Kids' play centre or trampoline: how to choose and buy
Indoors or outdoors: start there
For a flat people usually choose a sports corner with wall bars, rings and a rope, a small slide or a play tent. For a garden, a farmhouse or a school, outdoor sets with swings, slides, a sandpit and a ladder suit better, and so do large trampolines with a safety net. A separate kind is inflatable trampolines and slides: they go up quickly, but they need a pump and are mostly handy in the dry season.
Measure the space beforehand and add some room: around an outdoor set or trampoline you need a clear zone, so the child doesn't hit a wall or a tree.
Trampoline: size, net and load
Trampoline diameter is measured in centimetres or feet, for example 312 cm or 10 ft. The larger the diameter, the more room to jump, but the more space you need. Look for a model with a safety net, soft padding over the springs and a sturdy ladder. Ask about the permitted load: it decides how many children can jump at once. Whether there is rain protection and whether the trampoline can be left outside in the rainy season or in the sun all year, ask separately.
What to put in your request
- what exactly — trampoline with net, outdoor set, wall bars, slide, swing, inflatable trampoline;
- size — trampoline diameter or the set's dimensions and the space you have;
- where it will stand — at home, in a garden, on a farm, in a school;
- material — wood, metal, plastic;
- what is included — net, ladder, slide, swings, climbing wall, sandpit;
- age and load — children's ages and maximum weight;
- installation — needed or not;
- new or used, address, budget.
Example: “I need a new trampoline with a safety net, 312 cm diameter, for the garden of a house for two children of 6 and 9. A ladder included and installation would be good. Kowloon, budget up to HK$2,400.”
Wood or metal, and safety
Wooden sets look good and feel pleasant to touch, but need protective treatment against damp. Metal ones are strong, but need protection against rust and soft covers on corners. Ask what wood is used, how it is treated and whether the coating is safe for children. It also helps to ask for photos of the fixings and welds.
Safe installation matters as much as the model: the set must stand firm on level ground, and soft ground cover under swings and slides is a good idea. Ask whether the seller provides installation instructions.
How to compare offers and why BlaBlaPrice helps
Check size, materials, what is included and whether delivery and installation are in the price: for bulky sets they are a big part of the cost. Describe everything in BlaBlaPrice once, and sellers will reply in the chat with the model, price and terms. The best offer, judged on what it contains, is shown first, reviews of the seller are next to it, and contacts open only to the one you choose. More in how it works.
For smaller children see toys, and for the room children's furniture.
