More playgrounds need age recommendations listed near equipment

[Anonymous]

We live just two blocks away from a really nice neighborhood park. There are three climbing structures located in the park, two very large and one smaller. There’s also a large sandpit with some digging equipment and next to it a few very small climbing structures (basically soft domes).

The two larger climbing structures are probably geared for the 6-12 crowd or the physically aware/capable 4/5-year-olds. Lots of harder obstacles to climb up, big drops.

The smaller climbing structure is probably for 2-5-year-olds. Sometimes older kids will play, but for the most part it’s boring for them. A toddler could manage with an adult nearby.

Sandpit is for all ages. But the section closest to the soft structure climbing area as well as the area itself is where crawlers and new walkers play.

Yet this one mother comes every morning with her ten-month-old crawling infant comes to the larger structures and will finger walk her baby all over it. Which, when it’s not busy is fine. The baby seems to enjoy climbing and she has her at all times. But when it’s crowded with kids? She’s constantly telling kids to stop running and watch out for her baby when they’re up there. She’ll block half the structure so her infant can sit and play with the bars. Yesterday a group of kids were playing tag and about three 7/8-year-olds whizzed past her baby. She yelled at them to be careful and stop running in a very harsh tone. One of the kids moms yelled back something along the lines of, this is a playground, kids are going to run. She argued that the park was for everyone and the older kids should be considerate of the your ones. Other mom said this equipment was made for older kids and it wasn’t fair to expect the older kids to not play because she’s taking her infant up there. Infants moms said there wasn’t a sign stating it was for older kids older, so basically everyone was going to have to deal.

No, it’s not explicit, but obviously this is meant for children who are older. I agree with the other mom. It’s not fair to expect the other kids to change their play to avoid baby. It feels entitled.

I usually just have my kids play on the other large structure when she comes with her infant, but she’ll go back and forth often. I of course, want my kids to be mindful of smaller children but they should be able to play tag and run!

[Anonymous]

Someone like that is probably not going to abide by the signage anyway.

[Anonymous]

Honestly I don’t think signs would help this kind of person. I totally let my little kid climb on the 5-12 playground (ours have signs) but redirect her to the little kid playground if there are big kids there. But not everyone does. Fortunately, we don’t have anyone scolding anyone else’s kids but I suspect this lady would do that even if there were signs posted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live just two blocks away from a really nice neighborhood park. There are three climbing structures located in the park, two very large and one smaller. There’s also a large sandpit with some digging equipment and next to it a few very small climbing structures (basically soft domes).

The two larger climbing structures are probably geared for the 6-12 crowd or the physically aware/capable 4/5-year-olds. Lots of harder obstacles to climb up, big drops.

The smaller climbing structure is probably for 2-5-year-olds. Sometimes older kids will play, but for the most part it’s boring for them. A toddler could manage with an adult nearby.

Sandpit is for all ages. But the section closest to the soft structure climbing area as well as the area itself is where crawlers and new walkers play.

Yet this one mother comes every morning with her ten-month-old crawling infant comes to the larger structures and will finger walk her baby all over it. Which, when it’s not busy is fine. The baby seems to enjoy climbing and she has her at all times. But when it’s crowded with kids? She’s constantly telling kids to stop running and watch out for her baby when they’re up there. She’ll block half the structure so her infant can sit and play with the bars. Yesterday a group of kids were playing tag and about three 7/8-year-olds whizzed past her baby. She yelled at them to be careful and stop running in a very harsh tone. One of the kids moms yelled back something along the lines of, this is a playground, kids are going to run. She argued that the park was for everyone and the older kids should be considerate of the your ones. Other mom said this equipment was made for older kids and it wasn’t fair to expect the older kids to not play because she’s taking her infant up there. Infants moms said there wasn’t a sign stating it was for older kids older, so basically everyone was going to have to deal.

No, it’s not explicit, but obviously this is meant for children who are older. I agree with the other mom. It’s not fair to expect the other kids to change their play to avoid baby. It feels entitled.

I usually just have my kids play on the other large structure when she comes with her infant, but she’ll go back and forth often. I of course, want my kids to be mindful of smaller children but they should be able to play tag and run!

Ok, but what about when the play structures say recommended age 2-5 (like they do at my local playround) and the 5 year olds pay no heed to the 2 year olds? I get your point, but I also see the mom’s point about other kids having to be mindful of younger kids.

[Anonymous]

The younger child’s mother could have chosen a more appropriate place but it’s a public park so she can play wherever she wants. I’m not sure a sign would help because there will always be someone younger on a jungle gym and it’s just rude to run past people regardless of their age, jungle gym or not. The other children’s mothers should teach their children common courtesy of not running around other people. I get they were playing tag but clearly not everyone on the jungle gym was playing. I would have redirected my children to play tag in the grass.

[Anonymous]

You typed a long post but nowhere did you say that you verbally agreed with the mom of older kids. Why didn’t you use your words yesterday and speak up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live just two blocks away from a really nice neighborhood park. There are three climbing structures located in the park, two very large and one smaller. There’s also a large sandpit with some digging equipment and next to it a few very small climbing structures (basically soft domes).

