Active discussions

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Original poster

Do you let your DC climb up slides in the park?

375 replies

rosie79 · 09/10/2006 17:28

My ds who's 3 has always been really into climbing (like most kids this age!) and for as long as he has been able to has climbed up slides in parks as well as sliding down them. He always waits his turn if it's busy and doesn't climb up if someone is about to slide down. I have always let him do this as I know that he knows his own limits and has yet to have any accidents, he is careful. Our parks are rarely very busy either. However, I have often heard other mums say to their kids as they try to climb up the slide "no dear, go up the normal way" or the "proper way" or similar words to this effect, or worse "you'll get the slide dirty" !! So their shoes doen't make it dirty if they slide down?! .
It doesn't bother me what other parents let and don't let their kids do, that's their choice, but to imply that my child is doing something wrong or abnormal and give me funny looks or say stuff extra loud so I hear them, that's annoying!! surely in playgrounds children should be able to use the equipment however they choose to, exploring and being adventurous? Isn't this what childhood is all about? With a bit of adult supervision it isn't dangerous. Am I on my own in feeling like this?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
hunkermunster · 09/10/2006 17:45

Twiglett, look, he's just a baybee, why would I stop him doing exactly as he wants?

GhoulsToo · 09/10/2006 17:47

no he's 6'

CappuccinoTheHaikuPedant · 09/10/2006 17:49

god he's not even wearing shoes?

blardy hippies

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting
iota · 09/10/2006 17:51

in response to OP yes I do

hunkermunster · 09/10/2006 17:53

Cappucino, that was last summer - he couldn't walk then - I'd actually lifted him onto the bottom of the slide...

There weren't any other children in the park though.

hunkermunster · 09/10/2006 17:53

Er. Except that one in the background on the swing. But she didn't want to go on the slide. Because there was a child climbing up it, possibly...

Spatz · 09/10/2006 17:54

I think it's impossible to stop them climbing up and they learn how to take turns and look out for others. It's all part of the fun - who says it's not a valid way to play on the equipment anyway?

I used to have a friend who told other kids not to do it - I felt she was nuts and taking on the whole world - like trying to stop the tide!

GeorginaA · 09/10/2006 17:54

Also it's bloody funny to see them only get part way up before slipping back again... but then I'm a sadistic mother...

TwigTwoolett · 09/10/2006 17:54

no other children around? its fair game though

I knew you knew that I'd know that you'd know iykwim?

hunkermunster · 09/10/2006 17:55

I knew that, Twig.

hunkermunster · 09/10/2006 17:56

Oh, happy birthday, btw

Kif · 09/10/2006 17:56

Depends who else is there.

Climbing up can often be a way of queue jumping, and can be a bit intimidating for younger kids.

Apart from that - which is part of basic playground ettiquette about not barging smaller kids or spoiling other peoples games - don't see a problem

Original poster
rosie79 · 09/10/2006 18:26

lol Georgina A, glad I'm not the only one who finds it funny when they struggle to get up only to keep sliding back down!

Just to make it clear- my ds always waits his turn and stands waiting if other kids are sliding down. Funnily enough if it is very busy with queues at the top he doesn't bother, insterad prefering to climb up the conventional way.

Don't uinderstand the logic of "not if their shoes are dirty" though, so many little kids who slide down slides do so with their shoes firmly on the slide and their knees up, so if their shoes are muddy it still makes the slide muddy...ds always slides straight back down after climbing up, 'cleaning' the slide with his bum!

He knows about manners and is ver ygood at taking turns BTW.

OP posts:
Original poster
rosie79 · 09/10/2006 18:31

rofl niceglasses! Can't get the image of kids parachuting around in big spotty nickers!

you just reminded me...ds went through a phase of wearing his pants on his head whenever we went out ("coz I'm pretending it's a hat mummy" being his only explanation). Glad he's over that now! ...The looks I got ...

