To take my kids to the park?

[tabithasweet]

With playground equipment etc. They are 2 & 4 and getting them to go on "walks" is pretty hard but I worry about them not getting exercise.

I was just wondering this but realise we should say least go when noone else is around (was actually thinking now-ish!)... But what about the equipment, it's not sanitised is it? 🤔

Yes YABU, children are vectors. Play equipment can be contaminated. This is the new normal, your DCs need to get used to it.
Sorry

Can the 4yr old ride anything (scooter/bike) to make walks more fun? Actually the 2 year old could scoot as well?

Okay thanks, I'm gonna have to be more inventive with getting them to have a runaround!

The health lady in the press conference last night said exercising outside is fine and so is going to the park just to keep social distancing in mind and stay away from each other

Yes they do scoot, most places we scoot to have a play area as well so I'm just struggling with how to explain to them that they can't go on the play equipment! They obviously don't get why they can't go on it.

I’m afraid the virus lives on surfaces for up to 9 days so play equipment is very likely to help spread it. Could you find a field to run around in?

Take a ball, bubbles, bike/scooter . Get them running around in an open space away from others.

Could you guarantee they didn’t touch their faces? I have a child who has adhd and needs to burn off energy. She struggles to walk as she’s hypermobile. She loves the park but even there doesn’t feel safe. Sadly this is our new normal.

No you shouldn’t. They’ll be touching equipment as will you at this age.

Download the Geocache app and go on a treasure hunt. Perfect for those ages.

We live opposite a park and its hard as kids keep asking! Instead we have done rollerblades/ scooters and an egg and spoon race (playdoh not eggs!)

We're doing scooting, taking a ball over, collecting sticks, I might try to do an eye spy game with some pictures of what we might see on our walk.

Could someone please link to the government advice that says this? We are absolutely continuing to go to the park as we are not in self isolation. We are avoiding soft play, groups etc in line with the social distancing advice.
My understanding is that it's fine to touch things that others have touched, so we are accepting deliveries and continuing to buy food from the shops as well. Wash hands regularly of course.

We have been in self isolation as one of my children had a mild cold/cough last weekend. Every day we go for a walk(older children on scooters) at a quiet time of day. We feed the ducks, then find a quiet area of our park(v big London park) and play ball games/what's the time mr wolf etc. We stay away from everyone, and obviously dont go near any play/exercise equipment etc we will continue like this even when out of self isolation. The children are really enjoying it as we are playing games.
It would be even easier if you are near wild spaces.

Lots of people have started putting rainbows or pictures of rainbows on their windows. So perhaps you could get them to make one and then go for a walk to try and spot others.

In Ireland all the playgrounds are off limits. They have explained that they don’t want kids handling equipment and spreading anything to others.

The live virus can live on cardboard for 24 hours, smooth non porous surfaces for 72 hours, that includes swings, slides, railings etc. If you or your children pick up the virus you may not show symptoms for 11-14 days but during that time you will have spread it onto everything you touch.
If people don't begin to understand this we will never reduce exponential growth of this virus, it will kill the old and vulnerable first and then younger people, as is happening in Italy now.
I understand that it's hard, really hard and it's not going to end anytime soon but losing someone you love is harder.

I was thinking about this too - I have some of that Dettol surface spray, that kills viruses, I was going to go early and spray the chains on the swings and let them have a go - do we think this is a bad idea? If so I won’t do it (wasn’t going to let them on anything else).

YAbu - print off a scavenger hunt, collect leaves, take a ball or whatever but 2 metres apart means 2 metres apart - will you be able to keep them that far apart from other kids in a play park? What about the equipment? The virus can live for over a week in hard surfaces - that’s why it’s so contagious.

They’re closed in Europe.

I thought the virus could only survive 12-24 hours.

I’d buy them a trampoline

hessofealing

I was thinking about this too - I have some of that Dettol surface spray, that kills viruses, I was going to go early and spray the chains on the swings and let them have a go - do we think this is a bad idea? If so I won’t do it (wasn’t going to let them on anything else).‘

That is a terrible idea - you’re really going to clean every surface thoroughly with some wipes??? I honestly think it’s because of people like you that we’ll end up fully quarantined in our own homes.

They’re not wipes - it’s a spray. And spraying two chains and a seat isn’t that hard. Like I said if it’s a terrible idea I won’t do it, last thing I want to do is spread anything or make it worse which is why I asked.

Ha a trampoline is a good shout actually! It'll take up the whole garden but still.

@Winifredgoose you do realise that’s not self isolating don’t you. The advice is clear. If you are self isolating you ALL need to self isolate. Go out if you absolutely must. Going to feed the bloody ducks isn’t a necessity. The sooner Boris locks is down and forces people to stay in the better. Jesus.