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Parenting

what does your child play on in playground

19 replies

Westside1 · 25/02/2017 08:25

We in in process of setting up a playground. Would love to know what is most popular to play on. Thank you

OP posts:
Afreshstartplease · 25/02/2017 08:26

3 year old loves the round about

7+9 year olds prefer the big climbing stuff

neversleepagain · 25/02/2017 11:36

My dc are 4.5. They have always loved the swings, their favourite by miles.

They also like the rock climbing wall and a slide if it's a long one!

Artandco · 25/02/2017 11:38

Climbing. Nets, wall climbing, ladders etc

They use slides only as fast means to get down and climb again

Swings and roundabouts and rockers usually ignored

leccybill · 25/02/2017 11:38

DD would sit in a swing for 10 hours a day if I let her.
She also quite likes role-play type things- eg rocket, pirate ship, helicopter to sit in.

BertieBotts · 25/02/2017 11:39

DS used to love swings and slides the best, now he's 8 he never goes on anything!

DubiousCredentials · 25/02/2017 11:39

The trees Hmm

Thegiantofillinois · 25/02/2017 11:39

Swings, but there are never enough. Climbing stuff with hidey holes.

Chocolateorangegoblin · 25/02/2017 11:39

The slide or the roundabout.

BertieBotts · 25/02/2017 11:40

Although lots of playgrounds here in Germany have sand + water pumps to play in which all the kids go nuts for! It's a lot of maintenance though and you have to switch the water off in the winter of course.

TeenAndTween · 25/02/2017 11:40

The swing.
Always the swing. Occasionally the roundabout. Then back to the swing.
Has been like this since she was 2. Now 12. Not a climber.

If putting in swings, put them somewhere safe where other children won't be running behind them.

BertieBotts · 25/02/2017 11:40

Yes to role play stuff and also anything which is like a "course" that they can run from one end to the other.

GieryFas · 25/02/2017 11:42

8yo loves monkey bars and swings, also climbing walls and fairly high / challenging climbing frames with rio to be creative (so not just up the frame and down the slide).

5yo still likes rocking, spinning stuff more, though is getting more in to climbing frames.

jennifer86 · 25/02/2017 20:49

DS is nearly 2 and his favourite at the moment are slides. He also loves climbing/clambering but just climbing up the steps to the slide is enough of a challenge for him at the moment! He used to love the swings but seems less interested in that recently. He is also starting to like the balance bar-type obstacle course things, so they presumably appeal to quite a large age range.

skankingpiglet · 26/02/2017 00:02

I have a 2.8yo and an 8mo. Swings are always the favourite, and I agree with PP that there are rarely enough of them. DD1 will then have a little go on everything else (before finishing with another go on the swings). She loves cargo nets/bridges of all kinds, but gets very frustrated when there are only the ones with larger holes. She really likes stepping stone-type things too and anything that swings her around such as roundabouts and those giant metal rocking horses. She uses the rope swing at playgym and likes baby zip line things.

As a parent I think it's really important to have a mix of age appropriate equipment or equipment which is suitable for a wide age range. My village park has very little for my DCs (only swings, and even those require me to push them) as it seems mostly suitable from 8yo ish without an awful lot of parental help. E.g. I have to lift DD1 onto the platform to use the slide as she can neither climb the widely spaced rock climbing holds yet nor shimmy up a fireman's pole. It means rather than using the park that's a 5 min walk away, we regularly end up getting in the car to drive to a more suitable one.
Also really important to have enough seating throughout the area for parents so you can be close enough to your child or have good lines of sight to them. Having to sit and feed your baby on the only seat whilst struggling to keep an eye on your toddler who's on the toddler equipment on the far side on the park (bigger kid's stuff is next to benches) is really stressful!

wrinkleseverywhere · 26/02/2017 00:18

Who is "we"? Who are you aiming your playground at? How many other play areas are there in the vicinity & what will they offer? Are you part of an attraction (National Trust for example) aiming to attract a wider audience; do you have a cafe or something nearby and/or a large grass area meaning it can become a morning out or is it somewhere people will just stop for 20 mins with pre-school children whilst doing errands or on the way to something else?

CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt · 26/02/2017 00:24

My dc is 4.5 and he mainly prefers climbing frames.

Now and again enjoys the swings.

Not bothered about roundabouts, see saws or slides generally.

EyeStye · 26/02/2017 00:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FedUpWithBriiiiiick · 26/02/2017 00:32

Two Words: ZIP LINE.

(Although in our local park it spends a lot of time out of commission, so might be too high maintenance/cost for what you are planning)

I'll also suggest one of those big Christmas Tree shaped spinning climbing net things? (Pic included) It's the 2nd most popular thing in local park Smile

what does your child play on in playground
MiddleClassProblem · 26/02/2017 00:37

2 year old slide fanatic but she will do anything she can for her size/age.

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