To think a 14 year old can play in a playground?

[RedSkyLastNight]

Whilst out today, we passed an adventure playground and DS (aged 14) decided to climb up some of the tall climbing structures and hang off the ropes. He was not in any other child's way.

A small child (aged about 5 or 6) came up to him, asked how old he was and then said "My Mummy says you're too old to play in the playground". DS said "well I'm not", and carried on doing his own thing".

DS was luckily oblivious, (my hackles did rise against the unknown parent), but was he BU? There was a sign up indicating that one area of the playground was only for children up to age 7, but no signs anywhere else suggesting acceptable age (and DS was no where near the under 7s bit).

Would you consider a 14 year old (playing considerately in respect of other playground users) to be too old to play in a playground?

User history. Please link to these facts.

Ds (14 next month) will often play on playground equipment if he is with DH or me. We end up having to play with him sometimes as he wants us to push him in the roundabout or the swings. We wouldn't let him in areas with are restrictions and he only really does it in pretty empty playgrounds as I think he is a bit embarrassed but he still loves climbing and jumping.

This is such a fucking sad thread.
No wonder teens turn to more ‘adult’ behaviour when masses of you believe teens are out to hurt and cause trouble.
Especially to little children / as presumably they’d be with their parents?

Assuming the playground isn’t for “under 7s” or whatever you might just as well say the 10 year olds can play there if they aren’t spoiling it for the teens, surely? It’s a public playground for EVERYONE

A group of rowdy teenagers at the park amongst little children trying to play. I doubt it’s the little children spoiling it for the big snowflake teenagers. More like the other way around.
I was at the park a few months ago and there were a group of teenagers about 14/15 climbing on the equipment stupidly while small children were trying to play. One fell off and cracked her head open. I really didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for her if I’m honest.

Don’t do stupid things and you won’t get hurt. At 15 it’s easy enough to understand.

Also there is the issue of a young lad unaccompanied by an adult. Hanging out in playgrounds when you’re too old for the equipment could be interpreted as predatory behaviour

Christ.....

One fell off and cracked her head open. I really didn’t have an ounce of sympathy for her if I’m honest.

Mean spirited people tonight it seems.

Most teens l come across are never really doing anything
Just messing about a bit. Maybe sitting on the swings...
l think lots of the contributors to this discussion have small kids, and can’t for the life of them believe that their itty bitty babies, may one day grow too

Jesus Christ. If that’s what your work is doing to you user, it’s time for a career break. Your paranoid scare mongoring is ridiculous and damaging. Most of the 14 year olds I know would love a wee shot on a climbing frame.

The hanging about they do when people get irritated because it looks like they are being territorial and rude - asking them to move generally works. Teenagers can be unintentionally rude and need direction and a bit of modelling. What they don’t need it to be told that the world sees them as sexual predators.

I have 3 children aged 2, 6 and 9 and I would not bat an eyelid if a CHILD was having fun and using the equipment. The only time I would say something would be if they were using it as a social gathering to cause trouble or hogging the equipment from the younger kids!

My 14 year old with severe sn still uses playgrounds a lot. He wouldn't usually choose to be in one if there are other children about but I wouldn't stop him if he wanted to. I once had a child come up to me and tell me I was too big to be on the equipment ( with ds). I told them that I wasn't and carried on.

Oh cripes am I really odd then!? I like having a wee shot of things at the playpark that look fun

I’m not yet the proud owner of a teen, my own DS’ being only 10 and 7 (both with autism). I have however had the privilege of being a secondary age teacher for nearly 20 years and I would like to add that I think teenagers are wonderful creatures: funny, grumpy, surly, compassionate, open minded, feisty, stubborn, wilful - I could go on. But most of all, if you allow them to be, they are playful because, let’s not overlook this, they are still children, and as such have every right to enjoy facilities that are built for children. It’s not their fault that some of them are suddenly 6 foot tall overnight. And by the way, if you’re not keen on the language or other adult behaviour that they are experimenting with (which they are copying from the adults in their lives) then a quiet and respectful request to tone it done is usually all that is required

No wonder teens turn to more ‘adult’ behaviour when masses of you believe teens are out to hurt and cause trouble. quite

Of course children of 14 can use a children’s playground. Some local authorities actually have the sense to provide older children’s equipment- Telford used to have very good equipment and so does Bath.
The real pity is older children thinking they can’t use play equipment or others who are allowed to ‘hang around’ and damage the equipment or intimidate others. That’s where the idea 14 is too old to play.

Of course he can but it is annoying when a huge teenager is barrelling around the toddler area.

I don't mind as long as they're careful of younger children and don't just sit around blocking access while poking their phones.

my 14 y old is 6ft, my 8 y old 5ft
both still plays in parks(has many disabilities each)and play centers as as we home educate we go in the day times and 100% of the time they are the only school age kids there

we have never had anything said to us,if anyone ever had the nerve(i would wipe the floor with them)they would be told where to get off and mind their bussiness

I think some posters (UserHistory) reckon they sound more knowledgeable by saying “it’s a child protection issue”. A supervised teenage boy is not a child protection issue. It makes a mockery of children who are actually at real risk. You report concerns of child protection, you would be a time waster if you reported this.

I would say that it depends how big the child is.

I've seen enormous teens thundering around soft play centres and playgrounds, knocking littler ones out of then way and generally taking over the place just by their sheer size.

Oh shit, my mum was still playing on the playground when she was 84. I put her on the zip wire.

My friends eldest daughter was at 14yrs old, 5ft 7” tall and looked much older than her years so she would have looked very much out of place climbing up ropes etc but it’s nice that your son is playing and not glued to a console!

I usually take a little shot of the equipment. I think I am a hooligan.

OP's DS was not hanging with 10 friends hogging the equipment, He was having a bit of fun, no harm done. I wouldn't bat an eyelid to an older child or adult having some fun.