Springfree™ Trampoline Blog » Springfree Trampoline

NEW Award: Springfree Trampoline is Parent Tested Parent Approved!

Kat — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 21:37:11 +0000

We’ve been waiting to tell you all about this one for a while — it’s been top secret. Today we can finally tell everyone that Springfree Trampoline is the proud recipient of the Parent Tested Parent Approved Seal of Approval!

When it comes to safety, parents demand the best. PTPA is the only parent-testing program with over 40,000 volunteer parent testers. Springfree Trampoline is honoured to receive the PTPA Seal of Approval as the safest trampoline for your family. We got glowing reviews from our parent testers:

“The kids absolutely adored using it, but my favorite is the fact that there is a net to keep them safe and no exposure to the springs.”

“This what most impressed me: our friends have a trampoline with springs and there is no comparison between theirs and this one. Extremely durable and obviously very well made.”

“Our family can’t say enough about our Springfree Trampoline. It is hard to get the kids to come in at night because they are having so much fun. Springfree offers a safe alternative to most trampolines on the market and our kids LOVE every minute of it (so do I!!)”

“I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a trampoline. We had a play set for 2 years but the kids really got bored of it quickly. I can tell already that the trampoline provides more entertainment for them and friends on the street.”

Springfree Trampoline is also the recipient of the 2010 Product of the Year Award (children’s products) in both Canada and the US and the 2010 NAPPA Gold Award for children’s products. To learn more about Springfree Trampoline’s award-winning design, visit our Awards page.

We’re off to have a jump to celebrate!

To buy a Springfree Trampoline visit, www.springfree.com.
To watch our new miniseries, visit www.springfreetrampolinereview.com.
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/springfree for exclusive content.
Follow us on Twitter @springfree to chat with our team.

Springfree Supports Movember

Stella — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:24:16 +0000

We’re halfway through the month of November but some of you may refer to this month as… Movember.

If you’re a frequent reader of the Springfree Trampoline blog, you know that we love anything related to the following: trampolines , family time and health and wellness. The Movember campaign raises funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer.

For the entire month of Movember, “Mo Bros” dedicate their faces to the campaign. They grow a moustache to become walking and talking billboards for the movement to “change the face of men’s health”.

Ladies, don’t fret if you can’t grow a moustache. “Mo Sistas” can also participate.

The Canadian Springfree office has a team of Mo Bros: Mo-scular Men.

(From L-R) Joel (business analyst), Steve (chief bouncing officer), Saugar (web/systems manager) & AJ (e-commerce specialist) looking at bit hairier than usual!

Movember’s campaign values are fun, caring and innovative. We can most definitely relate to these values and Springfree Trampoline is happy to participate in this important cause.

Are you a Mo Bro or Mo Sista? Let us know in the comments or share your pic on our Facebook page.

[Our Response] Spring-based trampolines: safe or insane?

Kat — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:10:29 +0000

This past Monday we came across an article by Molly Snyder of OnMilwaukee.com regarding trampoline safety. The article concluded,

“Life is dangerous. Trampolines, with rules, are not. Let’s let kids have fun.”

At Springfree Trampoline we believe that spring-based trampolines are an outdated, unnecessary danger. Approximately 100,000 kids are sent to hospitals in North America every year due to injury on spring-based trampolines. We aren’t talking cuts and scrapes – we’re talking broken bones and concussions.

We hear it every day – they can’t be THAT bad? Well, let’s play a game of True or False…

1. Spring-based trampolines can’t be that unsafe if stores have been selling them for years.

False: Currently there are few mandatory trampoline standards. This means manufacturers have no obligation to ensure minimum levels of quality and safety.

2.You have to have a net around it for one thing. That’s the most important feature.

False: While having a trampoline net is important, the net alone is not enough. The enclosures that come with most spring-based trampolines are not made to last and give you a false sense of security. They are held on with large steel poles that drop you right down onto metal springs – not the safety net you were looking for.

3. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says that trampolines should never be used in homes, yards or playgrounds.

True: The AAP has a strong stance against spring-based trampolines, and for good reason. Springfree Trampoline is the only trampoline to remove the areas that cause injury – the springs, the hard metal frame at the jumping surface and the risk of falling off. We’re not just trying to sell trampolines – we’re trying to reduce the amount of injuries caused by a popular backyard toy. Part of that effort is working to educate major organizations, like the AAP, about the potential of an alternative design.

Lets go back and review that conclusion…

“Life is dangerous. Trampolines, with rules, are not. Let’s let kids have fun.”

Following the jumping rules doesn’t prevent fun – it prevents injuries. As the world’s safest trampoline we are the first to admit that rules are important when jumping on any trampoline. Our jumper rules are always encouraged and available on our trampoline safety page.

