Do you let your toddlers play at the mall?

Sweetgurl6630@yahoo.com

Do you let your toddlers play at the mall play centers? I was there today with a friend and she freaked about any of her kids touching the "cest pool" she called it.

Lizard2022

Yup, I've let him play there since about 6 months old and he hasn't had anything more then a slight cold.  I always wipe his hands down with a wipe before we leave.  I don't let him lick the slide, but I think exposing kids to germs helps them develop their immune system. 

indyfrog2k

We just let DD play for the first time last week.  She absolutely loved it and I will let her play there whenever we happen to be at the mall and not in a hurry.  That being said, I did wash her hands immediately and she got a bath when we got home.

hersheykiss

We haven't gone in several months just because of schedules, but yes she has played at the mall. I have no problem with it. There are more germs on the handles on the grocery shopping carts than on the mall toys (probably).

taliaheartchris

sure do! Ours have hadn sanitizer by them, and we wash hands before/after. But really, how is a mall play area any different than a playground/daycare/etc?

mfransdell

After a thick coating of antibacterial gel and a baby hazmat suit, of course!

Yes I let her play, and run and be a  toddler.

MrsBeckO

Yep. We have many times, especially during the summer with our 100+ degree days.. free indoor playground? We're there!

Ritzy19

We've let her play in them before.  The whole germ issue does cross my mind, but not enough to deter me.  If there's a ton of kids playing though, sometimes I'm not crazy about letting her play just because the older kids can be rough and out of hand, but that's another issue.

macchiatto

I probably would, as long as it seemed reasonably clean and wasn't overrun by mean bigger kids, but the mall we usually go to doesn't have one.

noah-bear

The limited time he actually stays in the play area we let him do whatever. He's normally too busy trying to run out to the train right outside the entrance.

Aprilynn0206

Yah- we just teach her not to play on the floor and keep her hands away from her face. Then post playtime we clean up real well and obviously bathe once we get home. It's a lot of fun for her!!

ss+el

I'm not worried about the germs, they're going to get them somewhere. My biggest issue with mall play areas is how chaotic they are. It seems like every time we go, they're filled with kids that are too old to be in there, jumping off of everything and knocking kids over. We try to go before the stores open, it's usually not so busy then.

Payne2B2008

we do all the time (mostly in the winter)  but my son loves it 

CalinsBride

I constantly wish that our mall had one, so yes I would let him. Chapters has a play station with a train table set up and I let him play there.

Shayna0182

No, I think he's too small to be in there.  He's just now beginning to cruise really well, and he would probably get trampled by all those active kids.  Well that, and it's a germ fest in there. 

rainlily

We have a really nice outdoor mall near my house.  It has a great outdoor playground for toddlers.  It has a soft surface and benches for parents to sit on and is separated from the mall traffic.  It is a great playground for little ones, so if we are at the mall we definitely stop by! 

JennRN65

Shayna0182:

No, I think he's too small to be in there.  He's just now beginning to cruise really well, and he would probably get trampled by all those active kids.  Well that, and it's a germ fest in there. 

This, even though she is already walking.  Princess B is a peanut and kids don't typically pay close attention to that.

Add to that the fact that I'm a germaphobe... well I'd probably have a panic attack LOL

sam19

My kid loves the Cess Pool. Her favorite is chasing th big kids around.

KathrynMD

Yes - totally.

I would never make it through the winter w/o it!  I prefer to go early in the mornings - when its mostly little kids and toddlers, but I will let her play in there if we are at the mall and have time. 

Kids are going to pick up germs someday/somewhere, its a fact of life.

AMYfromKY

I think they are so nasty because the germs are contained in a little spot vs spread out and outside at the park, but if he asked when he was older I'd let him. 

*H&J*

AMYfromKY:

I think they are so nasty because the germs are contained in a little spot vs spread out and outside at the park, but if he asked when he was older I'd let him. 

Me too, not to mention that UV light kills most germs as long as it is not a moist environment.  That makes me feel a little better about outdoor play equipment.