At what age is it OK to put a child on a zip wire alone?

[LoopyLoopsTootTootToots]

(will do the AIBU bit after a few responses)

Said zip wire is approx 10m long, 1-1.5m off the ground. How old do you think a child should be before being placed on and let go?

My DSs have done it from about 3ish, no problem.

If they didn't actively want to, then not at all!

There's a small one similar to <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=flying+fox+zip+wire+playground&hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=xqb&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&biw=1024&bih=543&tbm=isch&tbnid=8_FRJt7bn6vipM:&imgrefurl=rustedsun.blogspot.com/&docid=33ePOZ17wRQNIM&imgurl=1.bp.blogspot.com/-OQIBqBZ8ojk/T4vR1ueAddI/AAAAAAAAHSU/bAZb1B8wVYQ/s1600/DSCN0625.JPG&w=800&h=450&ei=p_G7T_ufJ6mY0QWcmcncBw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=683&vpy=261&dur=375&hovh=168&hovw=300&tx=210&ty=124&sig=117859024504642006147&page=1&tbnh=118&tbnw=209&start=0&ndsp=9&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:87" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this in the local playground and DS has been going on it since he turned 3, i.e. when he had enough strength to hang on and sense not to leap off whilst whizzing along.

DS is sedate

DD (22m) is a live wire and would love this!

I'm not sure it would be that frightening and I'm not sure explaining what was about to happen would have helped!

Yeah, that kind of thing but longer and higher. And at full speed from the highest point, not after the incline bit if that makes sense. Too fast to run after (not that he bothered to try anyway0

Playground equipment is supposed to be fun. If she didn't want to do it, why make her. Even if she's 26?

I think it's not so much her age as just not knowing what to expect if it was her first time on one. Had she not been on one before? Or watched other children? I can't remember how old my DCs were when they started going on them - quite small, I think - but I'm pretty sure that the first few times I held on and sort of walked them across.

Talking a toddler through everything that's happening is pretty much common sense, I think, but if your DH isn't always a very hands-on parent, maybe it didn't occur to him.

She had, on our laps from standing. Not alone from the steep bit.

The problem then is not the wire, it's the setup with your poor DD.
Whether or not she CAN do it, she needed to know what she was getting put on

My DS was 3, for the one at the park, but he was very confident at that age and already used to going on it with DH.
Too scary for me though!

I think she freaked out because she had been on it before (with us) and it was nice and gentle. By herself it was really fast.

DD did went on alone at 3 but went on with me at 2 and a halfish. She loves them. Depends on the child.

Well I put my 4 year old on one on his own last year. I just let it go rather than giving it a push with the idea of it being a gentle ride. It FLEW along far faster than I thought it would, he hit the end and it flew up in the air and he couldn't hang on. He fell off and screamed his head off, every parent in the park seemed to look at me like this . I felt like a right nob. He can manage it now at 5 though.

So I can see it from you and your DH's point of view - easy to over estimate what they can handle but yep, I can see why you were unimpressed.

Dd does this by herself at the local park. She is a nutter. But she also has 3 big brothers ... anything they can do etc .

we have one at a local park which is down a slope and goes really fast, this isnt a problem, but when it reaches the end it stops very abruptly and the kids (especially the lighter ones) get sharply swung upwards.

Have seen a few of the younger kids, not so much fall off, but flying off off due to this and hitting the ground with a massive thud, soon followed with screams/tears. Didn't let ds do that one from start to finish until he was about 5.

Other zip slides which were longer/higher but smoother he did from about 3-ish.

Ds1 has been doing the ones at the park since 2 1/2, but then his favorite thing to do is hang from a rope

Depends on the DC. More likely to be younger if they have older siblings.

Definitely depends on DC.

My boys were swinging away at 2, but I knew they would hold tight.

I think it depends on the child. DD would have freaked until about 5, DS1 would have loved from 2. DS2 more cautious like DD.

My DS loves them, and he started going on by himself without me holding it by about the age of 5 or 6.

I think it's less of an age thing and more of a question about how steady they are. My 3 year old would be fine as he is able to hold on well and realises he mustn't get off.

With my first though - maybe 4 or 5 years? Son was very capable but I was quite reserved about these things.

Well I put my 2.8 yr old on one for the first time yesterday and supported his back. He would have just let go of it and fallen off otherwise. He hasn't seen them in action though really as we don't have one near us. He'll probably suss it in the next couple of months.

Having said I put my DC on at 2, I wouldn't put someone else child on until they are about 5.

Not sure what that says!

Depends on the child, and the speed of the zip wire.
DS1 didn't go on them without me holding on until he was about 4. DS2 is far more adventurous, as was about 2 1/2.
However there is one at a park we go to when we are camping which is so fast even teenagers have fallen off, it swings really high! Last time I went on it I practically went upside down.
Neither DS is brave enough for that one!