Trampolines, Bouncy Houses, Cellphones Oh My!
- The White Hatter
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
We often hear calls to, “get kids off their phones and back outside.” Outdoor play is important, and something we strongly support. However, let’s pause for a moment. Recently, while out for a walk in our neighbourhood, we saw six kids taking turns bouncing together, and sometimes in pairs, on a backyard trampoline. They were laughing and shrieking with joy. What went through our mind was how wonderful it was to see youth playing together. What didn’t immediately cross our mind was, “are these kids safe?”
Yet, safety is a fair concern in the lives of our kids. In Canada, about 1,200 youth under 17 are hospitalized every year due to trampoline injuries. (1) Research also shows that bouncy castle injuries have steadily increased since 2000, with fractures being the most common outcome. (2) Despite these risks, most parents don’t call for bans on trampolines or bouncy houses. Instead, they ask, “how do we reduce the risks without denying kids the joy of participation and physical activity?”
That’s why we buy trampolines with safety nets, supervise younger children, and talk to them about safer ways to play. We apply harm reduction because we know that risk is part of growth and play. (3)(4)
So here’s the question, “why don’t we apply that same reasoning to youth and their use of cellphones, gaming consoles, and laptops?”
Of course, online risks are not the same as a broken arm. Cyberbullying, sextortion, exposure to pornography, disrupted sleep, and mental health challenges are real issues. These harms may not require an ER visit, but they can have lasting emotional, psychological, and physical consequences.
The point is not to minimize these risks, but to ask whether banning devices outright until a certain age is the safest path. When trampolines get safety nets, what is the digital equivalent? It could be parental tools with accountability features, age and developmentally appropriate use of technology, family agreements that evolve with age, nighttime charging stations outside bedrooms, and, perhaps most importantly, open conversations and parental participation that teach digital literacy and resilience.
Some will argue that harm reduction is not always enough, that delay is safer. It’s true that younger children may not be ready for a fully connected smartphone, just as they may not be ready for a trampoline without close supervision.However, by mid-teens, guiding them through digital balance and responsibility is more realistic, and respectful, than a blanket ban. A 10 year old and a 16 year old don’t need the same approach to technology, just as a toddler doesn’t bounce the same way as a middle or high schooler.
So the real question for parents and caregivers to consider is this, “do we believe banning technology altogether is the best way to protect our kids, or is it our responsibility to build age and developmentally appropriate digital “safety nets” that allow for growth, resilience, agency, and healthier outcomes?”
At The White Hatter, we believe in the latter. Just as we don’t ban trampolines or bouncy houses but instead take steps to make play safer on these items, we can do the same with technology. Risk is a part of life. Learning to manage it, together, is an important life skill and part of raising resilient kids in today’s connected world.
Digital Food For Thought
The White Hatter
Facts Not Fear, Facts Not Emotions, Enlighten Not Frighten, Know Tech Not No Tech
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