17 Super Fun Trampoline Games for Kids and Adults

Trampolines can turn an ordinary backyard into a place of fun and games. A well-built trampoline will last several years, providing fun for multiple children of several ages, as well as the adults in your family. Additionally, replacement parts are available, should you need them to extend the life of your trampoline.

Not only is trampolining fun, but it has the following health benefits:

• Tone and firm muscles
• Improve circulation of the lymph through the lymph glands
• Increase oxygen circulation to the tissues and oxygen capacity
• Improve sense of balance
• Increase energy
• Stimulate the metabolism
• Increase coordination
• Strengthen the heart

Although trampolines can be dangerous, they continue to draw families, as they are relatively inexpensive to purchase. With the addition of safety nets which surround the play surface, many of the accidents of the past are no longer a concern. Still, it is suggested that parents keep watch to make sure kids do not try stunts that might be too risky.

Our selection of games to play on the trampoline has some old favorites and a few new ones with which you might not be familiar. We start with super easy games suitable for preschoolers and share progressively harder games, ending with those that require more skill and maturity.

Ring Around the Rosy

This old favorite is perfect for playing on the trampoline. All the players form a circle while holding hands and take turns deciding how they will fall down – sit, fall on the back, knee drop, etc. They all walk around in the circle while chanting,

Ring around thе rosy,
Pocket full оf posies,
Ashes, ashes, we all fall down!

Then everyone falls down at the same time.

Crazy Counting

This simple game requires no skill on the trampoline, so it works well for younger kids and anyone not proficient on a trampoline. One person is “It” and closes their eyes or wears a blindfold. It stands in the middle of the trampoline and counts to ten. Everyone moves around and when It says “10,” they stop. The person in the middle points in a direction and where they point is out. The winner is the last person left and becomes the next It.

Crack the Egg (Pop the Popcorn)

You only need two players to play this game, but it can be played by up to six people. One person sits in the middle of the trampoline with their knees tucked up to their chest and hugging their knees so that they form a ball. The other player(s) start jumping with the goal of making the person in the middle open their arms and/or change their position. Take turns and, if you wish, keep score to see who “pops” or “cracks” the least number of times.

One, Two, Three, Sit!

Two to four people make a circle standing on the trampoline. One person begins counting, “one, two, three,” and then says, “Sit!” Everyone sits down at the same time, causing some players to fly up in the air. Make sure no one is too close to the edge or they might fly off the trampoline. The more you do this, the higher you will be able to go, making it seem almost as if you are flying.

Don’t Wake the Baby

One player lays on the trampoline with their arm covering their eyes pretending to be sleeping. All the other players are off the trampoline. One at a time, players attempt to creep up on the baby and tag it. If they manage to do so, the baby must guess who tagged them without looking. If they guess correctly, the tagger becomes the next baby.

Hose

On a hot summer day, your kids will love playing on the trampoline with a hose. Have them dress in swim clothes and jump away on a wet trampoline. One person can spray everyone with the hose or you can put a sprinkler under or next to the trampoline (depending upon what type of sprinkler you use). This game is best played on a trampoline with a net, as the top gets slippery.

Trampoline Dodgeball

You will need at least six people for this fun trampoline version of dodgeball. Two players remain on the trampoline and the rest stay on the ground around the outside of the trampoline. Those on the ground attempt to hit those on the trampoline with a soft ball. If someone succeeds, they change places with the person they hit and get a point. The game continues until someone has ten points. If someone hits another player in the head, they lose a point.

Variations:

• Play can continue until fifteen or twenty points if you have more players.
• Playing with two balls increases the fun.

Trampoline Tag

One person has a soft ball and closes their eyes or is blindfolded. The blindfolded player tries to tag people with the ball. If they lose the ball, they must open their eyes or take off the blindfold and go get the ball. The last person tagged is the next one to be “It.”

Hot Potato

All the players except for one stay on the trampoline and jump. The player on the ground throws a soft ball between the players, who try to catch the ball. If a player fails to catch the ball, drops it, or stops jumping, they leave the game. The last player remaining wins the game.

