Trampolines are not just for bouncing! In fact, there are countless exciting games that you can play on a trampoline. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced jumper, trampoline games are a great way to have fun, get some exercise and hone your skills.
If you’re looking for hours of bouncy fun, you’re going to love this collection of the best games you can play on a trampoline. Popular games, games we made up, with a net, without a net, two players or a whole group…you’ll find a game the kids will enjoy in the list below. Let’s jump in!
Owning a trampoline is such a fun way to get exercise and have some fun with the whole family. While some families shy away from a trampoline, thinking that it’s far too dangerous, the reality is that it can add so much fun and entertainment to your backyard.
Today I’m going to share some fun games to play on the trampoline so that you can enjoy more quality family time outdoors. These games are some of my family’s favorite outdoor activities so I hope to kindle that joy in your family too.
We’ve had a trampoline for 18 years. For a few years, we even had two!
Kids LOVE trampolines! I love them too since they encourage the kids to play outdoors and they get a ton of exercise in the process.
Below are their favorite games to play on the trampoline. Some of these are classics, others are new ones their friends introduced, and some are ones my kids made up with their friends.
The one thing they all have in common is that they’re tons of fun! I hope your kids and family have as much fun with them as we have.
Trampoline Games With No Equipment
If you’ve already invested in a trampoline, there are plenty of games you can play without buying or using anything else. Here are some of our favorites:
Ring Around the Rosy
The trampoline version of this classic game is far more fun than the original.
Kids gather in the center of the trampoline and hold hands as they sing, “Ring around the Rosey, pocket full of ashes, we all do a ….”
And each kid takes a turn yelling out some “trick” that each has to do. Watch as laughter ensues as your kids enjoy this fun game.
Popcorn (aka Crack the Egg)
This is a fun trampoline game where one person sits in the middle, arms folded while another person jumps on the trampoline. The person jumping continues to jump and make the seated person “pop” like popcorn until their arms come open.
Bum Bounce
This is a classic trampoline game. So the deal is that everyone is able to bounce, but the trick is that they can only bounce their bum once and their feet once.
If they do more than once, as in they go up and down and up and down, well then they’re out. It’s best played with multiple kids, but you can play Bum Wars with a minimum of two kids.
Seat Drop Wars
This game is similar to, but also the opposite, of bum bounce. Players take turns bouncing with their feet and their ‘seats’.
But unlike in Bum Bounce, players must perform a second seat drop and swing those hips for a half twist before landing on their bum for another drop.
The person who can keep turning and bouncing the longest is the winner. You can even add in some other tricks, like the one-legged bounce or the knee drop, to make it even more exciting.
Flip Frog
Please note: This is a game for experienced trampoline jumpers. I don’t recommend it for anyone who hasn’t mastered basic jumps and stunts.
To start, one person is chosen to be the “frog” and they must do a flip on the trampoline. The other players then take turns trying to do the same flip as the frog.
If someone misses the flip, they must become the new frog and start the game again.
Add-On
This is a fun game that not only gets everyone moving, but also exercises memory, creativity, and sequencing skills. Players stand in a large circle around the edge of the trampoline surface.
Decide who will go first. You can start with the youngest player, player with the shortest first name, the winner of the last game, or maybe just the one person who volunteers.
The first person moves so they are standing in the middle of the trampoline and then he or she performs a trick. The next person (to the left of the first player) goes to the center of the trampoline and performs the same trick and adds on a new trick.
Players continue, moving clockwise around the circle, with each player adding a new trick to the sequence. When a player forgets one of the tricks in the sequence, that person is out. The game continues until only one player remains.
As far as the tricks, don’t get hung up on this. They don’t have to be acrobatics. Pull out some amazing dance moves if you prefer!
Ninja
This is one of my kids’ favorite indoor games but is even more fun on a trampoline. To start, players say “3, 2, 1, Ninja!” Then, they jump in the air and strike a pose when they land.
For the game, each player has four body parts that are keeping them alive in the game — both arms and both legs. The object of the game is to take out other players by coming in contact with one of their four parts until all players arms and legs have been eliminated from play.
To play, the players take turns (order should be established before the game begins) making one movement in attempt to hit one part (an arm or leg) on someone else.
The player being “attacked” can make one defensive move to avoid being hit. For example, he or she can move an arm into a new position or jump back. No other players are allowed to move during the turn.
When a player’s arm is touched in an attack, the player must hold that arm behind his or her back because it is now out of play. When one leg is touched, the player must stand on the leg that is still in play.