But jumper rules aren’t enough. Springfree Trampoline inventor, Dr. Keith Alexander, said it best:

“Trampolines give you this great bouncing surface that kids want to jump on, but then you surround it with big bars of steel and springs and holes – and it’s the kid’s fault if they hurt themselves.”

With the world’s safest trampoline, there’s no need to worry.

If you want to read more on independent trampoline safety research, visit our library. Leave your comments below and let us know what you think!

Got a wriggly worm on the nappy change table? Need some Huggie Nappy-Pants?

Erin — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:03:28 +0000

To celebrate Huggies Nappy Pants, Springfree™ Trampoline promotion – Huggies have kindly given us some Nappy-Pants to give away to our friends on Facebook!

If your baby is wriggling or squirming on the change table, or refusing to lie down at all, it’s time to try Huggies Nappy-Pants. They have all the absorbency you’d expect from Huggies and they slip on like pants for easy, struggle-free nappy changes. Plus they are the only nappy-pants with easy-open refastenable sides.

If you would like to win a pack of Huggies Nappy-Pants be the first 20 people tell us (On our FACEBOOK PAGE status) why you desperately need a pack of Huggies Nappy-Pants.

T&Cs

Competition Open to our Australian Springfree facebook friends. First 20 friends to comment on Facebook Status will win one pack (Size to be advised by winner) of Huggies Nappy-Pants. Closes 3pm 5 August 2011 or once 20 people have commented.

To buy a Springfree Trampoline visit, www.springfree.com.
To read trampoline reviews and watch our new miniseries, visit www.springfreetrampolinereview.com.
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/springfree for exclusive content.
Follow us on Twitter @springfree to chat with our team.

Hear It. See It. Speak It: The Cost of Camp

Brittany — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 19:38:04 +0000

Learning to paddle a canoe, making new friends, eating s’mores around a camp fire and singing silly songs are just some of the activities kids look forward to every year at camp. However, with the rising cost of living, are summer camps becoming a luxury?

“[Camp is] definitely a luxury for us. Having moved from NV to WA – the cost of camps, swim lessons and sports activities are two times what we used to pay. With three boys we definitely don’t do as much. Two of our boys are attending Cub/Boy Scouts this year and they are very reasonable for week long programs”. – Springfree™ Trampoline fan and mom Gail Ruschman Hoobler.

While camp may be a luxury, for some it is a necessity. In homes where both parents are working, kids need a place to spend their summer vacation. The average price of a day camp is $400 per child per week. If you’re thinking of sending your child to overnight camp, the price ranges from $500-$2000 a week.

“We run a holiday arts camp and the fees are over $300 for a week! When we started out 10 years ago it was $100. Camp site fees and insurance has skyrocketed prices”. – Helen Gynther, Springfree fan and camp coordinator

Just like families, camps are feeling the crunch in this economy. In a recent NY Times article entitled When S’Mores Aren’t Enough: The New Economics of Summer Camp, the owner of an overnight summer camp discussed how the cost of running a camp has risen. It is more than just the facility. Parents are looking for more than just a fun summer experience for their kids; they now want ‘results’, whether it’s a better tennis swing or improved algebra.

Whether your kids are going to day camp, overnight camp or just camping in the yard, it is all about having fun and creating great summer memories that last a lifetime.

How will your kids be creating summer memories this year?

To buy a Springfree Trampoline visit, www.springfree.com.
To read trampoline reviews and watch our new miniseries, visit www.springfreetrampolinereview.com!
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/springfree for exclusive content.
Follow us on Twitter @springfree to chat with our team!

A Springfree baby on the way! [photos]

Kat — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:26:24 +0000

If you’ve purchased one of our trampolines over the phone, it’s very possible you have spoken to our wonderful customer service specialist, Maureen.

Maureen is one of the kind voices on our Springfree Trampoline North American customer service line in Toronto.

Over the past nine months we’ve watched her belly grow as she is expecting her first child – a baby boy!
We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate Maureen and her new family with a baby shower.

Plus there was cake.

We definitely can’t pass up cake!

Moms in the office passed along wise advice: enjoy it because kids grow up quickly, take lots of photos and be sure to take time for yourself!

Join us in congratulating Maureen and welcoming yet-to-be-named baby boy into the world

What advice would you share with a new mom?

- Kat

Hear It. See It. Speak It: Trampoline Parks

Stella — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:36:19 +0000

Springfree™ Trampoline is the safest recreational trampoline option currently available, so it’s only natural we were curious about the safety of trampoline parks.

Trampoline parks are public recreational facilities featuring wall-to-wall trampolines stitched together like a giant checkerboard.

