the dog on a route around the neighborhood, down the street or around your local park. You and the kids can take turns holding the leash, choosing different areas to investigate and playing with your puppy. Sneak in some quick cardio by doing sprints. Everyone will love the activity and quality time. 9. Grow a Garden For families with a green thumb, gardening offers a refreshing way to promote muscle-strengthening activities. Your kids can help with digging, planting, transporting plants and patting down soil. Have them pull weeds, pick fruits or vegetables, rake plots and push in stakes. When the work’s done, walk around a few times and admire a job well done. 10. Take Care of Yard Business Like garden work, assisting with yard upkeep can be a great way for kids to get active, help with the home and spend some extra time with you. Make your children your special helpers in activities like raking leaves, watering plants, trimming trees and clearing debris. If they’re old enough and you’re comfortable, you can even teach them to mow the lawn, prune the hedges or weed-whack with you. Some fresh air and hard work are invigorating and useful for everyone. 11. Make a Splash In the warmer months, promote good health and family fun by adding swimming to your exercise list. Playing water games, doing laps, paddling and splashing together are wonderful ways to work the muscles and encourage aerobic activity. Water provides both challenging resistance and refreshing cooling for the body, making for a satisfying, fun workout. Install a pool in your backyard or take a trip to your local lake, beach or community pool to get your flippers moving. 12. Go Sledding During the winter, nothing makes for a better time than rolling around in the snow — and it’s good for your body, too. Taking the kids sledding is a great way for all of you to breathe in the icy chill, experience a rushing thrill and get in some exercise. Dragging those sleds back up the hill after a good ride is great for your heart and your muscles, as well. Try racing the kids to the top each time! Snowball fights and snowman-building are other snowy activities that’ll keep you moving. 13. Skate Away If you’re good with balance and easy on your feet, take your family to a local skating rink. With so many ways to move, skating is great for brain, body and bonding. Show off your dance moves on the roller rink, hold hands and skate in stride or have some holiday fun with ice skating. If your kids love it enough, invest in a pair of skates for everyone so you can add them into your neighborhood strolls. 14. Bowl Bowling is another fun way to get out of the house, get involved with the community and learn a new skill that’s good for your body. Take the kids to a bowling alley after school or on a weekend to get their legs moving, their arms pumping and their coordination skills on point. With music, teams, goals and learning, you won’t even have to sell this as exercise, just a few hours of fun. You can set up your own pins in the basement for an at-home version. 15. Row Your Boat If adventurous is your game, try picking up a new active, exciting hobby in the summer by getting into boating. Take the kids kayaking, rowing, rafting, tubing or waterboarding with motorboats. The water resistance is a great workout for the arms and legs, and you’ll all stay cool in the heat. If you don’t have a body of water nearby, try it out as a bonus activity during your vacation to the lake or beach. Let SkyBound USA Deliver Your Family Fun For fun family exercise ideas you can enjoy every day, all year, check out SkyBound USA’s selection of high-quality, premium trampolines. Dedicated to drawing out everyone’s inner child, we’ve been delivering family fitness to homes across America since 2009. Our collection of all-weather-resistant, superiorly safe indoor/outdoor trampolines come in all shapes and sizes to suit every kid, teen and adult. Reach for the sky with your family exercise goals, and give yourself and the kids a better reason to love fitness. Check out our outstanding selection of trampolines today.