-
Nope. I don't want them to think it's ok when other kids are trying to use it properly, so I just make it a general rule and discourage it.
-
As long as she's not getting in the way or hurting anybody my girl can use the playground how she sees fit.
-
Not allowed to do it at all - kids love bending rules to suit them, so the whole thing about being allowed to do it "when nobody is there" won't take long to become "ohhhh I didn't see that kid". I loathe it when others do it at the playground/playcenter - there is a huge slippery dip at the playcenter we go to, and some older kids were running up it while littler kids were going down. One wrong move and they would be knocked down a huge slippery dip and break some bones... mums sitting in a group chit chatting until the younger kids mums piped up and said it was a No-No.
-
Certainly. I would never enforce some rule just for the sake of enforcing a rule. Just, why? My daughter is good about taking turns and aware enough not to stomp over some smaller child. I would never tell her not to do something just because 'slides are for going down'. My daughter is allowed to play in just about any way that is safe and doesn't endanger other people.
ETA: I've had other mothers nag her about following their own rules that I don't agree with, and she knows to tell them that her mother said it was fine.
-
I always hated kids climbing the slide. I wasn't allowed to do it and I thought those kids were bad. The judging started early.
Then, sort of like @HLK208 mentioned, my super cautious DD showed interest in trying to climb slides. I was so excited that she tried something physically challenging that my versions of the rules flew out the window.
Other kids on the play equipment, no climbing. All alone, go for it. We're often at the park alone.
-
I let mine go up the slide if no one is waiting for their turn to come down *shrug*
-
At school, they're not allowed. I've struggled with this at home, because she has a slide here and has tried recently to climb it. It will probaby happen eventually, but I'm delaying for as long as I can.
-
Last year when she was just two, I definitely enforced a "no climbing the slide" rule. It bothered me when the older kids would run and climb up the slide when she was toddling around and she wanted to go down. I think this summer I'll let her climb it if there are no other kids using the slide.
-
Nope, not allowed. The slide is to slide down not climb up. That's why there are rock walls and rope walls for climbing. The slide was not intended to be climbed up. It is dangerous and I actually think it's rude. But that's just my opinion.
I do find it very interesting though that people don't want to "tell their kids how to play"... I don't think enforcing a rule that is safety and quality functionally related is cramping them in anyway.
Eta: why is it hard to tell your kid no or to enforce this rule? I don't get the as long as it's empty or if it's not a danger to them that its ok... There are tons of things that lo's want to do.that won't lead to imminent danger or injury but they still can't do it and we say no.
-
@sarac: so what do you do when there's a child who wants to come down the slide?
-
@pinkcupcake: as I said, she's situationally aware, and doesn't block other people from using it or having a turn. But I see zero reason to prevent her from climbing up it when it's her turn to use it.
-
@Ajsmommy: I guess because I don't think it's an important or necessary rule? I would have no problem enforcing it if I thought it was necessary--I do enforce the rule that we only go feet first down the slide, and we sit down in the swing, etc. I just don't agree that slides should only be slid down, therefore I don't enforce that as a rule
I wish our park had a rock wall/rope wall! That would be a great addition!
-
@hilsy85: so you see a slide as a climbing toy? Do you think it's intent is to be used both ways?
-
@Ajsmommy: Sure, it can be a climbing toy. Maybe not the original intent of whoever invented the slide, lol, but I think most of the equipment in the park can be used open ended-ly--like i said, as long as my kid is not a danger to himself or others, or impeding others' play, I let him do what he likes.
-
This thread is making me wonder why we have front steps.... They should be a front slide since so many people think that's proper use for a slide. Lol
-
@Ajsmommy: my son would probably love that
might be difficult to do while carrying groceries though!
-
Yes I do. I've taught early childhood for a long time, so the "down the slide" rule is really ingrained in me, but I switched viewpoints recently. I agree with others about teaching kids how to be aware and respectful by yielding to kids going down the slide. But climbing the slide is creative and physically unique, so I think kids should be able to explore that way. Plus, I think its mostly a made-up "rule" (more like a social norm).
-
Hmm, I guess I'm liberal when it comes to play. I encourage it to be open-ended and dual-purpose. I mean, I know some parents who don't permit their children to jump in rain puddles because of the potential mess. I'm the exact opposite, in that regard.
Climbing a slide is DD's way of being an explorer on a mountain, bases on the baseball diamond are dinosaur dig sites, and the drinking fountain is a watering hole for her ponies. Obviously, if someone is waiting for the slide, wanting to play baseball, or get a sip of water, DD is expected to be polite and move over. We mostly play at a pretty deserted park. We do our best to foster awareness and manners and haven't run into issues with others. I was unaware this was such a hot topic.
-
I think he's only ever tried once or twice and it was when we were alone? Just told him to be careful and that slides are for going down, especially when there are other kids playing too.
I don't think it's a big deal either way as long as the kids are playing safely and they're not endangering other kids' safety.
-
Who knew whether or not we allow our kids to climb the slide was such a controversial topic?
-
No I don't.
Also, as a preschool teacher, I say "up the stairs, down the slide" like 3000 times to 3-4 year olds who I'm sure has good judgment on when it's okay to go up and when it's not. Apparently at school, their judgement bar is set pretty low bc literally a teacher has to stand there to prevent it from happening. I've seen way too many accidents-bloodied nose, black eye, even stitches. I even had one student tell me her mom lets her do it so why not at school? That was a tough one.
