How old for going on rides alone?

Dochas · August 2013

I'm just talking about the kiddie rides. My son doesn't LOVE rides, but the likes them when one of us goes on with him. We went to a kiddie park this summer and he was tall enough (36inches) to ride some alone but he didn't want to. Just wondering if there are other 3 year olds who feel the same. Thanks!

Dochas · August 2013

OK, he just turned 3 and isn't interested in going alone. Someone who needs to be the best at everything felt the need to remind me that my son cried on 1 out of 15 rides last year to say that she hopes he's ok today at an amusement park today. I'm wondering if he'll be the only one who doesn't want to ride alone. Which I'm sure was the real point of her helpful comment.
%-(

notreallyirish · August 2013

DS turned 3 in April and he would not do a ride alone. He won't even always do them with one of us. He also loves bouncy houses but often refuses to go in if there are already other kids inside. Kids have different personalities. Some are just more cautious than others. That other mom is being a b.

kcisthebombdotcom · August 2013

My dd is over 36 inches but wouldn't do rides alone. Ds was 36 inches before two and was fine going on rides alone. Really varies on the kid.

bumpuser8448316 · August 2013

I wouldn't let DS go on a ride alone. He's 3 and 38" What kinds of rides would kids go on alone? The only amusement park we go to is disneyland and they wouldn't let him go alone anyway

kcisthebombdotcom · August 2013

QueSyrah said:

I wouldn't let DS go on a ride alone. He's 3 and 38" What kinds of rides would kids go on alone? The only amusement park we go to is disneyland and they wouldn't let him go alone anyway

Have you ever been to a carnival? They have plenty of rides that an adult couldn't even fit on.

pastalady · August 2013

We have seasons passes to our local amusement park. DD goes on quite a few alone, but now she is into the scarier rides so we have to ride with her. Like the roller coaster, she is technically tall enough to ride alone. No way would I put her on alone. The kiddie rides she does alone. But again she has kind outgrown those.

Cherryblossoms07 · August 2013

DD has gone on quite a few rides alone. All the kids rides have seatbelts or restraint bars and she is good at staying seated. DS has rode one alone. He really wanted to go on a ride DD refused to ride on. It had seatbelts and went pretty slow. I couldn't ride with him since riders had to be under 36 inches. He did really well.

bumpuser8448316 · August 2013

KC_13 said:

QueSyrah said:

I wouldn't let DS go on a ride alone. He's 3 and 38" What kinds of rides would kids go on alone? The only amusement park we go to is disneyland and they wouldn't let him go alone anyway

Have you ever been to a carnival? They have plenty of rides that an adult couldn't even fit on.

Maybe when I was little? I've really only been to big theme parks. Even at Legoland DS had to have an adult on all the kiddie rides

peacelove&mama · August 2013

DS1 has ridden everything and anything he was tall enough for since he was probably 3 or 4. He has always wanted to go on without an adult. Im not sure about SD, she was 6 when we met. They're both tall enough to go on virtually anything now and I'm amazed at how fearless they are sometimes.

Dochas · August 2013

KC_13 said:

QueSyrah said:

I wouldn't let DS go on a ride alone. He's 3 and 38" What kinds of rides would kids go on alone? The only amusement park we go to is disneyland and they wouldn't let him go alone anyway

Have you ever been to a carnival? They have plenty of rides that an adult couldn't even fit on.

Yes, this is a boardwalk amusement park. There will be ones I can't get on, I'm sure. Even if he'll ride alone I'm not sure I would trust him to not just undo his belt and try to get off. It didn't seem too outrageous to me that some at this age are still a little too young for it, so I was just wondering in advance if he would be the only one. Thank you everyone!

Dochas · August 2013

joirish said:

DS turned 3 in April and he would not do a ride alone. He won't even always do them with one of us. He also loves bouncy houses but often refuses to go in if there are already other kids inside. Kids have different personalities. Some are just more cautious than others. That other mom is being a b.

