Hellobee Boards Topic: Do you play with your kids at the playground?

Hellobee Boards Topic: Do you play with your kids at the playground? https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 30 May 2026 04:22:53 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220807 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 10:38:46 +0000 Rainbow Sprinkles 2220807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I push them on the swing, catch them at the bottom of the slide, and help them if they're stuck. That's about it. catomd00 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220804 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 10:25:54 +0000 catomd00 2220804@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Both. dD is 16 months and not really trustworthy to stay out of danger, but I like to hang back and give her space to explore and figure out things o her own. I don't like to hover, but I am close enough to jump in if needed. Corduroy on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220791 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 09:25:33 +0000 Corduroy 2220791@https://boards.hellobee.com/ There are rarely kids at our playground when we go so I'll play with LO. I used to shadow a lot since the equipment is designed for much bigger kids. Around the time LO turned 2 she became more proficient and I became more pregnant so I started hanging back more. At LOs request I did slide with her a few days before giving birth. Greentea on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220788 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 09:19:01 +0000 Greentea 2220788@https://boards.hellobee.com/ DH and I BOTH play with her at the playground. She just turned 2, so she is getting better at being aware of being safe, but still needs some awareness reminders. Also, she loves playing with us and I think it is fun too. We often meet other parents and we all play on the equipment together- the kids, the parents, and us. She does free play independently in the sand. travellingbee on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220779 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 08:56:34 +0000 travellingbee 2220779@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I play when he asks me to. He's pretty good by himself on most playgrounds but I get nervous on ones that have big climbing structures. He always wants to go to the top :( I just follow him around on the ground in case he falls, most of the time. Rockies11 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220767 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 08:39:49 +0000 Rockies11 2220767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I would happily stay out of LO's way if she would let me. She's 2 and she won't even step onto the playground surface without me. cat620 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220766 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 08:37:26 +0000 cat620 2220766@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I would say a mixture of both. Now that he's two, he seems to really understand the playground and is cautious around areas that could pose a risk. He's also interested in other kids now, so he likes to follow them around or watch what they are doing. I stay close to him in case he needs me, and sometimes I will engage in play, but mostly I supervise. nana87 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220764 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 08:35:38 +0000 nana87 2220764@https://boards.hellobee.com/ She's not even 15 mos so I def shadow her around-- she has no fear and wants to do everything! Plus she loves the swings and needs to be pushed. I hang back more when she's in the sandbox but still watch her-- esp for eating the sand or for her interactions with other kids, some of whom can be little jerks, like recently she was curious about an older boy's sandcastle and he literally barred his teeth and growled at her like a dog :shocked: I kept her away from him after that NovBaby1112 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220742 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 07:57:35 +0000 NovBaby1112 2220742@https://boards.hellobee.com/ A mixture of both, depending on what she wants! Some days she wants me to play with her and other days she just wants to do her own things. blackbird on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220723 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 07:34:43 +0000 blackbird 2220723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I hang back, especially since it's usually busy and full of kids. travelgirl1 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220719 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 07:31:46 +0000 travelgirl1 2220719@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I watch her, mainly. She needs my help on the swing and I sometimes need to help her up a climbing frame but she does a really good job of navigating it herself. If she asks me to play, like in the sand box, then I will. Sometimes I need to get involved and remind about sharing if there's a fight about a toy or ride-on. Foodnerd81 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220704 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 06:54:09 +0000 Foodnerd81 2220704@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I watch her and will shadow her when she's on a climbing structure with drop offs by generally try to let her do her own thing unless she asks me to do something. Sometimes I have to warn her back from a drop off and she likes being pushed in the swings. And when she or other kids bring extra toys, like a doll stroller or scooter or whatever, extra supervision is always needed to make sure they share and don't just take the toys. She turns two next month. Anagram on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220702 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 06:51:51 +0000 Anagram 2220702@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I do both, but even if I'm not playing with her, I'm very close. Our playground has a sign saying it's for under 4's (and there's another plat structure right by it that's for over 4s), but parents with younger kids will bring their older kids over and they steamroll the youngers a lot. My LO has been (almost) pushed down slides and off the bridge by older kids running past. And just this last week, two older boys stole her ball and ran and put it in the trash can. I had a talk with them about that. :shocked: bushelandapeck on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220700 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 06:46:04 +0000 bushelandapeck 2220700@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I do both. We usually go with other friends with kids so he's busy playing with them. When it's just me, I usually play with him most of the time looch on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220677 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 05:30:49 +0000 looch 2220677@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I do play with my son, if he asks. Sometimes we're there and there is no one there, so I get on and go. Other times, I encourage my son to play with the other kids. Bubbles on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220661 Sun, 28 Jun 2015 02:16:32 +0000 Bubbles 2220661@https://boards.hellobee.com/ LO is only 18 months and fearless, so I have to spot him - but even then I don't intervene if he's doing something precarious, I just catch him when he falls (I don't feel he'll learn what's safe if I step in before it goes wrong every time). Other than that I stay out of his way as much as possible and let him do his thing. He is always trying to engage other kids - usually much older ones, so sometimes I have to help out a bit if I can see they're getting frustrated with him. lamariniere on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220637 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 23:32:59 +0000 lamariniere 2220637@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I have a 4.5 yo and a 19 mo. I supervise/play with the younger one because she has no fear and climbs everything she can. My 4yo is all over the place and usually finds other kids to play with. I will probably start hanging back a bit more when my younger LO can play safely by herself. matador84 on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220628 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:48:24 +0000 matador84 2220628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I usually sit on a bench and watch his. He's at a good age where he knows not to step off into a drop off or something. Almost 3. When he was younger we would helicopter but not now. Zbug on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220626 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:45:21 +0000 Zbug 2220626@https://boards.hellobee.com/ If I take her alone, I generally play with her. When we meet friends though, I'm pretty hands off. She's 21 mo. Torchwood on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220620 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:33:42 +0000 Torchwood 2220620@https://boards.hellobee.com/ LO is obviously not old enough yet, but as a nanny I did both. Woolly Mammoth on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220619 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:32:54 +0000 Woolly Mammoth 2220619@https://boards.hellobee.com/ I follow him around because he's just 21 months and will run off suddenly towards the road or another hazard, but I don't really play with him unless he tries to engage me. Punky on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220613 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:28:56 +0000 Punky 2220613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ My daughter is only 1 and a half so I supervise her. She has no concept of danger and will literally just walk down the slide or off the side if I let her. I give her space if she's on something she can't hurt herself on and she always tries to play with the big kids and chase them around. Applesandbananas on "Do you play with your kids at the playground?" https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/do-you-play-with-your-kids-at-the-playground#post-2220607 Sat, 27 Jun 2015 22:07:05 +0000 Applesandbananas 2220607@https://boards.hellobee.com/ Or do you hang back and let them do their thing? I read a blog post (on Scary Mommy, I think) about this and it was really interesting. The blogger was making a case for letting kiddos do their own thing. I'm pretty hands on at the playground because LO is only 2 and doesn't play well independently yet, nor is he totally trustworthy when it comes to the drop-offs! And, I enjoy it :) I usually have my phone tucked away, there are no dishes or laundry calling my name, and I can really focus on LO! I think once he's a little older and learns how to play with others, I probably won't be as hands-on. I think it's kind of funny, other kids always come over and want to play with us :) I try to encourage LO to interact with them too, but he's not quite there yet. What do you do at the playground?