Trampolines: Invest in Your Health

Bouncing on a trampoline is great for kids and adults. Not only does bouncing help strengthen children’s muscles and increase their coordination, but it has phenomenal health benefits for adults too! 

Healthy Heart: Just like all cardio exercise, bouncing strengthens your heart muscles. Stronger heart muscles mean the heart pumps more blood with fewer beats and a strong heart reduces your chance of developing heart disease.

Detoxification: Jumping on the trampoline engages your body’s natural detoxification system, the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system removes the toxins from your system and boosts your immunity.

Reduced Stress: Bouncing reduces your stress hormones and increases the feel-good endorphins in your body. A trampoline in your backyard will encourage you to get outside and jump which will take your mind off your worries and reduce your stress levels. 

Invest in your health with a trampoline. It’s an easy and fun way to fit in your cardio—all while having fun with your family! 

Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com and get $100 off any trampoline until 12/31/13.

Adults: Jump Your Way into a Healthier Life

You may know that trampolines are a great way for kids to get exercise, but do you know that jumping can provide many health benefits to adults as well?

Weight loss – Jumping on a trampoline creates a rebounding effect which reduces body fat as it engages the whole body.  Not only will you build muscles in your legs while you jump, but the rebounding upward bounce will help your entire body tone up.  According to a NASA study, a 150-pound individual will burn more calories rebounding for an hour than they will if they were to run for an hour. 

Increased circulation – As you bounce on the trampoline, your muscles such as those in your calf will contract and force blood through the heart to be replenished with oxygen.  The result is better circulation and potentially less clogging of the arteries. 

Reduced stress – Rebounding can reduce cortisol (stress hormones) and increase the feel-good endorphins in your body.  Even just the act of getting outside and jumping can take your mind off your worries and reduce your stress levels. 

With a trampoline in your backyard, it’s easy to take advantage of the health benefits and live a healthier life.  Visit Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com and get $100 off any trampoline til 12/31.

5 Easy Ways to Get Children to Play Outside

Children need at least one hour of physical activity each day. Getting children out from behind the screens of computers, television, cell phones and video games and into the fresh air and sunshine can be a parent’s biggest challenge. As parents know, it’s not easy to compete with electronics so we have to be creative. Consider these tips:

1.      Make the backyard fun! A trampoline and/or swing set makes it easy to entice kiddos out of the house with the promise of fun. Backyard Dreams at www.backyard-dreams.com has $100 off any trampoline until 12/31.

2.      The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours a day of screen time for children two years old and up. Set limits and stick to them.

3.      Make ‘outside time’ routine. Set aside the same hour each day so that everyone knows to expect it. This can minimalize the complaining.

4.      Play outside with them. Jump on a trampoline or join in their game of chase. You’ll experience numerous health benefits alongside your children, you’ll increase your bonding time with them and you’ll set a great example.

5.      Explore new, creative activities. Jump in a pile of leaves, plan a scavenger hunt with items from nature, plant a garden or start a rock collection. You can also take children on a night hike – just being up past their bedtime makes it really fun for them!

What to Consider Before Buying a Play Set

'Big box' stores are a common place to buy standard plastic and metal swing sets. Plastic is an increasingly popular material, but these sets often cannot hold excessive weight and they don’t offer a wide variety of play options or add-ons. Metal is cost-efficient but weather may wear them down fairly quickly unless they are guaranteed not to rust. 

If you’re looking for something that’s safer, more rugged and long-lasting, consider purchasing a higher-end wooden play set. The bigger upfront cost is usually offset over time by the savings you gain due to lower replacement and maintenance costs.

The advantages of wood swing sets are that they are sturdier and they last 15-20 years! They typically support 120 pounds or more per person. They also have a more high-end appearance and offer more fun features such as rings, towers, forts and other components. We highly recommend them for safety and longevity!

Before you decide on what type of swing set to buy, we also recommend that you think through the answers to these important questions:

•  The size of your yard: Consider the size of the play set in comparison to your lawn. You don't want it to take up the entire yard. But how much of you yard are you willing to give up?
• Do you have your community’s approval? If your neighborhood has covenants or an HOA, you are responsible for getting HOA approval, permits and ensuring that the play set adhere to covenant rules.
• Where’s the best place to put it? As you choose the area to put your swing set, make sure there is a perimeter of at least 6 feet of clear space all around it. Choose a location where water drains easily. If trees allow, you might also put it in the shade for sun protection. And it’s ideal to put it in a location where you can easily see the kids from a convenient door or window.
• What do your kids like to do? Let them test play sets at outdoor displays. Do they like to play pretend games in forts? Do they like to climb and swing? Play in the sand? Choose swing set features that match what they spend most of their time doing.
• Can you deal with the time and stress of installing it yourself? Wood swing sets are long-lasting, and the installation is can be accordingly long. While professional installation costs more upfront, it saves you many hours of installation time–and possible frustration! Forget the stress and hire a company that can professionally install it according to the strictest safety guidelines.
• What will your maintenance schedule be? Periodically, the hardware needs to be tightened and the wood set needs to be re-sealed or re-painted. This ensures its stability and safety for your kids. While you can do this yourself, it’s often easier to pay for an annual maintenance call. Let the experts inspect every aspect of your set and give it the care it needs to stay in top shape.

A high-quality wooden swing set is an investment in your backyard–and in your children’s fun time. By considering these factors up front, you’ll be yards ahead in making the choice that’s best for your home!

Backyard Trampolines: Ensure safety while they have fun!
Trampolines are irresistible to kids! They give kids a super fun way to get some exercise and enjoy the outdoors. We recommend JumpSports’ AlleyOop trampolines because they're the best and safest on the market. Yet, you as a parent will still want to consider these simple rules to ensure that your kids are always safe, all the time:

• Purchase a trampoline that comes with a high safety net around the perimeter.
• Select a trampoline that has padding that covers the springs, hooks and the frame.
• Position the trampoline away from the house, trees and other play areas.
• AlleyOop trampolines recommend a 3-foot clearance area around their trampolines, which is conveniently smaller than competitors’ clearance due to their high-quality safety enclosure.
• For other manufacturers, it’s recommended that you ensure a clearance area of at least 8 feet around the outside of the trampoline.
• Supervise kids while they use it. When not in use, remove any ladders or footstools to prevent small children from climbing up onto the trampoline unsupervised.
• Remind children to always remove any hair accessories or jewelry and remove items from pockets before using.

When it comes to your kids’ safety, every precaution matters. That’s why we only sell the highest quality trampolines with the most advanced and durable safety net enclosures. We have kids too, so keeping your kids safe and happy is our first priority! Feel free to contact us at 303-868-9916 or backyarddreamsllc@gmail.com with any other questions about trampoline types and safety systems.