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I'm like you, more of a spectator

Oh but when I see someone really playing and running around, I wonder if they are the babysitters because most moms I know are too tired and want the kids to play by themselves.

@Foodnerd81: lol my friend reallllly plays with her boys (chasing, games, etc) and people have asked her what camp she works at!

DS is only just 1 so I lift him on to the slide and swings and am right there with him. Not so much playing, more keeping him from falling!

There are three different structures at our park. I'm way too big to climb on the one that LO plays on! It's meant for toddlers so I would look like a giant. I mostly watch her or she likes when I catch her when she goes down the slide.

i mostly stay out of the way, but assist when she wants/needs help getting up/down.

ETA: i also push her on the swing, but sometimes she shoes me away once i get her going! ha.

My LO is just 21 months old, so I have to go with her because there are a lot of random drop offs and parts that are too hard for her to do alone, and sometimes older kids who run past, pushing her over.

I think I could let her go totally alone if all the kids were close to her age.....but our closest park has two, separate fenced in play structures and lots of kids that should be on the structure for older kids come over and run through the younger kids' one, pushing and shoving everyone in their path. I'm sure their parents or nannies are there with a younger LO, but it annoys me.

I do as much as my energy level allows. My husband does frequently, because he's way more energetic than I am at baseline. It's great, we love to play. I always feel bad for the children begging their parents to come play. It's not about being a helicopter parent at all - it's just fun.

I used to hover over DS on the playground equipment since our old playground had very high toys, like slides that were 7-8 feet off the ground. Our new playground has lower equipment and DS runs around doing whatever, but I look after DD since she just learned to climb on the equipment.

Eta: DS broke his leg on playground equipment when he was at daycare, so I have an extra level of paranoia about playground equipment.

It depends, my son is pretty good about inserting himself into a group and playing with other kids, but sometimes, we do go to a playground and there's no one else there, so I do play around with him. Sometimes, he calls me over to show me something, sometimes he needs some help. I wouldn't call that helicoptery but if someone else thinks that is, well, that's their problem, isn't it?

We recently were at a huge structure at the beach and wow, there was no space for parents, very cleverly designed, you had to be a kid to get into those spaces.

I play unless he finds children to play with. And even then he still typically wants me to join. I just follow his lead. If he wants me to play, I do, and if he seems to be having a good time by himself, I back off. I like playing, though.

Yes, we're usually the only ones there, so there are no other kids to play with.

I keep a close eye/stand near him now that he's older and can climb on things. He's also still a lil daredevil hence the close supervision. However, at the indoor playground, I just sit back and watch. It's more toddler friendly than outdoor playgrounds are.

She's only 12 months but thinks she can climb on way more than she can, so I do stay close to keep her from hurting herself

@Foodnerd81: I play with my kid, so I wonder if parents think I'm a babysitter, haha. I wouldn't be surprised--I get told I'm younger than I am A LOT (even mistaken for 14/15...but shouldn't I be in school then :P). I love running around on the playground with my kid right now because she's only 15 months so she needs help getting from place to place and down the slide, etc. And I like taking advantage of playing with her while she still wants me around: I will also encourage her to interact with other kids.

@ILoveLettie: I hope it doesn't sound like I'm against the moms that run around- it's more than I do not have the energy. If I find t is the mom and not babysitter, I'm just plain impressed!

@ILoveLettie: I think not letting them independently play can also fall under this category. Some parents literally cannot let their children do things for themselves. And i think sometimes, they are so fearful of missing out that they involve themselves in everything.

I'm also thinking of a very specific incident where the dads were inhibiting other children from playing because they were so insisting on interjecting themselves and clogging up the lines (the park was packed that day), and telling their kid to "come on" and do stuff when the kid was trying to go down the slides and do his own thing and play with other children. As another parent, I was annoyed that my and other children couldn't enjoy the playground because some men in their 40's decided they needed to be on it, too.

@ILoveLettie: I agree totally. I also really feel for children who's parents don't set an example of active, joyful play. Too often I go to the park with my kid, and I see parents who are clearly struggling with their weight or fitness - and they've brought their children to the park, so they're obviously trying to do better, which is amazing. But if you don't set that example of truly enjoying movement and play, it can be really hard for your children to actually enjoy it themselves.

I don't honestly think it has much to do with independent play, personally. I'm about the opposite of a helicopter parent, and independent play is huge in our house. But I will always engage on the playground as much as I can, because I want to demonstrate that moving is fun and I love to do it.