2 yr old won't go on swings or slides - is this odd??

[bourgie]

Hi there, just looking for reassurance (or otherwise) on this one... My 2 year old is fairly active (likes swimming, riding his bike, running around etc) but absolutely will not go on swings, slides or trampolines. He used to be fine on slides till a few months ago but has never enjoyed swings. Does this make him really weird???? Has anyone else experienced similar? Is he missing out on some vital development stage and is this likely to mean he remains cautious throughout life??

[MegBusset]

DS1 (2.8) won't go on swings either... or get on his trike. He will push other people on the roundabout but not get on himself! He went through a stage of wanting to go on the (very big) climbing frame in our local park but now prefers to wriggle underneath it and pretend to dig with sticks

[AnyGhoulKno]

I haven't come across this, but ignore ignore ignore. The worst thing would be to give attention for it. I have seen this happen with my friends little boy and he is very cautious. It became part of his identity "oh xxx doesn't like going on the climbing frame"

[Cadelaide]

My DS is 10 and still hates to be pushed on a swing. He's never liked it.

I would describe him as cautious but brave. He recently did a climbing thing with the school despite being scared to death. He's not at all confident climbing trees or anything like that.

(He's a genius at astronomy though! )

[bourgie]

Good thinking AnyG - I do my best not to cajole him against his will. Meg, that is reassuring - the digging with sticks thing sounds familiar! Oh, and he will also push people on the roundabout. Phew, not just us...

[Eveiebaby]

DD - 3.4 does not like swings - didn't mind them when she was a baby but not now - does not like roundabouts either but does love slides!

[MyNameIsInigoMontoya]

DS has just become scared of slides. He used to be OK with them (though they were not his favourite thing) but then went down the one at the park a couple of times and kept ending up stuck on his back at the bottom, I think this freaked him out a bit and now he gets very nervous of them.

So many of these things are just a phase though, I think they will probably grow out of it with no problems as long as we don't push them into doing what they don't want and freak them out even more! (Speaking as a nervous skier who always used to get dragged down hard runs by DH until I put my foot down cos it was just making me worse...)

[meep]

2.4yo dd1 loves slides but will not go on swings or roundabouts!

Loves pushing me in a swing which leads to lots of potential problems as to whether I can shoehorn my backside into it

[BornToFolk]

DS is another swing hater. He used to go in as a baby but since about 10 months old, he's refused it. I usually ask him if he wants to go in but don't make a big deal of it when he says no. He likes slides though, and climbing.

[ZZZenAgain]

no, it's not odd. They get there in time. If you can get to a playground when it's fairly empty and not full of dp who'll tell you off for using the equipment, you could go down the slide with him, with your legs outside his and your hands round his waist. That feels safe. He can also just go part way down, life him up and hold onto him as he slides down the last bit of the slide.

You can sit on the slide with him on your lap as well.

There's no big rush

[Fruitbatlings]

My four year old has always hated swings. Never goes on them - even though he's normally quite a daredevil

[ArghhhhmazingBouncingSpider]

My DS who is almost three hates swings, refuses to go near them. Think it might have something to do with me bunging him in the Battery powered graco one 1st thing in the morning to get an extra hours kip when he was a baby!

[KristinaM]

i think that some kids ( or even adults) don't like the sensation . they are just more sensitive to that kind of movement. I think its soemthing to do with the fluid in their inner ear.

does he have any problems with his hearing?

as long as he is not scared of ALL physical activity ( and you say he's not) then i woudlnt worry. be reassured