The two larger climbing structures are probably geared for the 6-12 crowd or the physically aware/capable 4/5-year-olds. Lots of harder obstacles to climb up, big drops.

The smaller climbing structure is probably for 2-5-year-olds. Sometimes older kids will play, but for the most part it’s boring for them. A toddler could manage with an adult nearby.

Sandpit is for all ages. But the section closest to the soft structure climbing area as well as the area itself is where crawlers and new walkers play.

Yet this one mother comes every morning with her ten-month-old crawling infant comes to the larger structures and will finger walk her baby all over it. Which, when it’s not busy is fine. The baby seems to enjoy climbing and she has her at all times. But when it’s crowded with kids? She’s constantly telling kids to stop running and watch out for her baby when they’re up there. She’ll block half the structure so her infant can sit and play with the bars. Yesterday a group of kids were playing tag and about three 7/8-year-olds whizzed past her baby. She yelled at them to be careful and stop running in a very harsh tone. One of the kids moms yelled back something along the lines of, this is a playground, kids are going to run. She argued that the park was for everyone and the older kids should be considerate of the your ones. Other mom said this equipment was made for older kids and it wasn’t fair to expect the older kids to not play because she’s taking her infant up there. Infants moms said there wasn’t a sign stating it was for older kids older, so basically everyone was going to have to deal.

No, it’s not explicit, but obviously this is meant for children who are older. I agree with the other mom. It’s not fair to expect the other kids to change their play to avoid baby. It feels entitled.

I usually just have my kids play on the other large structure when she comes with her infant, but she’ll go back and forth often. I of course, want my kids to be mindful of smaller children but they should be able to play tag and run!

Ok, but what about when the play structures say recommended age 2-5 (like they do at my local playround) and the 5 year olds pay no heed to the 2 year olds? I get your point, but I also see the mom’s point about other kids having to be mindful of younger kids.

I do think the older 5-year-olds should be mindful of the younger two-year-olds as the older 12-year-olds should be mindful of the younger 6-year-olds.

In fact, I even stated that I teach my children (6, 6, and 9) to be mindful of younger kids. We often will just move our game to the other large play structure.

My issue is with what I perceive is this woman’s entitlement. She will bring an infant who cannot use this structure independently while large groups of older kids are playing and often have established a game and as soon as she enters she expects them to change their play in order to avoid her and her infant. She’ll often use an entire section/slide of the play structure, forbidding any other kids to use the slide because her baby is trying to climb up or has found an interesting twig in the area.

I’m sure her infant would be safe and happy in the sand pit or on the soft climbing structures. I think exploding the larger structure is fine too, but not when it’s in use by a large number of older kids that the structure is meant for…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You typed a long post but nowhere did you say that you verbally agreed with the mom of older kids. Why didn’t you use your words yesterday and speak up?

I’m not a confrontational person. The mother of the child that was chastised seemed to handle the situation fine. No need for me to add on, I don’t think it would have been productive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You typed a long post but nowhere did you say that you verbally agreed with the mom of older kids. Why didn’t you use your words yesterday and speak up?

I’m not a confrontational person. The mother of the child that was chastised seemed to handle the situation fine. No need for me to add on, I don’t think it would have been productive.

It’s always helpful to support others when they are being called out for something you disagree with. Remember that the next time someone yells at you and you do not get any support.

[Anonymous]

A mom confronted my (very tall and large for his age) 12 year old demanding he get off the swing set when he was there with friends after school. He pointed directly at the sign (5-12 year olds) and politely declined. She became livid.

I don’t think signs are the issue, just common sense and manners.

[Anonymous]

I'm really glad the other mom stood her ground. This sort of thing annoys me too. Basically just an inconsiderate person who thinks the world should revolve around her and her precious baby.

[Anonymous]

Big kids don’t see little kids. It took me awhile to understand that too when we went to school playgrounds in the summer. With bitty kids you adapt to whose there. If it’s quiet the bigger structures are fine, but once it gets even moderately busy it’s time to move. There is a learning curve - even at playgrounds with signs it takes awhile for it to click.

[Anonymous]

When I had a little one I remember being caught off guard by the big kids at the playground. I think I read (maybe here?) that one day it would be MY big kid zooming around the playground, and I would shake my head at the moms with babies/toddlers on the equipment.

It was true! With my first little snowflake baby I was definitely judging these Big Crazy Kids not being careful (I would have never yelled at them though). Now mine are the big crazy kids! Ha! I do ask my big kids to be careful around little ones, because I am not a jerk.

So basically: everyone is right and everyone is wrong and we all need to be considerate of each other.

[Anonymous]

The baby's mom needs to deal and move her baby. The baby will be grown soon enough and become one of the big kids. Until then, the onus is on the baby's parent to find safe and suitable play places when kids of all ages are present.

[Anonymous]

I personally think the signs are silly. I used to allow my baby to climb on the big kid section of the playground - but only in the early morning or school day hours when that section was pretty much empty. Parents should use their best judgment or maybe reserve the signs for strict top-age cut offs.