Scared of slides

[farmerswifey]

My little lady is almost two and until last week she loved sliding at soft play. She would happily climb up to the big slides and whizz down all by herself. However, last week the slides had been polished and we're a little too slippy. My little girl fell backwards hurting her face and from then on, would only go down sat on my knee.

Today when we went there again, my little one wouldn't go on at all and kept repeating 'No slides Mummy - Nooooo' She went on a couple of times sat on my knee but refused to go down alone.

How do I rebuild her confidence or do we just avoid the place for a while? She really loved the place until this happened.

I think I'd just let it lie for a while, perhaps go to different places with slides but don't even suggest she goes on them. If you go to the same place don't mention the slides, if she says "no slides" just reply " ok no slides" but try not to give it any attention. As she gets older and starts playing with other kids more she'll probably follow them on the slides one day.
Don't try to force the issue as she might start to think there is something to be scared of if you see what I mean

Could you get her to do other things with slides - eg send dolly/teddy/a ball down a slide? Or you go down a slide at the park if there's one big enough for adults, or an older sibling/cousin/friend if not? Then she may view them as fun things again.

Slightly older friends are always good if they are kind and sensible.

DCs are much more likely to do things they see DCs their own kind of size doing, than listen to Mother.

My dd (2.3) goes through phases like this with all play equipment. She loves playgrounds, but there is usually only one piece of play equipment she is actually willing to go on during any one visit. It worried me at first, but I've decided not to push it. In many ways I think it is actually quite sensible to be wary of doing something which has frightened or hurt you previously!