To be frightened of letting my 22 month old dd go on the big climbing frames in the park on her own?

[MargeHomerBart]

They are not that safe and feature big, unprotected drops and gaps in the runway where she could get her foot stuck.

Yet my mum friends say I should let her go on her own. Their kids are a bit older being 3/4.

I think dd is too young and should wait a bit longer until she has a better understanding of danger.

Shame our park dosn't have mini climbing frames.

I suppose actually, DS does have quite a good awareness of things. There is a small, preschooler-sized climbing frame and slide at our local park and though DS has been down the slide before, if it is up to him, he just climbs up and down the slopes and avoids the big slide as it's too tall.

Can I clarify? Are you talking about lifting her on to eqipment that she couldn't climb onto herself? Or letting her climb up somwhere she can manage?

I was in the playgrond with dd2 (17 months) yesterday and stood next to the small thing (don't know what it is called - has a slide, a tunnel, a bridge) while she clambered all over it. She is able to climb up the little ladder herself so I let her while standing nearby and moving nearer when she goes near the open ends where there is a drop.

I wouldn't lift her onto the bigger ones and let her have at it.

The spaces beween the rungs are very wide, the slide is very high etc and I don't think it is at all suitable for a toddler.

Also it is hard for older children to be conscious of a much smaller child when they are running about, climbing and jumping so she could easily get pushed about.

I think it is down to common sense. An under 2 year old has very different capabilities than a 3/4 year old.

My parents were never over-protective with any of us, which was clearly good. But because there were 4 of us, I've been able to ponder the differences between individual children.

I was clumsy but cautious= no accidents. Have never visited A&E on my own account in my life.

Big brother was clumsy but not cautious= some very serious accidents including one that still has implications 40 years later.

Little brother was not cautious but not clumsy either= very few accidents.

Your DD is not even 2, My DS is 4, but he's not massively confident on some kinds of activities. Swings for example, hates them...

The coin operated ride? He'll sit in it all day, until you put the money in, then he'll cry and get off.

You know your DD, if you don't feel confident in letting her go on certain things on her own, don't. I think getting her a slide/frame for home is a brilliant idea!

Outside of course you can see what slides etc are right for her capabilities and supervise, that's what you are supposed to do at 22m, surely, not just let em go and see how they get on!

YANBU, I rather think your friends are being U though. Perhaps they have forgotten how it is at 22 months already. Is your DD quite big for her age, ie. they forget she is not even 2yo? My DS is the size of a 5yo, so he has had people think he was older, so why was he not so confident on a bike etc.

Its up to you as you know your child and are responsible for her if anything happens, it should not but you never know. I would be cautious not all children are safety conscious and know their own limits you cant fully trust a toddler. Of course i dont wrap my child up in cotton wool no way i hate this elf and safety gone mad but when they are still little and have virtually no safety concept no way.