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Parenting

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

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Original poster

Adventure playgrounds and leaving children without their parents

111 replies

ReallyTired · 06/04/2008 21:47

Our local authority has 4 adventure playgrounds. They are fenced and run by playworkers. They have fanastic facilites, appartus for climbing, painting activites, lots of toys, dens to play in and programme of activites for the children in the school holidays.

It is completely free and you can leave your children there to be looked after by playworkers provided they are between the ages of 6 and 12. The idea is that the children can gain in independence and get the advantages of playing out on the street without the dangers.

I think its brilliant, but a friend of mine accused me of being a bad parent. She thinks its child neglet not to stay with your child even if the child is 12 years old because the children are able to walk out the playground if they choose to.

My son loves playing with his friends and I think its better for him than watching TV. He is six years old, but a very sensible 6 year old. I am confident that I trust him not to leave the playground without me.

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winebeforepearls · 07/04/2008 19:51

slightly off-topic, but connected: watch this

and i wish we had these playgrounds near us too

serenity · 07/04/2008 20:02

The Adventure Playground in Battersea Park is similar. It's for ages 5 to 16, but the 5 to 7's have to have a parent with them. There's only one entrance, so you can sit outside and read a book without worry of a mass jail break. Last year I managed to get in with DD (3) as DS2 was only 7 and she had a fab time. I presume the DSs did too as I didn't see them again until we herded them up to go.

emkana · 07/04/2008 20:17

Hulababy, I think ReallyTired means that some doors are designed so that you can't enter from outside, but can open the door from the inside. Our front door is like that. To not be able to leave the house you would need to lock it with a key.

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Hulababy · 07/04/2008 20:18

emkana - ah right, thanks.. Not seen any like that I don't think.

pooka · 07/04/2008 20:29

OUr door is like that too. It has a yale lock, so you turn the knob on the inside and it opens. But to get in from the outside, you need a front door key.
Only way to lock from inside is to use the mortice lock or to put the latch on the yale which stops the knob from turning IYSWM.

Original poster

ReallyTired · 07/04/2008 21:51

What do you think of this link?

Rearing children in captivity

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RubberDuck · 07/04/2008 21:53

Yes our door is like that too.

I do lock properly at night, but leave the key in the lock. Would hate to be trapped in the house in the event of a fire - those extra seconds to retrieve the key could make all the difference.

We have an alarm on at night too though for any unexpected visitors.

Fillyjonk · 07/04/2008 22:04

oh I think I will have to move to wherever it is you live

there used to be a similar playground quite near where I grew up. The playground was in holland park-can't remember the exact name. No adults were allowed in, and it was actually quite dangerous . Anyway, kids never actually hurt themselves. The theory was that without adults saying "careful...careful..." kids knew their own limits.

It was great

but this was the 80s and many things were different them

(do people really lock their doors? My kids would just get a stool, get the keys and unlock them . they actually have a special folding stool to allow them to open the door )

nappyaddict · 07/04/2008 23:38

we either leave the key in the door or at the side of the door so we wouldn't ever not be able to get out. we always leave the back door open though cos we are in and out of it all the time and as i said we have said gates which are always locked. we were once burgled in the middle of the afternoon whilst we were in the house. it was a summers day, before we had the gates at the side entrance, they came round the back and in through the patio door which was open and took a camera, video camera, and some other less valuable stuff just off the side. ever since then we've been very conscious of making our house secure so it couldn't happen again.

nappyaddict · 07/04/2008 23:54

does anyone know if you have to live in the area in order to use them. there don't seem to be any provided by our local council but the council in the next borough about 10-15 mins drive away has quite a few. they are all for 5-12 year olds but you can take under 5s as long as you stay with them.

Original poster

ReallyTired · 08/04/2008 17:17

In our area anyone can use the adventure playground, certainly I have taken my son's cousins although they do not live locally. I don't know if you have to locally to be allowed to leave your child.

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