When both legs have been touched, the player can only sit. When both of a players’ arms and both legs have been touched and taken out of play, that player is out. The winner is the person who remains after all the other ninjas have been removed from the game.
123
To play 123 you first need to designate one person as “it.” This person stands in the middle of the trampoline while the other players jump around them.
The person in the middle then calls out a number from one to three, and everyone else must immediately freeze in place. If someone moves, they are out.
The person in the middle continues to call out numbers, and the last person standing wins.
Steamroller
My oldest daughter always plays this with little kids that she babysits. She is the steamroller so she lays flat on the trampoline with her arms against her sides.
The steamroller tries to run into other players who try to avoid being steamrolled by jumping or stepping over and around her.
Wall Memory Game
This intriguing game is a great way to test your memory skills while bouncing around on the trampoline. Here’s how it works: one person bounces in the middle while the others stand around the edge of the trampoline.
The person in the middle says a word, and the players on the edge have to repeat it and then add their own word to the memory chain. If someone forgets a word, they’re out!
Keep going until there’s only one person left standing, or switch it up and have the winner start the next round.
Scrambled
This is one of the most fun and challenging games you can play on a trampoline. To start, you’ll need a group of friends or family members to join you.
The goal of the game is to jump around and try to land on a specific part of the trampoline. The catch? The part changes every time someone successfully lands on it!
The first player to miss the designated spot gets a letter, and once you spell out “scrambled”, you’re out. But don’t worry, the game keeps going until there’s just one person left standing.
Trampoline Games With Balls
If you happen to have a ball laying around, you have several additional games you can play!
Hot Potato
This classic game is even more fun on a trampoline!
First, choose your hot potato. It can be an actual potato, a stuffed animal, a water balloon, or any type of ball.
At the start, all players get on the trampoline and must be jumping at all times throughout the game.
To kick the game off, one player will throw a ball to another player and yell “hot potato.” The receiving player must then quickly throw the ball to another player and yell “hot potato” themselves.
This continues until someone drops the ball or doesn’t throw it fast enough, and they are out. The last player standing wins!
Monkey in the Middle
Another classic, but so much more fun on a trampoline! It’s much harder to keep the ball away from the monkey when the monkey can bounce several feet in the air to catch the ball overhead.
If you’re not familiar with the original version, the goal is simple. One person is the monkey and tries to get the ball. Everyone else tries to keep the ball away from the monkey by throwing it to other players.
The Frog Game
This trampoline game is perfect for kids who love to jump around and goof off. The goal of the game is to imitate the iconic movement of a frog: jumping from lily pad to lily pad.
To play, designate certain areas on the trampoline as lily pads using chalk or tape. Then, players take turns hopping from one pad to the next without falling off the trampoline.
To increase the challenge, try to get as many jumps in as possible before moving to the next pad. Don’t forget to ribbit like a frog as you go!
Cherry Bomb
One player throws a large beach ball in the air and yells “Cherry Bomb.” Everyone on the trampoline must try to avoid being hit by the ball without leaving the trampoline.
Players start with three lives. Each time a player is touched by the “cherry bomb” he or she loses a life. If the ball falls off the trampoline, every player loses one life.
Watch out for Poison Balls
Put some soft balls on your trampoline (I like these reusable water balls). The kids pretend that these balls are poison balls that they cannot touch.
The kids jump around and if they touch a poison ball then they have to sit out. The last person standing wins.
Ball in Flight
The game is simple, and it’s all about keeping the ball in the air. It doesn’t matter what type of ball you use, you could even try a tennis ball!
Mix it up and try to keep the ball in the air with your feet, head or even elbows! You could also use a pool noodle to keep the ball bouncing. Remember, the goal is to avoid the ball hitting the ground.
One of the best things about this game is that it’s one of the few that can be played solo so it’s the perfect game when no one else is available to play. If you’re playing with a friend, each time the ball touches the ground, the other player gets a point.
Dodgeball
This is a fun game when you have a larger group and can’t easily (and safely) fit everyone on the trampoline at once. In this version, you’ll pit defenders (who are ON the trampoline) against attackers (who stand OFF the trampoline).
Attackers throw medium sized inflatable balls at the defenders. If an attacker hits a defender, the two switch places. If the defender catches the ball, the attacker must sit down and is out of the game.
Soccer
You’ll need a trampoline enclosure to play this game. Like traditional soccer, players will divide into two teams and attempt to score a goal by kicking the ball into the opposing team’s goal.
