Trampoline Park Waivers in Plain Words
Every trampoline park makes you sign a waiver before you jump. What they usually say, what they can and can't do, and what to read before you sign for your kids. Not legal advice.
Before anyone in your family touches a trampoline at a trampoline park, you'll sign a waiver, usually on a tablet at the front desk or online ahead of time. Most people scroll and tap "agree." Here's what you're agreeing to.
What waivers usually say
- Assumption of risk. You understand jumping is risky and can cause serious injury, and you accept that risk.
- Release of liability. You agree not to sue the park for injuries, sometimes including injuries caused by the park's own negligence.
- Rules. You agree to follow the park's rules, and the park can kick you out if you don't.
- Medical care. Permission for staff to call for or give emergency medical help.
- Photos. Permission to use photos or video of you for marketing (often buried in there).
- Arbitration. Some waivers say any dispute goes to private arbitration instead of court.
What they can and can't do
How much a waiver protects a park depends on the state. Some states enforce waivers broadly. Some don't enforce them for gross negligence or reckless conduct. Some limit how much a parent can waive for a child. A waiver doesn't make a park immune from everything, and it doesn't make dangerous conditions OK.
What to read before you sign
- The photo clause, if you care.
- The arbitration clause.
- How long it's good for. Many waivers cover a year of visits.
- The rules section. It tells you what the park expects, and what it'll blame you for.
What protects your kids more than any waiver
- One jumper per trampoline. Most injuries happen when people of different sizes jump together.
- No flips unless coached.
- Watch the dodgeball and foam pit areas closely.
- Rest breaks. Tired jumpers get hurt.
See are trampoline parks safe? What the injury data says and how to pick a good trampoline park.
Before you go
Many parks let you sign online before you arrive, which saves time. Read it at home, when nobody's begging to go jump.
Photo: Trampoline park by ralph_bean, BY 2.0.
This is general information, not legal advice. Waiver laws vary a lot by state.