if I ask the shop to replace this?

[JungleJim]

I recently bought one of these for the garden as my wife is disabled and finds it difficult to get to the park with DS during the week while I'm away. I've spent the last 2 weeks clearing the land, cutting down trees and assembling it. 2 year old son got to play on it for the first time today. 5 minutes in and he tries to roll a stone the size of a mango down the slide. It bounces and hits the bottom of the slide, which now has a 12" crack right across it so it can't be used.

AIBU if I ask the company to replace the slide, on the basis that it's an expensive item which should withstand the rough and tumble of several kids up to 10 years and not break after a few minutes at the hands of a toddler? Or AIBU for expecting it to survive a stoning?

Genuinely not sure and wanting to know what the consensus is.

That's a pretty big stone! My view is that you should cough up for a new slide. They might give ypu a discount? Or you could try getting the slide off a second hand one. You could also try maybe bathroom silicone or something on it??

I don't think any slide would be able to withstand large stones being rolled down it. You are going to have to buy a replacement and teach your ds not to do that again.

That's a rock, not a stone.

I thdon't think the company is liable, as it's not designed for stones/rocks, although I can appreciate how annoyed you must be.

A two year old on a climbing frame that size should be closely supervised. How did he get a large stone up safely without an adult intervening?

YABVVU

Absolutely ask them to replace it. How can it be fit for purpose if a smallish rock damages it? I have had my climbing frame and slide for 12 years, my own two strapping boys and up to 10 minded children between the ages of 2 and 14 on it every school day! And it's still intact.

Hope there was no other child standing nearby!

Agree with the pp, sorry but slides are supposed to be for padded little bottoms sliding down smoothly, not for a large rock to be bounced down

Perhaps they'll give you a discount though, work asking. Or could you mend it somehow?

I suppose you don't have to say it was a rock....

That is a huge piece of equipment for a two year old.
He will require constant supervision and lots of lifting on and off.
A great deal of work for your wife.

I think I would have gone for more age appropriate toys for a 2 year old. A sand pit, small swing etc.

I would think a child is heavier than a stone - I would expect a bit of damage but not for it to be irreparably damaged. Thinking of Slides I Have Known, usually they are really very robust and can easily withstand being jumped on, climbed up and so on.

It should withstand more than a small rock rolling down it! Yes, ask them to replace it.

Two year olds do get older, you know...those small garden toys are a waste of money IMO as they grow out of them very quickly.

I'd have an honest conversation with them about what has happened and say something like "so now I need to get a new one, please", and see what they do. If they offer, that is exceptional customer service. If they don't, I wouldn't blame them (though I get how annoying and expensive this is for you)

Lol queenbean "padded little bottoms to be sliding down smoothly"

For all of about 2 minutes maybe until they discover howmuch fun it is to do anything except slide down it! The set in the pic looks like it would be up to the age of around 10yrs and should withstand plenty of rough play!

I agree, it should be more robust and would expect them to replace the slide part.

I think it was irresponsible of you to leave a 2 year old to play unsupervised on that construction.

Can't you just get a replacement for the single piece that your child broke? I don't see why a whole new slide is needed.

We have had one of these and it has stood up to eight years of abuse. Admittedly we haven't had any mango sized stones, but probably lots of wooden toys thrown down it, and it hasn't broken.

He wasn't unsupervised. He likes rolling his trucks and 'pet rock' down the slide. He already has one of those little tikes ones which he's been happily rolling stuff down for the past year. His mum didn't think this one would be less robust.

I'll give customer service a ring tomorrow, explain what he's done and see what they say. However it gets sorted 'pet rock' now has a lifetime ban.

Queenbean. My sister two manage to the padded little bottoms for two seconds before deciding its more fun to climb up! . Op id phone them and tell them what happened. Think it shoukd have lasted longer than 5 minutes even if it was a rock!

I think it should be able to withstand a rock being rolled down it.

yes i would expect a replacement. Thats shoddy quality if a stone rolled down it broke it

I slide shouldn't crack with just a stone rolling down it a few days after installation, the plastic on the slide should not be so brittle to crack with a slight impact. It should be able to take the rough and tumble of many children for a few years. Bet you paid a fortune for that, I'd be expecting a replacement and hoping it was just a fault in the slide (and be worried about the general quality overall).

I think you should ask if you can buy a replacement.

A slide should be able to withstand a few stones. My kids used to hurtle all sorts down their slide and it never broke. Definitely complain. But don't say he slid a rock down!

Sounds like it was quite old plastic if it is brittle enough to crack under a pet rock tbh. I would ring them up and not mention the rock just that the first time it was used it cracked.
Looks great by the way!