Small Memories

Take playing dress-up to the next level by playing this game on the trampoline. It’s fun for kids to play and for grownups to watch!

Late For School
This game is for two or more players and can be played on or off the trampoline. It is similar to “Sock Search.” Playing it on the trampoline adds a little fun and difficulty.

“Late for school” is played with a suit of grown-up clothing for each child. The children sit in a circle or facing each other with the clothes in a pile in the middle of the trampoline.

When the “alarm clock” rings, the children scramble to the clothing. The first child (or team) to be fully dressed and seated wins the game. Continue the play by having the children remove the play clothes and put them in the middle again.

Variation: For older children who are playing on teams, you may want to allow “dressed” children to go to the other team’s side and bounce around anyone who is not “dressed.” This strategy may buy a teammate time to finish dressing.

Note: Make sure each child has the same number of garments to put on. For instance, you will want all children to have two matching socks, a button-up shirt, a pair of long pants, etc. It’s important that these clothes be over-sized to make the game easier to play. You can adjust the difficulty of the game by adding rules such as all buttons must be fastened; all zippers must be closed; socks must match; etc.

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Don’t forget to pick up a few trampoline-champion trophies here to remind you of the great times spent on the trampoline.

Add these two trampoline games to your list of things to keep your children busy this summer. Not only are the games a fun way to exercise outdoors, but they are educational as well.

Trampoline Horse
This game is for two to four older players. You will need a ball that can be easily caught, preferably a beach ball, foam rubber ball or balled up socks. Start the game by having the players sit in a circle or across from each other if there only two players. The players being a rhythm of jump, sit, jump, sit.

Each time the players jump, the ball is thrown to the person who is seated next in the circle (or across the circle for a harder version.) Each player sits down, then bounces to a standing position and throws the ball. The other player must catch the ball and then sit down. If the rhythm is lost or the ball not caught, the game begins again and the person who messed up gets the first letter in the word Horse.

If the “thrower” made it impossible for the next person to catch the ball, then s/he gets a letter. The first person to spell the word Horse steps out of the game. The game continues until there is only one person left. That person starts the next game.

This trampoline activity is good for teaching rhythm, eye-hand coordination, and synchronization skills.

Add-on
All of the children sit on the pad in a row. The first child does a trick on the trampoline. This could be as simple as jumping three times, splitting their legs in the air, or more difficult such as a flip. You wouldn’t want to allow flips, if all those participating cannot do them.

The second child does the first child’s trick, and then adds one of his or her own. The third child does the first and second trick and then adds his or her own. This continues down the line with each child adding a trick. If a child forgets a trick or the order, they are out. The game continues until all but one child is out. The remaining child starts the next round.

This game is great for teaching memory, concentration, and sequence.

More Resources:

Don’t forget to pick up a few trampoline-champion trophies & keepsakes to remind you of the good times you had on the trampoline.