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Can playgrounds be too safe? (article)

fancynewbeeslyfancynewbeesly member
in Parenting
I saw & read this interesting article today:


I know it is older---but I definitely think some points are valid. Unfortunately, Reese hasn't been to the playground in MONTHS---and I have noticed that a lot of the "skills"--especially climbing are being lost, and actually she is developing a huge fear of heights---even climbing the steps she panics at. 

What is your take on it?
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Re: Can playgrounds be too safe? (article)

  • fancynewbeeslyfancynewbeesly member
    Reese has SUCH anxiety of heights at 3---that I begged her doctors to let her back to Gymboree intermittently so that she can see other kids climbing and handling simple slides, climbing equipment, etc. They did agree---they thought it would be beneficial to her as well. 

    And then I stumbled upon this article which completely validated my point. :) 
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  • CinemaGoddessCinemaGoddess member
    The only kinds of playgrounds I refuse to let the girls play in are the ones with concrete grounds.  Those scare the shit out of me, just like the Carnivals of Death that arrive and park themselves in grocery store parking lots.  Luckily they are few and far between here. 

    Now I'll go read the article.  

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  • CinemaGoddessCinemaGoddess member
    I've only seen one or two in Seattle, and they're basically just a set of monkey bars and maybe a merry-go-round.  Never anything super high. 

    They still freak me out, tho. 

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    Unable to even.  

    ********************

    You don't understand the appeal of Benedict Cumberbatch / think he's fug / don't know who he is? WATCH SHERLOCK.  Until you do, your negative opinion of him will not be taken seriously.



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  • fancynewbeeslyfancynewbeesly member
    ClaryPax said:
    The monkey bars don't bother me because you have to be strong enough to climb them anyway- like school age.  The thing that bothers me are the drop offs because in my area at least there are a ton of parks with 6-8 foot high structures that are not enclosed- they just drop off.  DS fell off once and well I guess he won't have as bad fear of heights according to the article, and I think he learned his lesson.  But they make me paranoid for my toddler.
    In the article, from what I gathered--they didn't mean smaller things for toddlers---but more for the school age kids, where they should have the freedom to climb, etc. 
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  • RondackHikerRondackHiker member
    I wouldn't do the concrete ground playgrounds (I've seen them too... Why does the slide have a two foot drop onto concrete?!) ever since we landed in the ER after DS took a leap off a playground. He was trying to catch a butterfly.

    The doc in the ER actually talked about how falls are rarely bad now because the ground is supposed to be so well made and cushiony that even big falls aren't too bad.


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  • LadyXaverianLadyXaverian member
    I struggle with this because Nora did fall off a playground head first and got a pretty big gash on her forehead that has left a scar. (It was gravel underneath) I mean, it wasn't the end of the world, but it was very scary seeing all that blood gushing and not knowing where it came from at first. Thinking about if the gravel had gotten in her eyes instead of her forehead and other bad scenarios has made it kind of hard to back off. We now only go to playgrounds that have grass or mulch underneath. 

    Thankfully, Nora either doesn't remember or doesn't care because as soon as we get to the play ground, she insists that we (DH and I) sit down on a bench and she goes about her business. But it's still really hard, and one of us usually ends up hovering a little bit.
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  • ASmallWonderASmallWonder member
    I'm a lot like Scout.  I'm a wreck and hover under the premise of playing with them because I'm so nervous.  It doesn't help that I'm so fucking short that I'm at a serious disadvantage to helping him on taller things.  We used to have a playground across from our house that was just dirt and grass and had a really tall slide.  The top was far above my head and I couldn't reach it even with my outstretched hands so once he was up there, there was no way for me give him a hand to keep him from tumbling off.  It wouldn't have been so bad if he fell to the side I was standing on but the other side and he would have just fallen straight down.  Gah, I'm glad they tore it down even though he did fine on it.
    Formerly known as elmoali :)

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  • cedentoncedenton member
    Yeah, I can be a bit of a wreck at the playground, too, but I'm really trying to backoff a little more.
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  • RondackHikerRondackHiker member
    @LadyXaverian‌

    My little sister fell at two and gashed her forehead open and had a bad scar.

    If you looked at her now, you'd never know. I know it's an anecdote but I hope your DD's also fades!


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