Trampolining

Trampolining is bouncing on a trampoline, a strong fabric bed held tight inside a frame by springs or stretchy cords. You can do it just for fun, or as a gymnastics sport where people link jumps, twists and somersaults into short routines. It's a brilliant way to burn off energy, and children and grown-ups can both have a go.

Trampoline gymnastics has been an Olympic sport since 2000, so those big bounces can take you a very long way.

A garden trampoline is the round kind many families have at home, usually with a safety net around the edge.

A competition trampoline is rectangular, with a bed woven from narrow strips of webbing. It gives a bigger, more controlled bounce, and it's the kind used in gymnastics clubs and at the Olympics.

A double mini-trampoline is small and sloped at one end. You run at it, bounce on it and finish by landing on a soft mat.

Trampoline parks join lots of trampolines together into one big bouncy floor, often with foam pits and sloping walls to jump against.

Your Activity Leader starts with how to climb on and off safely and where to bounce: right in the middle of the bed, often marked with a cross or a box. Next comes the most useful skill of all, which is stopping. Bending your knees as you land soaks up the bounce so you stop still, and trampoliners call this killing the bounce.

Once you feel steady, you'll try the classic shapes in the air. There's the tuck jump (knees hugged to your chest), the straddle jump (legs out wide) and the pike jump (legs straight out in front). Then comes the half twist, where you turn to face the other way in mid-air. Drops come next, where you land on your seat, front or back and bounce up to your feet again. A seat drop is usually the first one people learn. Somersaults come much later, and only with expert help.

Yes, and it's hard to find a child who doesn't love it. Every jump means working out where your body is in the air, so it's a great way to practise balance and coordination without it ever feeling like hard work. Grown-ups can join in too, and there's something wonderful about watching your child land their first seat drop. Everyone goes at their own pace and can take a break whenever they need one.

Socks and comfortable clothes you can stretch and move in, like leggings, joggers or shorts. Shoes come off before you climb on. Take off any jewellery, empty your pockets and tie back long hair so nothing gets in the way mid-bounce.

You might also like Aerial Bungee, Parkour and Flying Trapeze.

See all Camp Kindling activities