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How to throw a trampoline sleepover party

First published on Tuesday 18 January 2022

Camping in the garden just got way more exciting. For your kid's trampoline sleepover party, try these trampoline games, campout ideas, and important safety tips

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Sleeping in the garden is an old-time favourite for a kids party, but have you ever thought about upping the ante with a trampoline sleepover?

If you think about it, trampolines are basically glorified hammocks. There's no lumpy ground to try and get comfortable on, and they're easy to make cosy with help from a few blankets and cushions. Plus, they're perfect for occupying the kids during the day – who doesn't love a good bounce around on a trampoline?

With all that in mind, here are our tips for throwing the ultimate trampoline sleepover party, including trampoline party game ideas, food inspiration, and some advice on playing safely.

How to set up your trampoline

As the main venue for your party, your trampoline needs to be easily transformed both into the play area and a cosy sleeping den in the night time.

Start off by putting up a trampoline enclosure . This is a perimeter of netting that goes around the trampoline, which will keep your kids safe by making sure they can't fall out while bouncing.

You could also use it to add some extra glam to the trampoline. Try hanging some bunting or colourful sheets of fabric from the netting.

When your kids have finished bouncing, it's time to get the trampoline tent out. This is a literal tent that you can fix to the trampoline, which helps keep rain or cool breezes out while your kids and their friends are sleeping.

For maximum comfort during the sleepover part of the party, you will also need:

  • Blankets
  • Cushions
  • Sheets
  • Sleeping bags
  • Battery-powered fairy lights

Trampoline party games for kids

We all know the pure joy of bouncing for hours on a trampoline, but if your kids do tire of it you can suggest these games to keep things fresh and fun.

Poison ball

Touch the balloons (or bouncy balls) at your peril! For this game, one player stands in the middle of the trampoline while the rest of the party stands on the outside and chucks balloons at them.

The player on the trampoline must avoid the missiles being thrown at them – bonus points for dramatic lunges and bounces to get out of the way!

If a balloon touches the player, they forfeit their position on the trampoline to the player who hit them.

You could time how long each player manages to stay on the trampoline without being hit to make things really competitive.

Bubble pop

This is a nice relaxing game that is ideal for younger kids. From the edge of the trampoline, blow bubbles into the middle where the player will try to pop as many as they can.

Encourage the player to bounce as high as they can on the trampoline to catch those more out of reach bubbles as they float away.

Trampoline hopscotch

With a piece of chalk, sketch out a hopscotch route on the trampoline for your kids to navigate one at a time.

Encourage the kids to bounce from square to square in style, for example by making a funny shape in the air between jumps. The rest of the party can score the player based on their ambition and technique, then tot up who got the most points at the end.

Keeper of the keys

Have one player sit cross-legged in the middle of the trampoline, while the other players sit in a ring around the outside.

One by one, the players must try and sneak across the trampoline and touch the person in the middle without them noticing.

If the person in the middle senses any movement or noise, they can point to where they think it's coming from. If they successfully point at the player trying to reach them, that player must return to the trampoline edge.

But if a player from the edge manages to reach the person in the middle, they then have a chance to guess who has touched them. If they guess right, then the game continues and they stay sat in the middle of the trampoline. Guess wrong, and the player who touched them takes their place.

Fun activities to try at your trampoline sleepover

Fun on a trampoline doesn't have to stop at party games and bounces.

Once it starts to get dark, and you've got the pillows and blankets in place, you can get some of these more traditional sleepover activities going:

  • Card games – show the party how to play fun card games like Go Fish, Cheat and Rummy, or if you have the cards you could try Dobble (basically an advanced and high speed version of Snap). It helps if you can give your kids and their friends a tray to use as a card table on the trampoline.
  • Pillow fight - for kids who haven't already tired themselves out with all the trampolining, a pillow fight is a super fun way to use up that excess energy. You may need to intervene if anyone plays too aggressively, or if the pillow fight gives way to unsafe bouncing ( RoSPA recommend that only one person bounce on a trampoline at once).
  • Watch a film - if you have a tablet or smartphone going spare, lend it to the party for an outdoor movie night. Just make sure you have those parental controls switched on! Get inspiration with our roundup of the best kids' movies of all time .
  • Stargazing - before you replace the trampoline enclosure with the trampoline tent, challenge the kids to find as many constellations as they can. There are lots of good apps to help you navigate the stars, including one for young stargazers called Star Walk Kids (available on Android and Apple ).

What to eat and drink at a trampoline party

Since this is a high energy party, you'll want to serve something nice and light to eat. Think little nibbles rather than big meals – you don't want any food to come back up the wrong way after a particularly vigorous bounce on the trampoline!

Since you're throwing a party in the garden, why not pair it with a barbecue?

We've got recipes for all sorts of classic BBQ dishes , like these Seattle-style hot dogs , easy homemade burgers and spicy chicken kebabs . For veggie options, you could try these halloumi and sweet potato skewers or these cauliflower hot wings .

For sweet snacks, nothing goes better with camping in the garden than some toasty s'mores . Pair them with a steaming mug of hot chocolate to keep everybody warm in the cool evening outdoors.

And when it comes to the birthday cake, you could try your hand at making a trampoline cake! It doesn't have to be complicated – just use a rectangular baking tray, and decorate the sponge with icing to make it look like a trampoline.

We love this example from The Bubbly Hostess , who has printed off pictures of her kid and attached them to the cake using springs so that he looks like he's bouncing.

What to put in trampoline party bags

On top of the traditional slice of birthday cake, trampoline party bags can include anything that makes you think about bouncing or being airborne.

Some party favour ideas include:

  • Bubbles
  • Bouncy balls
  • Spring toys/slinkies
  • Skipping rope
  • Bag of popcorn

Safety tips for kids on the trampoline

Accidents do happen on trampolines, so it's important you think about how to keep things safe and avoid any injuries.

If you're buying a new trampoline, check that it has pads to cover up the metal springs, hooks and frame. All new trampolines should meet the European Standard EN71-14:2014 'Safety of toys – Trampolines for domestic use'.

Put your trampoline on soft, energy absorbent ground like grass, wood chip or some other springy material. Do not place the trampoline on concrete.

RoSPA recommend these basic rules for kids using a trampoline:

  • Take turns, one at a time! 60% of injuries occur when more than one person is on the trampoline. The person weighing less is five times more likely to be injured.
  • Don't allow somersault or risky complicated moves – unless trained and highly skilled.
  • Never allow a bouncing exit (i.e. kids shouldn't jump off the trampoline).
  • Trampolines are not suitable for children under six years of age .
  • All children should be supervised when on the trampoline.

Looking for more themed-party ideas for your kid? Get inspiration from our articles below, or ask other parents for party planning tips in the forum:

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