OP posts:
HumphreyPETERCUSHION · 09/10/2006 18:32

I agree with Twig.

If they had the park to themselves, they could climb up the slide.

Anyone else there, use the steps.

Now, how fast to spin the roundabout if the average age of the other children is less than 5.... that's the one we had trouble with!

Lact8 · 09/10/2006 18:40

No

The rules

No climbing up the slide, use the steps
Don't run in front of the swings when someone is on them
Don't attempt getting on the roundabout when it's moving

Drum that into them early enough and then I'm fairly confident that they are aware of the dangers of the park

I don't see it as a case of not allowing him freedom to play, he does have this, but if he doesn't know the 'rules' then he's a danger to himself and others.
But mainly himself as he is the daredevil child that you see trying to jump off the ledge for the firemans pole when he's only just turned 2

TwigTwoolett · 09/10/2006 18:44

no .. waiting at the bottom to climb up is not the same as waiting at the ladder to climb up

the ladder is a queueing system and everyone knows where each other is in terms of turns .. but a kid waiting the other side . .. none of the other children are aware of him / her and as soon as s/he climbs up the slide it looks to them like they're queue jumping

I just find it WRONG and against playground etiquette

tigermoth · 09/10/2006 18:49

Rosie, I haven't read the other posts here but just wanted to say bravo to you!#

Your message totally summed up how I felt when my sons were at that age and wanted to climb up slides.

I felt exactly the same as you do. I knew my child( adventorous, fond of climbing, good sense of balance), did my own risk assessment, and as long as he was not making it difficult for other children to use the equipment, no harm in it - and probably a bit of good.

Original poster
rosie79 · 09/10/2006 18:49

Completely agree with your second two rules lact8, and ds has also had this drummed into him since day one.

But as long as the park isn't busy and they take turns why should it be a rule that they dopn't climb up the slide? I don't see it as being a danger to themselves or others. It isn't dangerous if the children are careful, surely it is enough just to teach children basic etiquette (queuing, waiting turn, being careful aroung little ones) and safety?

OP posts:
sugarfLeewhileyoustillcan · 09/10/2006 18:52

So ,a question for all you anarchy inducing mothers.What happens when the one who has queued at the top whilst waiting for the creative free spirit to climb up,gets fed up and decides to go down anyway.Slamming creative anarchy child down and off the end backwards.
[/moral dilemma]

Mine are allowed to climb up if no-one else about.

Original poster
rosie79 · 09/10/2006 18:55

Tigermoth glad you agree!

I have to disagree with you Twigtwoolett. As I said, ds doesn't do it if there is an actual queue or it's busy, and if there are just a few kids using slide then they know that someone is at the bottom waiting, they are not stupid. As a nursery teacher I've had years of watching kids in playgrounds and they will happily accomodate a kid who waits at the bottom as long as all kids still take the proper turns. Obviously with younger kids in playgrounds or situations where it isn't clear I simply supervise ds and make sure he knows his place in queue (and advice him to use the steps if I think the situation calls for it).

OP posts:
Lact8 · 09/10/2006 18:56

Because I've learnt from experience that if I bend the rules once he'll want to do it whatever it is all of the time, not just when the park is empty

So it does rile me when other kids do it, like twig said it goes against park etiquette

Quadrofiendia · 09/10/2006 18:56

people who let their kids climb up slides IME tend to be the ones who 'don't do' confrontation with their children and think of a nice flowery excuse as to their behaviour as demonstarted here

beckybraAAARGHstraps · 09/10/2006 18:57

Yes I do. Turn-taking, manners, all that stuff of course. But I don't worry about making the slide dirty, and I don't stop them playing in the way I used to play when I was young.

pointyfangedWeredog · 09/10/2006 18:58

If a kid slides down with their feet flat on the slide they won't do much sliding. They'll chunter. Kids normally slide down on their bums with heels just off slide or on their tummies or on their backs, none of which involve sole to slide contact.

I fully understand the muddy slide thing.