Have you been to Bath’s first Trampoline Park yet?
We asked local parent blogger Sarah Baker to take a look on our behalf, and give us an honest assessment of the facilities, just part of the new look Bath Sports & Leisure Centre run by Better.
Today we were gifted passes by Better Extreme Bath to use their still relatively new trampoline park at The Bath Sports & Leisure Centre. (Stories on Instagram highlights).
The sports centre has had a much-needed overhaul seeing sizeable investment in a facility those of us who were kids in Bath *coughs, a few decades back, and who will have their own story of time there. (I had my 16th birthday party).
All cities need affordable facilities to ensure that exercise is available to all and this reinvention sees new bowling lanes, a hugely impressive new gym facility including dance and fitness studios and a virtual gym class meaning you can pick any of 800 classes at any time. The swimming pool has also had a make-over but this wasn’t viewed on this trip. Everything is shiny new and spotlessly clean, a must of parents of especially small children.
Trampolining parks have recently become popular as an event for families, offering guaranteed fun and exercise in a safe environment. It is also indoors which is obviously more critical during the wetter and darker months.
This is the first trampoline park in central Bath, with on-site parking although it can be a bun fight for a space at peak times, as the parking is limited so check parking across the road at the Cricket Club too. It is also well served by buses.
There are various tickets depending on age so check the website for latest prices but there’s a family ticket available too and session for families with under 12’s and a toddler only session meaning that the little ones don’t run the risk of feeling intimidated by bigger and inevitably loud children en masse.
I took an 8 year-old boy, and two girls aged 11 and 12 from my #blendedfamily for an hour’s bouncing at 3 on a Sunday afternoon. The sessions are well supervised, with a compulsory video briefing before anyone is allowed in to bounce. Non slip socks are also compulsory and they had mega cool Halloween decorated ones which the boy loved, the girls thought they were too cool for these and stuck to plain ones.
Once inside there is a trapeze swing, dodgeball, a rotating jumping turning arm, two basketball runs at different heights, as well as larger and smaller trampolines, all in distinct areas that are supervised by young but diligent and friendly staff.
The girls enjoyed bouncing off the walls on the larger trampolines perfecting gymnastic moves, whilst the boy loved trying to slam dunk with the basketball (lighter and smaller than a normal one, so good for littler hands) and he got involved with a game of dodge ball with some boys of similar age he didn’t now. They all tried their hand at the trapeze swing with varying degrees of success but mostly landing in a crumpled heap on the foam pieces that catch your fall laughing hysterically, as was I. The rotating arm was a big hit and is suitable to jump over or duck under depending on how fast you are!
There were a few adults also bouncing and they looked to be having as much fun as their children. I have had a recent leg operation, so I had to sit this one out sadly... Or not so sadly, as I got a cup of tea and got to sit still for a rare hour.
We left an hour later with 3 sweaty, slightly less noisy, but definitely tired children!
We all loved it. It’s a great addition to Bath for families and a great way to get older children to become familiar with the sports centre environment (they have a junior gym membership).
It’s also an easy win for wet days and half terms although booking is required so don’t get caught out.
Bath Sports and Leisure Centre offers a variety of quality fitness facilities and leisure activities to help you keep active and lead a healthy lifestyle.
