Do you remember being told to stop jumping on the beds as a child? Re-live the fun you had by asking for a trampoline this Christmas and bounce your way to good health.

Toy experts predict trampolines will be top of Christmas lists this year - but it doesn't mean you have to let children have all the fun. B&Q is stocking up on trampolines which are big enough for adults to use as well.

Bouncing around is not only fun, it is good for the heart and can burn up to 240 calories an hour.

Kerry Taylor, manager of King Alfred Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Hove, says: "Trampolining is a highly cardiovascular activity helping to develop spatial awareness, co-ordination, fitness and agility. It also improves reactions and increases concentration."

Trampolines are available at 200 B&Q stores including Lewes Road, Brighton, or by special order. Prices are £189 for a 12ft round one and £299 for a 14ft round one.

You could also try a smaller fitness trampette, designed especially for exercising, such as the Fitness Jogger Trampette from Argos or the Reebok Rebounder from JJB Sports. However, if you or your children want to jump to great heights and learn some real skills on a trampoline, join a class.

King Alfred Leisure Centre runs six-week courses for women on Monday evenings and courses for children age five to 12 on Wednesday afternoons. Drop-in sessions with a qualified coach are also held on Saturday mornings for children and adults.

Places for classes and courses are limited so, for details and to book for the next course, call 01273 290290.

Stanley Deason Leisure Centre, Wilson Avenue, Brighton, also runs courses for children and adults on Monday evenings. For details and to book a place on the next course, call 01273 694281.

And do you remember the skipping ropes and Hula Hoops you also enjoyed as a child? They too make good exercise equipment so get down to a toy shop such as Gamleys or Toys R Us or pinch your daughter's.

The humble hula hoop has also been revamped for adults in the form of the Heavy Hoop. Weighing 1.4kg, it is the latest craze in US gyms. It can burn 110 calories in ten minutes and tone your abdominal muscles, legs and arms.

You can order one (which includes an instructional DVD) from www.gymworld.co.uk for £49.94 plus £6.50 postage. For information about Heavy Hoop, log on to www.heavyhoop.com