Thank you - I think so too!

bumpuser8448316 · August 2013

Dochas said:

KC_13 said:

QueSyrah said:

I wouldn't let DS go on a ride alone. He's 3 and 38" What kinds of rides would kids go on alone? The only amusement park we go to is disneyland and they wouldn't let him go alone anyway

Have you ever been to a carnival? They have plenty of rides that an adult couldn't even fit on.

Yes, this is a boardwalk amusement park. There will be ones I can't get on, I'm sure. Even if he'll ride alone I'm not sure I would trust him to not just undo his belt and try to get off. It didn't seem too outrageous to me that some at this age are still a little too young for it, so I was just wondering in advance if he would be the only one. Thank you everyone!

I if was there you would not be the only one

I don't trust my child to stay safely seated. You know your kid, if you don't think it's safe (or if just doesn't want to go alone) then don't let him. I think 3 is young to go alone but like I said i don't have any experience with small amusement park rides that only fit kids.

fancynewbeesly · August 2013

My daughter loves rides. However she is too short to go on without me. She has been wanting to go on the swings the entire summer--and she is about 1/2 inch to short. She talks about it all the time.

So I think by 3 due to height restrictions is when she will go on by herself.

Dochas · August 2013

QueSyrah said:
I if was there you would not be the only one I don't trust my child to stay safely seated. You know your kid, if you don't think it's safe (or if just doesn't want to go alone) then don't let him. I think 3 is young to go alone but like I said i don't have any experience with small amusement park rides that only fit kids.

Thank you! I'm fairly certain he won't want to go on alone and I just realized when I was thinking about it that I doubt I would let him for safety reasons. When he had enough he would simply unfasten the belt and get off. haha. I think her point was to make it clear that her kid (who is a little younger than mine) rides alone and point out that mine may or may not be a crybaby (he isn't) LOL.

Dochas · August 2013

Starearedkid said:

My daughter loves rides. However she is too short to go on without me. She has been wanting to go on the swings the entire summer--and she is about 1/2 inch to short. She talks about it all the time.

So I think by 3 due to height restrictions is when she will go on by herself.

Daredevil! So cute, I don't think he's even noticed the swings. lol

fancynewbeesly · August 2013

@dochas I know I feel so bad. When we go to the board walk/small amusement park/Sesame Place she always makes a list of the things she wants to go on.

Typically it is: "go on carousel? go on flying? go on swings?" She asks for the swings as soon as we walk in. I think Sesame Place has the shortest height requirement because that place has tamer rides then the boardwalk, so maybe this fall when we go back she will be big enough.

lyingliarlies · August 2013

i've been wondering the same thing. DS is a little over 2. i think he'd be ok for a minute, freak out a little, start yelling "out! out!" & try to unbuckle/climb out. exactly like he does in the shopping cart, his bike, etc.

i agree w/ PPs it depends on personality. some kids would ride for hours, others would break down crying for momma, others will try to get out when the ride is moving. that's why it's really an a-hole move to judge other parents on stuff like this.

Arnegard · August 2013

DD3 is 3 and would be fearless about going. BUT she'd have her older sisters with her.

sunnydays99 · August 2013

We just went to an amusement park last week. DS could have ridden all the kiddie rides alone but refused to. He said he needs to be bigger! Lol. He was even hesitant about going on with dh and I. It made me change my mind about taking him to Disneyland this fall

Dochas · August 2013

@KateB1984 What a cute picture!! These were some adorable stories. I hate it when I let people get to me like this.

chardonnay24 · August 2013

Mine goes on some of them by himself (he's 2.5 and about 37"). I go on the ones that allow adults because he prefers me to go with him.

Stefibeth · August 2013

DS is 3 1/2 and won't ride anything himself. It doesn't surprise me based on his personality, but I wish he would go on rides himself. It limits things. Like, we went to the fair a few weekends ago and MH and DS only rode a few rides because it's so darn expensive by the time we buy tickets for both of them. Plus, MH can't go on all the rides.

It really is about personality though. It doesn't surprise me at all that he's not ready to do them alone. Maybe next year.

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