Turn your tampoline into a Superhero HQ
It’s no secret, kids love superheroes! The very thought of dressing up as a caped crusader and turning your trampoline into a superhero cave can send imaginations into over-drive; from using magical super powers to save the family dog from the neighbour’s evil cat, to secret superhero meetings in the lair. Superhero themed fun is a great way to activate imaginations and get the kids moving (and bouncing!).
Many child behaviour experts tell us that superhero play can promote confidence, patience, empowerment, helpfulness, a sense of right and wrong, even healthy food choices! So in the name of safe backyard fun, developing imaginations and encouraging our kids to eat their vegetables (like Superman does!), here are 5 fun ways to dress up your backyard (and each other) in true superhero style.
You’ll even find a selection of bright and fun superhero themed printables to dress up your trampoline and the kids throughout this article.
1. Create a City Skyline
Let’s get your backyard (and your trampoline) ready for a Superhero hideaway!
When it comes to creating a superhero cave or lair, a Springfree Trampoline makes it easy! (If Santa hasn’t delivered your trampoline yet, you can always create a secret cave using boxes and/or outdoor furniture and cover using sheets and towels).
You will need:
5 - 10 x sheets of black cardboard Yellow cardboard or yellow paint/paint brushes Masking tape & glue stick Safety scissors
How to:
Lay all the cardboard sheets out next to each other and tape together to desired length/height. This will create the large blank canvas to start. Once you’ve created your black canvas, trace your city skyline design onto the cardboard canvas and cut out your building silhouette. Using the yellow cardboard - cut out different size squares and rectangles to create windows for your buildings. Alternatively, you could paint these on!
If you're lucky enough to own the world's safest trampoline, it's easy to turn your Springfree Trampoline into a Superhero Cave! It already looks the part with its black, shiny mat and enclosure!
2. Cut & Colour Paper Printables
We’ve made it easy to set the Superhero scene: dress up your trampoline and yourselves by printing out and colouring in these printables:
Superhero Badges & Signs (to stick on belts, capes, trampoline etc.) Superhero Sneaker Logos (thread through laces) Superhero Bunting (Wham, Zap, Boom, Kapow – to hang in the cave/trampoline)
SUPERHERO BADGES & SIGNS
You will need:
Paint/Pencils/Crayons Paper/Cardboard (recyclable i.e cereal boxers, coasters, paper plates) Craft Glue Masking Tape Safety Scissors
Prepare recyclable cardboard, cut into required shape (circles, diamonds, triangles). Print off, colour in and cut out the Superhero Badge printables, then stick onto the cardboard cut outs. Dress up your t-shirts, capes, hats etc by sticking the badges and sign printables using masking tape.
SUPERHERO SNEAKER LOGOS
You will need:
Paint/pencils/crayons Paper/cardboard (recyclable i.e cereal boxers, coasters, paper plates) Hole punch Safety scissors
Prepare recyclable cardboard, cut into required shape. Print off, colour in and cut out the Superhero Sneaker Logo printables. Stick onto cardboard and cut out. Hole punch evenly to ensure they line up with shoe laces.
SUPERHERO BUNTING
You will need:
Paint/pencils/crayons Paper String or elastic Hole punch Bull clip Safety scissors
Print off, colour in and cut out the supplied Superhero Bunting printables. Using the hole-punch, create two holes on the flat edge (so the point of the triangle is down) and create two holes: one in the left corner and one in the right corner. Feed the tie through each triangle with string. Once you have created a row of bunting, gently fasten it to the top of your trampoline (Superhero hideout) net banding using a bull clip.
3. Dress Up Material Printables
There’s no need to spend a fortune on Superhero costumes with these handy printables using scraps of materials like cotton, satin, felt etc.
Superhero Masks & Wrist Bands Superhero Cape
SUPERHERO MASKS & WRIST BANDS
You will need:
Felt/Craft Paper/Scrap Materials Elastic Masking Tape & Craft Glue Safety Scissors Stubby holder makes a perfect wrist band
Print and cut-out the supplied Superhero Mask – use these as stencil template to cut out your material. For the Superhero Wrist Band simply decorate a stubby holder and decorate with cut out and colour printables.
SUPERHERO CAPES
You will need:
1 x large pillowcase Double sided adhesive backed Velcro (dots or strips)
How to make it:
Take the pillow case so that the open end is at the bottom On the top stick Velcro to top left (rough) and top right corner (soft) so that when folded in half and pressed together the Velcro will stick Stick on their favourite printable badges or signs above
4. Fun in the Superhero Cave
Superheroes are all about making things safe! So here are some Superhero Tips on what not to do when playing on your Springfree Trampoline, especially when the superhero play involves the popular FlexrHoop.
Somethings just don’t fly!
Do not hang from or pull down on the hoop rim Take extra precautions while jumping on the trampoline with the ball as it may interfere with or cause the jumper to fall awkwardly Do not attempt to jump on the ball as this may cause serious injury Do not intentionally rebound off the enclosure or intentionally jump into the enclosure. DO NOT hang, kick, cut or climb on the enclosure/basketball system Keep players faces away from the backboard, rim, and net
Let’s not forget the fun parts of being a superhero like the feeling of flying! Here are some safe moves to test out your Superpower Skills.
Skill challenge: score each superhero out of 10 on how high you jump and slam dunk (the skill is in getting the ball into the hoop – but remember no hanging off!) Distance challenge: using chalk, mark distances to shoot hoops from (each mark gives you different score). Every superhero takes a shot from each mark and whoever scores the most points wins! Time challenge – how many hoops can you get in 20 seconds?
5. Superhero Snap Shots
Grab a blue sheet, your skyline cut outs, white cardboard cut-out cloud shapes or cushions and toy planes. Now get the kids to pretend they’re flying. Take a snap shot from above and you have your own Superhero snap shot!
Now go forth and create your very own Superhero trampoline headquarters and save your backyard from the neighbourhood villians.