-
@NavyRN2012: it totally is! I think the really issue is what does 'safety' mean. My parents were obsessed with it, to the point where I was actively discouraged from being active and taking risks. As an adult, I'm totally risk adverse, and I'm not very fit, despite lots of hard work. And I hate that.
So it is very, very important to me that no one tries to hassle my daughter about their concept of safety that I don't share. I want her to be brave and strong in the ways that I was discouraged from being. She needs to be polite, too. But I'll never tell her not to climb something just because someone else thinks it isn't safe. And no one else gets to either.
-
@Ajsmommy: yup, slides are multipurpose. IVe talked to a few people who teach going up slides in physical therapy.
http://www.potsot.com/7-reason-to-climb-up-the-slide.html -
@Maysprout: +1! I've worked with OT's who encourage this for muscle strengthening.
-
@Maysprout: that link even says it's against the "rules"
My issue isn't safety and isn't about trying to hamper a kids sense of adventure...for me it's about the trend.i see with many things where parents aren't enforcing rules just bc they don't agree with them. I just feel it's a slippery slope.....
Trust me I'm not at the playground yelling at kids who are climbing the slide..however my dd will know the rule and will abide by it (when in my presence)
-
@Ajsmommy: I think they were being silly. It's not against the rules at my dd preschool or the elementary school she'll go to. I donno, it seems more random to enforce an arbitrary rule on her that isn't really against the rules.
-
@NavyRN2012: ha! I think we're seeing two things: parenting styles and rule followers versus rule benders/breakers at play.
-
@Happygal: Haha, I guess so!
-
This is a crowded thread so why contribute? Lol! Nevertheless.... I think it is good for my kid to get his head smashed a few times at the playground. Truly I think that kids learn from experience and I try to have boundaries not rules so what better way for him to learn than from experience? So far it hasn't been an issue. I've noticed a lot of times other kids say "get out of the way!" To each other and the kids learn to regulate their physical behavior from each other. I don't think my kid will truly understand WHY it is a rule until he finds out for himself. But he is not a very aggressive playground kid. Maybe if it were a repeated problem I'd feel differently.
-
Nope. I mean- she has, because she's seen other kids doing it at play places (those are the only slide's she's encountered so far) but if I catch her I make her come out *or* go in/up after her and remove her if she won't come. It's not really safe to me-- but usually when she's doing it, there are other kids around and it's more or less me being paranoid that my pipsqueek is going to get hurt by a bigger kid falling or sliding down and knocking her down....
-
@ShootingStar: I'm so over protective- having her even in the enclosed play place at McD's has me on edge when there are any other kids around.... it's really bad
-
@Mrs. Sketchbook: I see your angle here, but your kid with the smashed head may not be the only one hurt in that crash. The crasher doesn't just plow on unscathed, unless you've got some mega slides our parks do not.
-
@mrs.shinerbock: I've always said no, because it's not called a climb.
However I've loosened the rules and let her do it. At McDonalds playland it's the only way she can get up, she can't figure out how to pull herself up the stairs, lol.
-
Definitely. If other kids want to go down the slide then I make him move. He's only 19 months, so he doesn't understand to move on his own, but I feel like it's something he could eventually differentiate the difference between. I try to be as hands off as possible at the playground. But if he is in the way of other kids I will definitely intervene.
-
This isn't a parenting battle I choose to try and win. It's playing and supposed to be fun! As long as no other kid is around and the slide isn't super slippery, she is free to play and explore however she wants. If she gets run into while doing it, well there's a natural consequence for you! It's not harming anyone. We have been to specific playground with posted rules that say no climbing up the slides and in those instances we follow the rules. She just turned 2 and has no issue distinguishing at which places she can and cannot do it when I tell her:
-
Interesting thread. No way. I am all about free spirits and letting kids use things creatively and freedom, but I think proper use of equipment is important and respectful. I don't find it safe or respectful to use equipment for anything other than the intended purpose. My DD 2, it is usually older kids going up a slide.
Perhaps (people who allow this), you are referring to smaller slides (ours are humongous). I also broke my arm falling off the top of a slide (as an adult- just kidding!)
-
@Ajsmommy: where is this supposed rule written? It's not a law! Sure, if it's a posted rule by all means everyone should follow it, but I have a real issue being told something is a rule that must be followed by everyone when there's no origination or formal enforcement of said rule.
-
It's cool to hear different perspectives! I think it is interesting that people are saying that they would say no to climbing up the slide just because that is not what the intended use is. I'm curious if this rule applies to trees, too.
-
@Greentea: I agree 100%
-
@Greentea: @Ajsmommy: as @catomd00: pointed out I have actually never seen this rule posted at the park. The only rules involve things like wearing shoes, no adults without kids allowed, no smoking/littering, etc...our park has no rules about how the equipment can/should be used. If we were at a playspace where there was a posted rule about not using the equipment in a particular way, we would obey of course!
Anyway, don't want to belabor the point--to each their own!
might be difficult to do while carrying groceries though!
- Google Plus
- Stumbleupon
- Twitter
- Facebook
- Pinterest
- Favorite0
123 comments