Are trampolines safe for young children 6 years and up?

What the evidence says

The short answer from Canadian doctors is no, trampolines are not seen as safe play equipment for children of any age, including kids who are 6 and older. The Canadian Paediatric Society has stated clearly that trampolines should not be used at home, at the cottage, or as playground equipment for children or teens.

This might surprise parents because 6 is often mentioned as an age cutoff. That number actually comes from a different, narrower warning: Health Canada says children under 6 should never use a trampoline at all, because their bones and coordination are especially fragile. But going over that age line does not mean a trampoline becomes safe. It just removes the very highest risk group.

School-age kids between about 5 and 14 are actually the group most often injured on trampolines, according to Canadian hospital injury data. Common injuries include broken bones, sprains, and cuts, and less often, serious head, neck, or spinal cord injuries that can cause lasting harm. Doctors have found that safety nets, padding, and even having an adult watching do not stop most injuries, because most happen from awkward landings on the mat itself, not from falling off.

Trampoline parks are not a safer alternative. Canadian guidance notes that children hurt at trampoline parks are actually more likely to need hospital admission than those hurt on backyard trampolines.

If your family already owns a trampoline or is considering one, the official guidance is to avoid it. If you decide to use one anyway, doctors suggest allowing only one child on it at a time, always having active adult supervision, never allowing flips or somersaults, keeping the trampoline low to the ground and away from hazards, and checking that all springs and edges are padded. These steps can reduce some risks but cannot make a trampoline fully safe.