Anyone know when playgrounds will be open?

[cantstopstressing]

I hope to god it's soon.

Like a PP says, it is so sad and poignant seeing them all empty.. A reminder of missing childhoods. I didn't even really enjoy going to them myself but I look at them just as wistfully as the DC do!

Given the number of comments I've seen from parents who say they can't expect their child to social distance from relatives/friends if they meet up in an outdoor space, I'm assuming that they will also not be able to teach their child not to a) go near other children in the play area and b) not touch their faces after touching said play equipment beford washing their hands. So i would expect them to remain closed for a while yet.

On the daily briefing today they said no time soon but made a big thing about how parks were open just not playgrounds.

We drove past two playgrounds yesterday and there were children playing on them though so I guess some people have just decided sod it..

I don’t know where some of you live where you could imagine social distancing in playground.
I don’t have a garden and I’m in a flat but there’s no way I’d consider a playground, as much as my child misses them.
I live in central London and the playgrounds at weekends and in the summer are heaving. Literally kids climbing all over each other. Hundreds of kids passing through them in a day, no cleaning and absolutely no social distancing.

I live on/and by large new build estates. On our regular walk there are around 6 or 7 little parks, all padlocked up. Breaks my heart everytime we go past one and my 5yo says "Mummy when the bugs are gone we can go in there can't we?" 😭

The gyms aren't scheduled to open yet I don't think ?

We have a playground very, very close to our house that was almost always empty, @Nochangeplease - at most one other child, even on sunny weekends. It only serves our estate (it's not private, but you'd have to come here specially and no one else would) and it's aimed at the younger end - it's a toddler park, really - and I guess there just aren't many on the estate. There are a lot of elderly people, a lot of teenagers but you don't see many prams about. So I do think we could socially distance there, but I understand why it's a blanket rule.

@nickEcave I'm se London and the skate park is open

@bigbluebus

Given the number of comments I've seen from parents who say they can't expect their child to social distance from relatives/friends if they meet up in an outdoor space, I'm assuming that they will also not be able to teach their child not to a) go near other children in the play area and b) not touch their faces after touching said play equipment beford washing their hands. So i would expect them to remain closed for a while yet.

I think I probably could teach DD at a push. She already runs away if she sees another person on a walk.

But I think at 2 it's probably pretty detrimental to teach her to never go near another person or child, and never to interact with them, especially when I'm virtually the only person she sees for months. I think kids are adaptable and resilient (as I say she seems happy) but also that these early years are formative and it seems a drastic concept to ingrain.

So I guess I'd rather not teach her that and appreciate that means we can't do some things. That said I have tried to explain it to her in a simple non frightening way and that we will be able to see people soon, it's just temporary etc, but it's hard to know how much of that abstract concept is understood vs the repetitive learned behaviour of always avoiding social interaction.

Even my nearly 10yo is very sad when we go past playgrounds.

I have started avoiding them because as soon as I turn my back he is half way up a climbing frame, and then throws a teenager strop when I tell him to come down 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Playdonut

You’re being ridiculous... Of course no one is “happy” about the situation we find ourselves in, but equating the continued closure of playgrounds as equivalent to “a war on children” is an absurd exaggeration.

Children’s lives are more likely to be damaged by irrational, angst-ridden parents than closed playgrounds.

This whole thing is so unfair to children. Have any of the scientists thought of the long term psychological impact on them?!

My own personal thoughts and our situation aside, I do understand why these are the rules at the moment and I do agree that playgrounds being closed won't be damaging to children per se.

For some reason it's just really upset me to hear it as I think I was hoping for July.

Children’s lives are more likely to be damaged by irrational, angst-ridden parents than closed playgrounds

Closed playgrounds doesn't sound too traumatic until you consider it in the wider context of...

Closed schools
No extra curricular activities
No clubs
No playdates
No swimming pools
No leisure or entertainment facilities
Children, particularly only children, isolated at home..some without gardens

This whole thing is so unfair to children.

Whether it’s right or wrong to open playgrounds, “fairness” is hardly a sensible criteria to make a decision. Nothing about Covid is fair

[quote Derbygerbil]@Playdonut

You’re being ridiculous... Of course no one is “happy” about the situation we find ourselves in, but equating the continued closure of playgrounds as equivalent to “a war on children” is an absurd exaggeration.

Children’s lives are more likely to be damaged by irrational, angst-ridden parents than closed playgrounds.[/quote]
I would consider the irrational angst driven ones to be the germaphobes scared of the slide tbh. So let's agree to disagree

I don’t understand the logic behind nurseries and childminders being allowed to open up, but playgrounds not. There is no way kids will be able to social distance at nursery. There is going to be snot and dribble all over the shop .

I say I don’t understand, what I mean is playgrounds don’t help the economy...

Honestly get with the programme OP, no one cares about children and their general wellbeing. Children don’t vote and playgrounds don’t raise tax revenue. Besides, playing is frivolous; don’t you know there’s a global pandemic on?!

Play equipment = contamination fest. So find them something else to do..

@Incrediblytired you're right but I'd love to hear your suggestions! Mine is up 5.30am-9pm at the moment and it's just me and her every day, as has been for over two months. I feel like I've tried lots of things but would love further inspiration to help her development

@DizzyR

I don’t understand the logic behind nurseries and childminders being allowed to open up, but playgrounds not. There is no way kids will be able to social distance at nursery. There is going to be snot and dribble all over the shop .

I say I don’t understand, what I mean is playgrounds don’t help the economy...

If one of those in that bubble test positive they will all be quarantined to stop spread. Staff will be cleaning regularly and doing their best to stop them spitting in each other's mouths. In the playground spread could be from anyone to anyone and at this point the risk of that is too high for no real benefit.

I do really feel for only children particularly with no outside space, this is toughest on them in some ways.

Play equipment = contamination fest. So find them something else to do.

No probs, I’ll just take DD2 to the museum/soft play/zoo/library/swimming pool/local cafe/playgroup/music class... Oh, wait...

@DizzyR in nurseries and at childminders there is a known group of children who can be traced if one starts exhibiting symptoms. There would be absolutely no way of tracing who had been in contact in a playground

Oh, and I’m a former primary teacher, with an MA in a subject related to child development. Believe me, DD (only child) has done more than her fair share of crafting/baking/messy play/nature walks/treasure hunts/fine motor activities/gardening/garden obstacle courses/sand and water play. I’ve even ‘themed’ each week to give some semblance of structure.

But we’re ten weeks in and none of it is cutting it any more. She is utterly, utterly bored, and all she wants to do is play on the swings and interact with someone her own age.

cantstopstressing "I also don't get how/why they are deemed more risky than public transport or supermarkets."

Why do people keep saying that? How many times does it need to be explained?

Public transport and supermarkets are not safer. They are not even a little bit safe. It's just that we have to use supermarkets to get food and people have to use transport to get to work so we take the chance.

There's not the same urgency to play in the park or sunbathe.