Slide in the garden - how do I stop DD going on it?!

[LoveB]

DD has just been bought a big slide from her GPs. She's fine on it with our help getting up but I don't want her attempting to climb it without us, when she's roaming free in the garden. Is there such thing as a slide guard to stop her?! Any tips appreciated.

I let DD (14 months) roam the garden at distance from me when I'm busy hanging the washing etc and our garden has allsorts of steps and drops and slate chippings etc.

DD has been able to climb a ladder since 11 months and has confidently been climbing both up and down a ladder for the last month. So at 18 months don't be surprised if your DD can suddenly get further than the second rung!!

Could you put the ladder end of the side within a play pen? Then you can just open the gate for her to use it when you are with her.

I know the size of slide you mean (suspect I know the slide you mean) - think my youngest was slightly older when we got ours (got rid of it finally this week after years of it taking up the garden) and I think I just helicoptered the crap out of her to start with on it. Never did fall off it - although we had one hairy moment when she was going through a phase of impressively being able to fall asleep everywhere and managed to fall asleep at the top of the bloody slide aged about 3.

It's finally gone as my 7 year old was developing a habit of performing "concerts" from the top of it and I didn't think putting my neighbours through that was very fair.

My DS is 20 months and I leave him pottering in the garden while I watch from kitchen window. The side window and door is open so if he starts to do something dangerous he can hear me, if I ask him to stop

I have done this since he was about 18 months, so I wouldn't slap that wrist too hard op. You know your own child.

Yes I think obstructing the steps only gives her something else to try and "mountaineer". I think possibly don't stick up back into the ground and just tip it when you're not around. It won't be too long now and she will have mastered it, so not too much longer of faffing.

DS could climb a ladder at 13 months, did it one handed while holding something at 19 months, so it may not be long before she works it out. I'd just supervise her in the garden, if you are checking that frequently I don't see how you could get much done anyway.

That is far too big for her - put it in the garage for a few years and get her this www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Tikes-447a00060-Junior-Activity/dp/B000XRY40W?ref_=bl_dp_s_mw_1652089031&tag=mumsnetforu03-21 or this www.amazon.co.uk/Little-Tikes-172403E3-First-Slide/dp/B006YMOCOS?ref_=bl_dp_s_mw_1652089031&tag=mumsnetforu03-21 she will get much more enjoyment out of something she can independently tackle herself.

I'm sorry but your parents got carried away and you need to deal with that.

Thank you Millicent that's a great idea about the bottom step.

cyw I thought about a playpen but the base at the bottom is too wide, but thank you.

And thank you all of the PPs who let their DCs wander for making me feel normal! Our garden is very child friendly, no cats, no steps, no decking, just grass... she ate soil once and thought it was yuk so hasn't done it since. I really do keep a very close eye on her, but means I can be tidying/washing up at the same time.

Anyway, let's pretend I'd put 2.5 years (so for next summer) and so any helpful advice for when she can climb the steps without me, but I'd feel uncomfortable with her using it without me... or do I need to man up and let her get on with it then

Bottom step removal/board it up with bungees/put it on its side are great ideas thank you

Hexagonal

Tigger thank you, I won't, I'll have some more Easter egg

Please don't think about using a bungee. People have lost eyes when they have sprung back once pulled.

Really dangerous potentially.

Teal she does also have a smaller one on a Wendy house she can do herself which she loves. This one is too big for her, alone, which is why I don't want her on it without my supervision.

stayathome ok thank you, noted

At 2.5 I wouldn't worry and would let her get on with it, but I wouldn't count on having that long until she masters it. Maybe just put it away for a year, or just put it up when you are in the garden with her.

What sort of wildernesses do you lot live in that you won’t let a toddler potter about without being 2 steps behind them?!

Op, measure the gap on the inside of the ladder, go to b&q and get them to cut a piece of marine plywood that width and the height/length of the first few steps, then drill and hole in the top and bottom

Lay the wood on the steps and use a bungee cord to attach it at the top and bottom
It should be easy to take on and off but stops anyone climbing

Just googled 10ft slide. This is what we have! Didn't consider keeping DC3 off it at any age but obviously supervised her closely when very young. She was going down in her older siblings arms (with me next to them!) as a tiny.

Personally I think those tiny cubes have such limited use time wise given their cost although I suppose if you can get something second hand....

Bad mother award 🥇

I’d say you are overthinking it- it’s hard to imagine when they are small, but they change and learn so quickly. In 6 months to a year’s time she would be absolutely fine going up that ladder.

Also, I found its better to teach them how to climb up and down safely with you there, rather than worrying about how to stop them.

Although I may be a little too “relaxed”- I found my youngest at the top of our climbing frame at about 14 months, with an ice lolly in his hand, so he’d climbed it one handed

My 4 year old isn't allowed in the garden on his own. I've just started leaving him with my 12 year old while I go to the loo or get a drink. My 4 year old is a climber and likes to escape and put things in his mouth though.

Also, I found its better to teach them how to climb up and down safely with you there, rather than worrying about how to stop them
Could not agree more !!!

Although I too may be a bit too relaxed, my 20 month old was climbing up the ladders I had just used to chop some branches off our trees this afternoon. I just went over and helped him carry on up and then shown him how to get down.

It's inevitable at some point they will do something when your back is turned for that second. Best they are taught Safe ways of doing things than being stopped from doing things (IMO)

Ok thank you all!

Tenbob has it. Eighteen months is too young to climb unsupervised so a board fixed to block bottom two steps is the answer. We used painted plywood with holes drilled for tapes at the top two corners and just tied it to second or third step.
They’ll not need it for long.

I’m slightly aghast at a four year old not being allowed in a garden unsupervised. When is the child going to develop confidence in their own abilities and risk assessment?

I don't like the board and bungees idea, I have visions of them getting their head under the bungees and then getting stuck! I am also fairly paranoid about the DC in the garden as you might be able to tell...

I think the playpen idea is the best one. I think if I hadn't seen that I would have just put lots of foam matting around and under the slide on the grass. Pain to move daily to prevent grass dying though.

Also quick question, what age would you allow a child to be unsupervised in the garden?

I’m slightly aghast at a four year old not being allowed in a garden unsupervised. When is the child going to develop confidence in their own abilities and risk assessment?

I don't hover over him, I'm usually weeding or helping older dc with his bike or something. I only intervene when he tries to do something dangerous like climb over the wall or run into the road.

I let my 2.5yo Potter without full supervision. I can't imagine following a 4yo round the garden. That's extreme.

@Dermymc do you mean he wanders about while you hang the washing rather than following? I do that for my 2.5 year old but often turn around to him throwing pebbles into the bushes.

That's my dc3 at 11 months old, she'll be going up the slide too very soon :)

I think remove the slide til next summer if she's dc1. We had a tiny one in the garden - 3 steps - which the DC used independently with an adult close by at your DD's age.

Also quick question, what age would you allow a child to be unsupervised in the garden?

I suppose it depends on the child and on the garden! I let my 2yr and 3yr old potter about in our small one while I'm in the kitchen, I can see/hear them most of the time but there is a blind spot, I also will pop to the (downstairs) loo while they're there. Not entirely sure what massive risks there are, they're over the whole "eating everything" now which was my main concern when they were younger.

At what age questions are how long is a piece of string questions.

However I used to childmind and Ofsted approved my risk assessment for use of the garden with line of sight supervision including me being in the living room with French doors open while children under 2 were in the garden.

I risk assessed every bloody plant though as well as the play equipment, which was all the scale intended for toddlers.

All my mindees were under 2 when I submitted the risk assessment paperwork.