Banish the Wiggles at Seattle's New Indoor Trampoline Park

This time of year can pose a challenge for families wanting to stay active. With rain or chilly weather putting a damper on outdoor activities, family play time is often limited to indoor options, which can be great fun, but don't always work to deplete pent-up kid energy. Fortunately, a new Seattle-area jump park is making it easy and fun for families to get active while still staying warm and dry.

Seattle’s newest indoor trampoline park, Flying Circus Extreme Air Sports, offers 53,000 square feet of trampolines, foam pits and American Ninja Warrior-style obstacle courses. It claims to be the largest indoor trampoline park in the world and is part of a chaim of 40 branches around the United States and the world. The Seattle-area location opened in November.

Occupying an expansive warehouse space, the décor at Flying Circus is clean and sleek, with black floors and walls accented by bright greens, blues and purples. The park utilizes trampolines in creative ways, with areas where jumpers can dunk basketballs, play dodgeball, climb ramps, launch into pits and practice flips or jumps. In addition to trampolines, foam pits serve as landing areas for swings, a zip line, balance beams, obstacle courses, climbing walls and tight ropes.

All ages of jumpers can choose from several different types of jumping activities. Adult and teen jumpers can try out obstacle courses that include rope swings, rope ladders, swinging platforms and a warp wall. Or they can practice flips and jumps on the angled trampolines and launching decks. Younger kids and toddlers can get in on the fun with ramps, foam pits and balance beams.

There are no posted age restrictions for the jumping activities, so parents should monitor kids and decide if a particular jumping activity is too dangerous for their child. That said, there are Flying Circus staff members on hand throughout the jumping space to ensure that jumpers stay safe.  

Visitors to Flying Circus have the option of choosing a one-hour, 90-minute or two-hour "flight experience." Flight times start every half hour, and jumpers are given bracelets corresponding to their jump times. A giant game clock in the middle of the space helps jumpers keep an eye on their remaining time.

​I visited with my family on a rainy weekend afternoon and although there were lots of other jumpers, the facility did not feel crowded due to the variety of activities and the abundance of physical space. We jumped and played for an hour. Our one hour flight experience flew by. We loved jumping on the trampoline grid, flying from square to square across the room. My kids, ages 7 and 4, loved launching into the foam pits with the ramps, trampolines and swings. After our hour was done, I was left with two sweaty and happy kids, exhausted from the jumping, but also excited for a return visit. On a rainy day, it was the great way to get active and play as a family.

Tips for parents

On your first visit to Flying Circus, give yourself at least 15 minutes to complete the necessary waivers. All adults and minors jumping will need to have a completed waiver on file. You can save time by completing the waiver online prior to your visit.

Grip socks are required for jumping. They cost $3 a pair, but can be used for future visits. Lockers are available for free for visitors to store their valuables.

For parents who would rather relax and let their kids burn off energy, Flying Circus allows them to accompany their kids as observers. Cushioned seats are interspersed throughout the area, and there is ample room for strollers and wheelchairs to maneuver through the space.

While Flying Circus entry costs more than some other indoor trampoline parks, and it was not an inexpensive family activity, we found it a good value. Throughout our hour, we were engaged and active, jumping and moving from one activity to the next. Our kids never felt bored, and neither did the adults.