Ian Waller and his family hit new heights with an hour’s bouncing fun!
How high can a seven-year-old bounce? It appears that the answer is way higher that I’d ever imagined, with a huge smile accompanying the primary-schoolers efforts, even following the inevitable coming back to earth on the all-encompassing squashy soft coach mats.
My children clearly had a mission – to bounce on every single one of the multitude of mini trampolines, soft mats and cubes of soft foam that dominate the floor and walls of the new trampoline park at Bath Sports and Leisure Centre. It was 5pm on a bank holiday Friday afternoon and after a day that had apparently seen the trampoline park packed with happy bouncers, our session was remarkably relaxed, with a total of around 20 bouncers sharing the space.
OK, compared to other trampoline parks we had visited in the area, the Bath one is pretty small, but this really doesn’t matter as the facilities are excellent, the staff very friendly and helpful, and with only a few other users, all of the bouncing visitors could try out each area with no need to queue, wait or be in any way patient.
And yes, there is plenty to choose from. My lot went straight for the trapeze swing into the foam pit, allowing a variety of inelegant front flips, back flips and forward splats to take place, all under the watchful eye of a cheery and encouraging staff member.
Then it way on to the Wipe Out zone, where mini trampolines allows you to quickly jump over one approaching bar before you quickly have to duck the next, repeating the procedure again and again as the bouncing becomes more manic and the inevitable wipe outs take place.
But there’s no time for rest, not with dodgeball, basketball and just hundreds of other mini trampolines to enjoy.
Now during the pre-session safety briefing, my wife and I had explained to our three that no, mum and dad wouldn’t be joining in this time, due to various post-sledging back aches. Well, that didn’t last long. Watching the youngsters having such a laugh on the dodgeball court meant we were soon on with them in a match of youngsters versus oldies, and bouncing and laughing with best of them.
How does this Bath tramp park compare to others we’ve visited? Yes, it’s smaller, but the lack of thumping music was a huge bonus, with a lower volume background radio being wayyyy better, while the general less frantic nature of the experience meant that we all enjoyed it way more than the bigger, noisier alternatives.
There is, however, one big downside – a lack of a viewing area. This means that is parents don’t want to take part in the bouncing but do want to watch their children enjoying themselves, they’ll have to pay to take part too. Hopefully the leisure centre are working on a solution for this.
Despite this one setback, with out children making friends with the other kids there, the staff joining in the with the dodgeball and free water available when it all got just a little too exhausting, this was an excellent hour’s family fun. In fact, we’d barely made it out of the locker area – where, by the way, the lockers are free! – before our middle one was asking at the reception desk about the possibility of holding his next birthday party here!
Prices are £11 for adults, £9 for children and £4 for under 5s. If possible, go for one of the later and therefore quieter sessions – you’ll have a right old laugh, and for us it was a great hour of family fun together.
To find out more and book a place, click here