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Original poster

Would you consider this acceptable?

47 replies

cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:24

A child in a playground for under 10's, of about 5, playing with surrounding dirt areas on the floor and then transporting the dirt to the equipment?

For example, picking up loose dirt and then plonking it onto the slide, then plonking some on the train, then onto the trampoline? (It's a trampoline built into the floor)

What do you think?

OP posts:
Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:25

Child in question wasn't corrected at all by mum, she just let him get on with it entirely despite other children using the equipment and then having loads of dirt around them as a result

OP posts:
BigButtons · 19/08/2022 22:27

Par for the course. Kids get dirty playing outside.

Antarcticant · 19/08/2022 22:27

Natural sort of thing for a child to do I would have thought, but his mum should have stepped in and explained that the other children wouldn't want dirt on themselves so he should stop.

Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:27

BigButtons · 19/08/2022 22:27

Par for the course. Kids get dirty playing outside.

Well yes of course, the equipment isn't sterile but surely actual pure dirt being thrown onto it is a bit much?

OP posts:
purpleme12 · 19/08/2022 22:28

Probably depends on if it's wet or dry dirt for if I think it's worth getting bothered about

Hotandbothereds · 19/08/2022 22:29

I’d think the parent with the child should stop them doing that, yeah playing outside gets mucky but intentionally piling mud on play equipment is unnecessary.

MyBrilliantFriend · 19/08/2022 22:29

Well 5 is a bit old for that sort of transporting schema but really, really common (& healthy developmentally) activity for toddlers.

Anotherdayanotherdollar · 19/08/2022 22:29

You'd find much worse in my local park.
I think it's fine. Brush it off

Sparklypant · 19/08/2022 22:30

Couldn’t be arsed about this.

ContadoraExplorer · 19/08/2022 22:30

If it were my child I would stop them from doing it.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 19/08/2022 22:30

Nope not aceptqble, no need for the child to do that. Different if no other children in park. I would have cleared the dirt off slide etc before letting DD go down it

Longdistance · 19/08/2022 22:30

The only course of action is to collect the dirt and deposit it into her handbag.

Auntieobem · 19/08/2022 22:30

Wouldn't bother me.

Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:30

ContadoraExplorer · 19/08/2022 22:30

If it were my child I would stop them from doing it.

That's what I thought was the natural course of action to take

OP posts:
pictish · 19/08/2022 22:31

Yes completely acceptable. It’s all learning through play and we needn’t fear a bit of dirt.

Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:34

Longdistance · 19/08/2022 22:30

The only course of action is to collect the dirt and deposit it into her handbag.

Is this a serious response or are you saying it sarcastically? I can't tell Blush

OP posts:
tilder · 19/08/2022 22:41

Pure dirt😂

Pretty normal. Just brush if off.

If it was bring thrown or was mud (or worse) I would be annoyed. But a bit of dirt? Not fussed.

ColonelCarter · 19/08/2022 22:42

Normal for a slightly younger child. I really couldn't be bothered by this, and I wouldn't clean the equipment before my kids used it.

WestendVBroadway · 19/08/2022 22:44

MyBrilliantFriend · 19/08/2022 22:29

Well 5 is a bit old for that sort of transporting schema but really, really common (& healthy developmentally) activity for toddlers.

I would say that it is quite normal for such behaviour to continue until age 6. Additionally the child may have been on the spectrum in which case it could continue until much later.

Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:45

The child was clearly profoundly autistic. He looked very healthy and athletic actually, but clearly had no verbal reasoning and didn't respond to his name at all.

The way I see it though is he should just be moved away and diverted elsewhere to do something else

OP posts:
Antarcticant · 19/08/2022 22:47

cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:45

The child was clearly profoundly autistic. He looked very healthy and athletic actually, but clearly had no verbal reasoning and didn't respond to his name at all.

The way I see it though is he should just be moved away and diverted elsewhere to do something else

You can't diagnose profound autism just by watching someone in a playground for five minutes.

DubLynn · 19/08/2022 22:47

This wouldn't bother me at all and in my view it's just another way for a child to interact with playground equipment. I also have no issue with kids climbing up the slide.

Original poster
cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:50

You can't diagnose profound autism just by watching someone in a playground for five minutes.

It was obvious. Verbal stims. Hand flapping and hyperactivity. A lot of sounds but nothing resembling words and even letter sounds. When upset slapping himself on the head, mum had to use restraint a few times to stop him running out of the gate

He also had a special needs buggy too. Profound autism seems a reasonable assumption actually, I'm sure it's possible he could have some genetic issue or whatever else but that's a fair assumption I'd say

OP posts:
pictish · 19/08/2022 22:51

Can I ask what the impact the dirt has on you or your child?

ColonelCarter · 19/08/2022 22:52

cheaplyormeek · 19/08/2022 22:45

The child was clearly profoundly autistic. He looked very healthy and athletic actually, but clearly had no verbal reasoning and didn't respond to his name at all.

The way I see it though is he should just be moved away and diverted elsewhere to do something else

Why? Was it causing harm, damaging the equipment or preventing other children using it?