The goals are defined by two of the net poles and should be directly opposite each other across the trampoline. No need to play for 90 minutes. Simply play to see which team can be the first to reach a certain number of goals.
Tips
This is a game my kids made up and it’s super quick and easy. I’m not sure why they call it Tips, but since I want them to get full credit, I’m leaving their name intact.
All you need is a trampoline, a beach ball, and two or more players. Basically the players are simply playing catch.
The challenge comes in with the single rule. Players cannot be touching the trampoline while holding the ball. That means they must catch the ball mid-jump and throw it to another player before they land.
Hot Lava
For this game, you’ll need one beach ball for every two players. The idea is that the trampoline is lava but that the players are part lava so they can’t be hurt by it if they keep bouncing.
The balls, however, aren’t as lava proof. They can only withstand quick touches by the partial lava monsters (the players) and can’t survive touching the hot lava (the trampoline surface) at all.
More Trampoline Games
Below are some of our favorite games using other things we have around the house.
Helicopter Helicopter
I pulled this one from my own pre-trampoline childhood. It was a playground favorite and it works great on a trampoline.
One player stands in the middle of the trampoline holding a jump rope. The player swings the jump rope in a circle over their head and says, “Helicopter, helicopter turn around. Helicopter, helicopter touch the ground.”
As they say “touch the ground” they lower the jump rope to the ground and begin turning in a circle, skimming it along the surface of the trampoline. The other players have to jump to avoid getting touched by the jump rope.
The first person who comes in contact with the jump rope becomes the next helicopter.
The Noodle Game
The noodle game requires good balancing skills and coordination. First, gather a few pool noodles and toss them on the trampoline.
Then, each player must stand on one noodle and try to knock off the other players from their noodles without falling off themselves. The last one standing wins!
Dead Man
This is one my kids’ friends taught them. It was new to us, but is apparently pretty well known and kids love playing it.
To play, one person is chosen to be “It.” This person kneels in the middle of the trampoline and must wear a blindfold.
The other players spread out around the trampoline and chant:
Dead man, dead man come alive
Come alive by the count of five
One, two, three, four, five
Once the players say “five” the person in the middle must try to tag someone. The blindfold must remain intact and the player must remain on his or her knees.
Grab the Tail
This simple game is very similar to flag football. Players tuck a rag or scarf into the back of their waistband to form a “tail.”
Players try to grab each other tails. The winner is the last person who still has their tail when everyone else’s have been taken.
Banana Scramble
This trampoline game is all about agility and quick reflexes. It’s a great game for kids to play and can also provide a good workout.
To start the game, grab a bunch of bananas and scatter them around the trampoline. Then, everyone jumps on the trampoline and tries to grab as many bananas as they can.
But there’s a catch! You can only use one hand to grab a banana, and other players can steal it from you.
The game ends when all the bananas are gone.
Balloon Stomp
On a hot summer day, this is our favorite game. To play, you cover the surface of the trampoline with water balloons.
Players stomp on the balloons until they pop. Everyone wins! No losers.
If you want to turn it into more of a contest, you can challenge players to be the first person to pop a balloon or to pop the most balloons.
Obstacle Course
Did you know you can draw on your trampoline with chalk? You definitely can and it washes away easily!
So, grab some sidewalk chalk and have the kids create an obstacle course on the surface of the trampoline.
Trampoline Accessories for More Fun
As you can see by now, there are plenty of ways to stay entertained with your backyard trampoline without any special equipment. However, after playing some of the games above, it might just become your family’s favorite entertainment.
If it does, you may want to consider some of these additional items to add more fun and excitement to your trampoline time. Here are some to consider:
Basketball Hoop
Did you know there are basketball hoops made specifically for trampolines? This is a great way to expand your game options since once you have one, you can bring all your favorite hoops games to the trampoline.
Trampoline Sprinkler
The hot days of summer can make the trampoline mat feel like a carpet of lava. Beat the heat so you can still enjoy bounce time by investing in a trampoline sprinkler.
LED Lights
Extend your fun into the evening by adding some colorful lights! Bounce away under the night sky and put on dance concerts in your backyard.
From the classic game of Ring Around the Rosy to the hilarious Banana Scramble, there is no shortage of fun and excitement to be had on a trampoline. Whether you’re looking for a traditional game or something new and creative like Ninja, there is a trampoline game out there for everyone. So grab a skipping rope or some soft balls and get ready for some jumping fun!