Active Indoor Play: Mini Trampoline and Jumping Activities

Stuck inside with kids who desperately need to burn off energy? Yep, me too. We saw the long, cold winter ahead and bought our kids a mini trampoline for Christmas. It was the Bear’s big present and it has been a LIFESAVER. We were at my parents’ house for the holidays with 5 kids 5 and under, and we got our money’s worth that first week. The trampoline is super fun and helps the kids to be active indoors. The only issue we’ve run in to is that sometimes just plain jumping gets a little old. I’ve compiled a great list of fun activities to do on a mini trampoline (or on the ground if you don’t have one). Our mini trampoline has a support bar, which I’ve found is really helpful for kids under 5. If you want one for your kids, find great deals on mini trampolines here.

We like to call these our trampoline challenges. The Bear LOVES a challenge. I’ll ask him if he’s ready for a trampoline challenge and then tell him one of the ideas below. It gets him moving and he has a blast. Many of the ideas can be adapted for jumping on the floor as well. Kids should always jump with supervision.

Mini Trampoline Challenges:

• Jump as BIG as you can while I count to 50 (or you child does if they can)
• Jump front to back
• Jump side to side
• Run in place on the trampoline
• Jump on one leg
• Switch to the other leg
• Jump on and off
• Jump off on to a couch cushion
• Knees up jumping
• Count as you bounce
• Bounce for each letter as you say the alphabet
• Add the trampoline to your Indoor Obstacle Course
• Bounce a ball off the trampoline (endless fun at our house)
• Turn on music and dance as you jump
• Jump as crazy as you can
• Challenge your sibling to see who can jump the longest
• Bounce your stuffed animals (place a stuffed friend on the trampoline as you jump – hilarious to my kids)

Have so much fun jumping and being silly with your kids. I hope your mini trampoline (or floor) provides you with as much entertainment as our’s has. Find our other ideas for indoor play here and preschool activities here. Check out these other fabulous active indoor play ideas from my fellow Kid Blogger Network bloggers below.

Active Indoor Play Ideas:

Active Indoor Game – Land, Sea, and Air from What Do We Do All Day? Blog

Balloons! 10 Easy Indoor Active Ideas from Betsy’s Photography

Family Game Night: Build a Letter from Growing Book by Book

LEGO Rockets Math Activity from Creekside Learning

Reading Readiness Games from Sight and Sound Reading

Bean Bag Toss from The Gingerbread House

Igloo Building from Study at Home Mama

Run and Find Syllables from This Reading Mama