Follow the Leader

The classic game of follow the leader takes a new twist and becomes even more fun on a trampoline. We have included four versions:

• Version 1: Everyone forms a single file line on the side of a trampoline. The first person gets on the trampoline and does a move or trick – back bounce, front or side flip, etc. – and then runs to the back of the line. Players take turns doing different moves or tricks. If someone repeats a move or trick, they are out. The last person left is the winner.
• Version 2: The first player takes a turn and does a trick. The next player takes a turn, doing the first player’s trick and one of his own. Each successive player must do the tricks preceding theirs and add one. Anyone who either forgets the preceding tricks, gets them out of order, or repeats a previous trick is out of the game. The last player left is the winner.
• Version 3: Tramp
  Players in a group of two to five people take turns doing a trampoline trick. Each player must copy the trick and whoever fails to do so gets the letter T. Play continues, with everyone getting successive letters for the word “TRAMP.” When someone spells the whole word, they are out. The last person remaining in the game in the winner.
• Version 4: Blindfolded Keep Away
  You need at least four people to play this game, more if possible. One player is blindfolded and stands in the middle. The goal is to tag someone and guess who they are. If the blindfolded person is correct, the tagged person becomes the one in the middle. If the guess is wrong, the same person must try again.

Poison

Balls put on a trampoline roll around unpredictably as kids jump. For this game, the balls are “poison” and must be avoided. When someone is touched by a ball, they must get off the trampoline. The last person left on the trampoline wins. You can use any item – balls of paper, small stuffed toys, etc. – as “poison.”

Dead Man Rise

The game of Dead Man Rise works well for a group of three to six people. One person sits in the middle of the trampoline with their eyes closed or blindfolded and counts to ten out loud. The other players say the following rhyme:

Dead man, dead man, come alive,
Come alive when I count to five.
One, two, three, four, five.

The person in the middle begins crawling or rolling around on the trampoline trying to touch someone. The other players must stay out of reach, but they cannot jump over the “dead” man. Anyone touched must freeze and becomes a dead man as well. The last person left standing who has not been touched wins this fun game.

Variation:

All the players except one leave the trampoline. The players off the trampoline choose names of plants for themselves, such as flower, tree, bush, shrub, rose, etc. with an extra name that matches no one. “Corn” is the name of the person in the middle of the trampoline, so this game is sometimes referred to as Corn. The person in the middle knows all the names, but not who they belong to (including the extra name). Once Corn’s eyes are closed or they are blindfolded, everyone gets on the trampoline and a game of Dead Man begins. However, when Corn tags someone, he or she guesses their name. If they are correct, that person becomes Corn. If they are wrong, the game continues with the original Corn continuing to guess.

Knock Down Chicken

One person stands in the middle of the trampoline and is the “chicken.” The other players run around trying to stay on their feet. The person in the middle tries to get everyone to fall down at once. They can jump, make others laugh, or try to knock them down. When all of the players are down, the person in the middle wins.

Cherry Bomb (Bombs Away)

Every player stands on the trampoline. One player throws a large, soft the ball in the air and calls out either “Cherry Bomb” or “Bombs Away.” An inflatable beach ball works well, as does a volleyball or basketball. Players try to avoid the ball without leaving the trampoline. When someone is hit, they lose a life. Five hits result in a person being out. Everyone loses a life if the ball falls off the trampoline. The last player left “alive” wins. Rotate the person throwing the ball after each turn.

Jump the Barrel

You do not need a bunch of people to have fun on the trampoline. This two-person game requires one person to be the barrel. The youngest or smallest person should start this game as the barrel. The other person jumps over the “barrel” while it is rolling around on the trampoline attempting to knock over the other player. Take turns and play this fun game on your trampoline until you are both worn out.

Stealthy Ninja

Pick a person out of a group of three to eight people to be the ninja. Everyone else is blindfolded and the ninja tries to knock the blindfolded players down. However, no one may kick, punch, or attempt to injure another player. If the ninja falls down or is knocked down, the person taking down the ninja becomes the new ninja and play resumes.

Bum Wars

Everyone loves Bum Wars! The game becomes more fun when there are people playing with variations in weight. The goal is to be the last one standing. Players jump a few times and, upon a given signal, fall to their bottoms and jump back up on their feet. Players can only jump on their feet once and land on their bottoms once. If they double either the foot bounce or bum bounce, they are out of the game. The last person standing wins.

It becomes much easier to get your kids to go out and exercise if the exercise is fun. Trampoline jumping is a perfect way to get your kids outside and our selection of trampoline games is guaranteed to please! Additionally, trampoline jumping has many benefits, among them:

• Developing movement skills and coordination
• Providing a foundation for participation in other sports
• Learning to control the body
• Building stamina

Our collection of fun games to play on the trampoline provides a way to keep kids active and engaged. Try one of our listed games to play on the trampoline the next time you send the kids outside. Many of our trampoline games are designed to play for as long as one wishes or until everyone gets tired, whichever comes first! Jump away!

Note: When you set up your trampoline, make sure you choose a place where debris, such as leaves and branches, will not fall on to the top of the trampoline. It is also a good idea to place it where you can watch the kids play to make sure no one is doing anything which might cause someone to be injured. Trampolines can be dangerous, but the addition of padding and an enclosure around the frame reduces risks.