They want to come in. They want to jump, they want to interact with other kids — Elevate owner Nicole Bos
As New Mexico gradually emerged from COVID-19 restrictions, employees at Elevate Trampoline Park noticed children were coming in more lethargic than usual.
“You can tell that they haven’t been out and about,” Elevate owner Nicole Bos recalled.
After being reclassified as a gymnasium under the state’s public health order and fully reopening in March, 2021, Elevate staff looked to help address that. The facility, located at 3301 Southern Blvd., Suite 200, quickly became a critical outlet for kids to work up a sweat.
As months went by, an increasing number of kids entered the doors, eager to disperse that pent-up energy after being cooped up at home for so long.
“I actually see kids staying longer, more now than ever before,” Bos said. “They want to come in. They want to jump, they want to interact with other kids.”
Brooke Scheer, 7, of Albuquerque does splits jumping on a trampoline on Thursday, June 16, 2022, at Elevate Trampoline Park in Rio Rancho. (Matt Hollinshead/Observer)
Bos said the last few months have been unusually busy at Elevate, which opened in 2018.
“We’ve had record-breaking months. I think just a lot of kids don’t want to be inside anymore. They don’t want to just be sitting down doing nothing. They want to come in and exercise, be with friends,” Bos said.
Bos said some parents were initially a bit more cautious on getting their children re-acclimated to settings like Elevate, but the kids themselves were ready to jump around, get their blood pumping.
“It’s very tiring. But yes, it’s fun and easy,” Ryan Hidalgo, 11, said. “I’m able to easily do front flips… I like running across these trampolines, like really fast. It’s so much fun.”
Seven-year-old Emma Hidalgo, Ryan Hidalgo’s sister, said she’s enjoyed learning various trick jumping and flipping around on the trampolines.
“I just like how I can just fool around and do whatever I want, whatever trick I want,” she said.
Ryan Hidalgo said he and Emma were quick to get their summer passes, just to ensure they get that extra workout in — even if they think they don’t need it for that day.
Bos said she also senses that the introduction of COVID vaccines helped ease concerns parents may have had, now that their kids have at least some protection against the virus.
For the two hours kids are at Elevate, the kids are out jumping, doing splits, playing dodge ball and running around the ninja course.
“They don’t stop,” Bos said. “They don’t even wait to check in. They just run up… They can’t stand to wait.”
