Safety experts warn: wetting your trampoline in summer is a serious hazard

As summer temperatures rise, many parents cool children down by spraying water on backyard trampolines. Safety experts are now warning that this common habit turns a safe toy into an extremely dangerous slipping surface.

With temperatures climbing during summer, parents often look for quick ways to cool down children playing outside. One of the most popular improvised solutions is directing a garden hose at the backyard trampoline, creating what some call a homemade water park. However, safety experts are urging families to stop this practice immediately, warning it poses a serious risk of injury.

According to experts, adding water to a trampoline surface dramatically reduces friction, turning the mat into a slippery surface where children can lose control far more easily than on a dry trampoline. The combination of bouncing momentum and wet material significantly increases the chance of falling off the trampoline entirely or landing awkwardly, leading to sprains, fractures, or worse.

Trampoline safety guidelines generally recommend that only one child jump at a time on a standard backyard trampoline, that safety nets and padding are properly installed, and that the equipment is regularly inspected for wear. Wetting the surface adds an entirely new layer of risk that even well-maintained equipment cannot compensate for.

Parents looking for outdoor water activities this summer are encouraged to use paddling pools, sprinkler systems placed away from play equipment, or purpose-built water toys designed to be used safely with water. These alternatives provide the cooling fun children enjoy without the added danger of slippery bouncing surfaces.