We posed the following question to our Facebook community:

“Given the health benefits and the fun of jumping versus the safety concerns, would you let your child jump at a trampoline park?”

The topics of discussion varied. Many discussed the need for more parental and professional supervision and the implementation of age restrictions. Some community members discussed how much fun they had at trampoline parks and the exercise benefits they gained.

Approximately 50 parks operate in the US today and parks are opening up in other countries. Trampoline parks typically charge $8 to $14 per hour for each jumper. With revenues approaching $100 million, trampoline parks are gaining attention.

Unlike amusement parks, trampoline parks are not yet regulated by any state or federal agencies in the US. Earlier this summer, a trampoline park in Illinois gained notoriety when 16 ambulances were dispatched in a matter months to respond to jumper injuries.

Trampoline park owners maintain their facilities are a safe and fun venue for children and adults to get exercise. Some parks have even installed cameras to monitor the jumpers and have created jumping areas restricted to smaller children to ensure safety.

Springfree Trampoline has compiled tips for safe jumping, whether you are jumping at a trampoline park or in your backyard:
1. One at a time please – Multiple jumpers increase the risk of injury from collision. Statistics show that with more than one user at a time, the smaller/lighter of the two is almost always the one sustaining an injury.
2. Don’t flip out – Untrained jumpers run the risk of landing awkwardly.
3. Avoid roughhousing – Some kids love to play rough and tumble, but this type of behavior can result in injury.
4. Keep it clean – Trampolines should be void of foreign objects. Any new object introduced to the trampoline is another potential “hard surface” that can result in injury.
5. Stand watch – Keep an eye on children and inexperienced jumpers while they are on the trampoline.
6. Steer clear – Do not allow children underneath the trampoline while someone is jumping.
7. Stay in control – Stay in the center of the trampoline. If you deviate during jumping, stop and move back to the center.
8. Talk it out– Discuss the importance of trampoline safety with your kids, and tell them about the risks of not using it properly.

With the right equipment and proper supervision, jumping can be a safe and fun activity enjoyed by kids of all ages!

Springfree Trampoline: Behind the Scenes at the TODAY SHOW!

Kat — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:23:03 +0000

It was an early morning (evening? it was still dark outside!) but the Springfree Trampoline team was up for the challenge!

In case you missed it, we were included in a feature on the dangers of spring-based trampolines. Want to watch the clip? Click here to see Springfree Trampoline recommended as the safest trampoline!

Our product manager, Norm, and our warehouse manager, Kerry, were in the plaza at 3am to set up before the show. In fact, they are kind of office celebrities now – they actually made it on TV!

Segments like this mean a lot to us. It took over 14 years to design Springfree Trampoline with one goal in mind – keeping kids safe. With over 100,000 kids sent to hospital every year due to spring-based trampoline injury, we are proud to be the only safe choice for your backyard.

Now the fun part – here are a few behind the scenes shots!

We brought our 10ft. trampoline to the plaza and set up very very early in the morning.

Emma Watson from Harry Potter was on the same day as us! Is there a spell for jumping?

Just about to go live!

Happy Bouncing

[VIDEO] Today Show: Springfree is the Safest Backyard Trampoline

Kat — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:24:43 +0000

This morning the Today Show and consumer correspondent, Janice Lieberman, featured a report on the dangers of backyard trampolines – and Springfree Trampoline was recommended as the safer choice. Watch the clip below!

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

The statistics are scary. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, 100,000 children are sent to hospital every year due to trampoline-related injury.

“A trampoline that is doing everything right, a safer version…Springfree Trampoline” – Savannah Guthrie, Today Show co-host and chief legal analyst

Years of research have gone into Springfree Trampoline’s design and we are proud to be the only trampoline to eliminate the areas that cause injury on spring-based trampolines. No frame, no springs and you can’t fall off – we really are the world’s safest trampoline!

What a morning! Thank you to everyone who watched and commented!

To read trampoline reviews and watch our new miniseries, visit www.springfreetrampolinereview.com!
Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/springfree for exclusive content.
Follow us on Twitter @springfree to chat with our team!

Springfree Trampoline wins International Design Excellence Award

Kat — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:19:52 +0000

Springfree™ Trampoline is the proud recipient of a Silver International Design Excellence Award (IDEA®) from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).

This year featured a record number of entries, over 2000 from 39 countries. Winners include Microsoft, Samsung of South Korea, Belkin and GE Healthcare. We are honored to be in such great company.

Winners will be put on permanent display at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan to tell the story of American innovation. That’s right, our trampoline will be on display in a museum! How classy is that?

For more information, visit the IDSA website. To learn more about Springfree Trampoline’s award-winning design, visit www.springfreetrampoline.com/awards.