Getting Active and Having Fun with the JumpSport iBounce Trampoline for Kids

Thank you to JumpSport for providing us with an iBounce trampoline for kids.

Bubbles has loved to jump and bounce since she the day she discovered she could do it.  She’s actually a fairly (in my humble opinion, of course) athletic 2-year-old and she can get some decent air now and then.  I want to do what I can to encourage being active now while she’s young so that it’s a part of her lifestyle as she gets older.

I wasn’t sure if she was old enough for a trampoline of any kind but then I found the iBounce trampoline from JumpSport.  It’s rated for ages 2-5 (up to 80 pounds) which made me think that it could be a good starter for Bubbles.  It also has attached handle bars which would give her a little extra stability as she really grows into her jumping skills.

As soon as the box arrived, Bubbles was very curious.  It’s a pretty big box and she kept asking me what was in it.  I told her it was a treat for her, and that Daddy would work on it when he was done working.  2-year-olds aren’t known for their patience but she did well until hubby walked in the door and she practically tackled him, excitedly gesturing and saying “Daddy fix Bubbles’ treat.  Fix my treat, pleeeeaaaase Daddy?”

We popped open the box and laid out all the pieces.  She likes to “help” with whatever task we’re working on but this one is better tackled alone by an adult (or two) so there aren’t any pinched fingers.  I corraled Bubbles with a few books and hubby worked on assembly.  Putting the base together was fairly easy but we did have a few hiccups when it came time to add the handle bars.  The pieces didn’t seem to quite want to align, but after some jiggling (and a few choice words) he managed to get it all together.

Once the frame was complete he added the jump mat.  You’re instructed to “tightly” hold it in place with the included zip ties while you’re lacing the bungee cords.  I do want to advise you to keep others away during this part as in an effort to pull the cords as tight as possible, many of the zip ties snapped off.  They serve the purpose of holding the mat in place to make lacing easier, but you might be able to do it without them at all, if you wanted to try.

After the mat was attached, we slid the cover around the base and we were ready to go!  Well, almost.  The iBounce comes with a tablet stand that can be attached to the handle bars.  You can download to your iPad or other tablet the “Hop-A-Long with RompidyRoo” DVD that comes with the trampoline.  Then the kiddos can jump along to the story and participate in the activities.  We don’t yet have an iPad so we attached her LeapPad so you can see what it’s like.  If you don’t have a tablet, don’t worry: you can just play the DVD in your DVD player and they can watch it on TV.

We’ve done most of our jumping without the DVD, however.  Bubbles has loved it so much that just the jumping is enough to keep her interest.  In fact, the next morning as soon as her little feet hit the floor upon waking, she ran into the living room yelling “Now I jump, it’s jumping time!”  It’s been a couple of weeks and she still absolutely loves it.

I have to say that even with the glitch in setup, this is a product I would totally buy for a friend or family member.  It’s just been so much fun to watch her and she quickly has turned into an expert jumper (and a little dare-devil, too).  I can see us using this for quite awhile.  The iBounce retails for $149.85 but is currently on sale for $99.95 with free shipping!  You can purchase it directly from the JumpSport site or from Amazon.

What ways do your family stay active?

I received the above product(s) in order to facilitate my review. All opinions, as always, are 100% that of myself and my family. No additional compensation was provided.