Once upon a time, the outdoor trampoline was the kids’ favorite toy. They could spend hours jumping up and down on it and never fall off. Now that those kids are older, these trampolines look very lonely in the backyard. What a waste; they should be turned into a better use.
Have you ever wanted to sleep in a round bed? Reusing the old trampoline will give you that opportunity. Remove the upright supports and keep the mat, springs, and round frame. Attach support lines vertically to a central point and create a hanging bed. This bed can be indoors or outdoors and would make a wonderful children’s bed. Of course, adults would also like such a bed.
Also, without the metal supports, you can create a hammock and string it between two trees or posts. This, too, could be inside or out and would provide a wonderful place to take a nap or just enjoy the summer. This mat can also become a picnic mat, the center of a labyrinth or a ground cover to kill a section of weeds. With extended metal supports, raise the mat, springs and oval frame to form a roof over a patio or to create a shaded area. Make sure to slant this new roof so that rain will run off.
Don’t forget those springs. They can be used on doors, to replace old springs in a chair or even a bed, cut down to use in a toy or anything that requires compression. The sky is the limit.
There are numerous ways to reconfigure the metal frame. Stand the oval frame on end and use that for an entrance to a garden or backyard. Leave it bare or plant vines to wrap around it and you have a beautiful ornament to enhance your garden. The vertical supports can be separated from the trampoline, anchored into the ground and you have the beginnings of a fence. Attach chicken wire or mesh to the poles and you can have a garden enclosure, an open air animal shelter for a dog or chickens, or a shield for an air conditioning unit or other unsightly outdoor fixture. Add a roof and you have built a shelter for mechanical equipment or wood pile.
If you cut the round frame in two or four pieces, you can make a hoop house or hot house for growing vegetables. If you can find two no-longer-used trampolines, you can configure four or eight hoops. Fasten a sheer fabric or translucent cloth to allow for sunlight to penetrate, while keeping birds and critters away. Also consider putting the hoop house on a table bed for ease of attending. Add dirt and grow flowers or other vegetables.
All you need to repurpose that old trampoline is your imagination. Have another idea for repurposing trampolines? Leave a comment below!
Feature image courtesy of Pawel Loj