How to Games for the Trampoline

Play Ring Around the Rosy. Form a circle in the middle of the trampoline. Children can hold hands or walk around in a circle. Chant, "Ring around the rosy, a pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, we all do a ..." Each person takes a turn picking the way you should fall down. Examples include bottom drops, knee drops and backward drops.

Play a game of Crossfire, aversion of dodge ball. Two people are up on the trampoline while the rest of the team is on the ground around the trampoline. A soft ball is thrown at the people on the trampoline from the people on the ground. If the thrower hits a person with the ball, the two switch positions. Points are earned when players on the ground successfully tag someone up on the trampoline. The game can go to 10 points or 20 depending on how many people are playing. For more intense play, use two soft balls. Points are taken away if you tag someone on the head.

Try this version of Hot Potato: Four jumpers are on the trampoline. All players must be jumping at all times. A soft ball is thrown between players. Players must catch the ball. If a player drops it, fails to catch it or stops jumping to catch the ball, he is out. Play continues until there is only one player left. Engage four or more players if possible.

Play P.I.G. Players gather around the trampoline on the ground. One player goes to the middle of the trampoline and performs a trick. It could be a handstand, a bottom drop, a knee drop or somersault. The first player exits the trampoline and the next player waiting in line goes to the middle of the trampoline and performs the trick of the first player. If she is able to perform the trick, play continues down the line of players until someone is not able to perform the trick, or play comes back to the first player. If all players are able to correctly perform the trick, the second player in line will perform a trick. If a person fails to perform the trick, he receives a letter "P" and the player immediately behind him picks a new trick to perform. Play ends after a player has received all three letters to form "P.I.G."

Try a round of Crack the Egg. All players are up on the trampoline. One player is chosen to sit in the middle of the players, who have formed a circle around her. The player in the middle sits with knees drawn to chest and arms around her knees. Players jump around her until she "cracks" or releases her arms from around her legs.

Play Telephone, a variation of the old game. Children line up around the edge of the trampoline. One person goes to the center of the trampoline and performs a trick. It could be a bottom drop, bouncing two or three times or something else. The next child in line goes to the center of the trampoline after the first person exits. She then performs the first person's trick, then adds a trick of her own. The third person enters the center of the trampoline and continues the cycle until someone is not able to remember the sequence correctly. That person is "out" and serves as a judge to watch the others and make sure they perform the sequences correctly. If a small group is playing, keep rotating through the group of players while adding new sequences.