I’ve been reminding my boys almost like a mantra for some time now that neither the sofa in the living room nor the beds should be used as a trampoline. Clear announcement: jumping is prohibited! I have to admit: the educational success is moderate. Recently the two have been recreating the flights of the German Olympic ski jumpers. Andreas Wellinger and Karl Geiger are her favorites. Fortunately, injury-free so far. Jump off the sofa. Short flight. Landing on a bright green bouncy mattress. The posture grades are still being worked on. On the other hand, the fun factor tends towards infinity.
Bouncy mattresses are intended to be an alternative to classic trampolines. Because they have no place in apartments for understandable reasons. In this article you will find out why upgrading gymnastics mats with spring core filling is not only fun, but also healthy, and which models are currently available.
Hopper is the name of the jumping cushion from the club and school sports outfitter Sport-Thieme. Befitting your status. Like other manufacturers, Sport-Thieme has mattresses in two sizes in its range. Mini and Maxi differ only in their dimensions. Here, too, non-slip gymnastics mat material ensures that the mat lies securely on smooth floors such as laminate or parquet. Fans of soft bed mattresses know the inner workings. The spirally connected Bonell springs are also used in classic mattresses. The mini version of the Hopper bouncy mattresses from Sport-Thieme weighs 8.5 kilograms. The big brother weighs 15 kilograms. The sides of the mattresses are made of brightly colored and easy-to-clean faux leather. The hopping takes place on gray mottled woven fabric.
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The bouncy mattress from Traturio, which can be jumped on indoors and outdoors, is just as thick, but a few centimeters smaller in length and width. The top and bottom are made of non-slip and washable gymnastics mat material. The steel springs installed inside can withstand small jumpers with a body weight of up to 40 kilograms. Nice: the Traturio bouncy mattress is available in many different color combinations.
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The Flexi indoor trampoline stands out from this small overview primarily because of the mattress thickness. The idea: Small children should initially use the soft cushion as a crawling surface. As soon as the coordination and the necessary courage have developed, things can go high. Even if the name doesn’t suggest it: the FLIXi bouncy mattress can also be used on the terrace or in the garden in dry weather. Practical: The cover has a zip and can be removed and washed separately. Faux leather was used on the sides.
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This bouncy mattress was developed for slightly larger bouncers. With a length of 130 centimeters, it is the largest in this small check. This mattress doesn’t come close to a trampoline – but it’s still quite high for jumping tots. Compared to other bouncy cushions, the Maxi model from Traturio is almost ten centimeters thicker, meaning the suspension travel is longer. With an area of almost 1.2 m², the jumping cushion also takes up a lot of space. The strongly recommended space around the mattress should also be considered, especially in smaller children’s rooms.
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It should feel like grandma’s bed mattress for children when they romp around on the Eduplay bouncy cushion. The mat, covered with colorful furniture fabric, is 17 centimeters thick. Robust gymnastics mat material on the floor is intended to prevent the mattress from slipping on smooth floors such as tiles, parquet or laminate. Inside, 90 spring cores ensure maximum bouncing fun. According to the manufacturer, the mat can withstand even the wildest bouncing fun. The large version of the Eduplay bouncy cushion can hold up to 100 kilograms. So there’s even room for dad.
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Standing and hopping on one leg is just one of many coordination tasks that small children are allowed to perform during the so-called U-examinations in the first years of life. A simple exercise, some might think. And yet many children have problems with it. Among other things, because they move far too little. And that has nothing to do with the corona pandemic. It’s much more comfortable on the sofa, on your smartphone or in front of the TV. Now, bouncy mattresses are certainly not the ultimate solution to this problem. And yet the soft mats with the power springs can contribute something. Coordinated jumping on the bouncy mattresses particularly trains the sense of balance and motor skills. At the same time, some calories (you can also call it excess energy) are burned practically unnoticed.
Conclusion: Bouncy mattresses are not an inexpensive, but very versatile, easy-care and long-lasting fitness tool for children that are guaranteed to be fun.
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