Toddlers under 2, Playgrounds and COVID

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a 3.5 year old and would just like to say to OP and others: I have no problem whatsoever with toddlers going unmasked at the playground!

My DD does wear a mask, but it took us months to get her used to it enough to keep it on for a playground visit. Even now, the minute we're alone at the playground she takes it off because she knows she can. It's hard.

No kid under 2 should be wearing a mask (it's a hazard), and I personally think at 2-4, I extend a lot of grace to parents because I know it's difficult. I wouldn't expect people to say away from the playground for several years for this reason -- that's not a reasonable expectation. And there are tons of gross motor skill benefits of playgrounds at that age. It's why they exist!

I rely on social distancing even at the playground. Does my kids sometimes come within 6 feet of an unmasked toddler? Yes, of course. But never touch each other, and if I see her getting close to another kid not wearing a mask, I just remind her "keep distance". Plus, we're all outside.

People who are uncomfortable with that range of behavior (all of which is legal and within epidemiological guidelines) should not bring kids to the playground. If you are only comfortable interacting with children in public spaces if everyone is masked and complying perfectly, I would recommend making other choices for your family where you can have more control over everyone present. But a public playground is not that place. You either have to accept the minimal risk or choose not to go.

Did you mean to post this in the other thread? Anyway, I think if you are bringing your kid to the playground you can't complain about germs or kids not always wearing masks.

[Anonymous]

My 20 month old goes every day. We go very early in the day when there's usually only 1-2 other kids there. The early morning set seems to be other young toddlers with parents on the same page as us, and everyone keeps their kid very distant. We leave when it gets too crowded to keep distance or an older kid shows up because they are just all over the place. I don't wipe down the equipment. It doesn't seem like fomite transmission is all that likely in outdoor areas. We do wash hands when we get home.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to the playground every single day. Hand sanitizing before and after playing, and no snacks until they get home and REALLY wash up.

[Anonymous]

We started going to playgrounds in DC with our preschooler and toddler when they first reopened. In the beginning we tried to wipe stuff down, but quickly gave that up. We have hand sanitizer in the stroller, we use that when leaving and then wash hands when we get home. We make sure the toddler doesn’t put things in his mouth. He rarely gets close to other kids. The preschooler wears a mask and we let her socialize within 6 feet of other kids wearing masks, but they’re not on top of each other.

I have anxiety and got comfortable with this.

[Anonymous]

I take my 18 month son to the playground every single day since August. We bring hand wipes for before and after.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It seems like less of hassle to get a playset for the back yard. Your 1 year old doesn't need to play with other kids these social outings are more for you and your nanny at this stage, which is fine, but you also have to accept the germs with it.

NP, i want to get a playset but i pause bc it seems like such a big purchase to get wrong. What are the reliable brands, or places to buy from that are not super pricey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really wish there was better official guidance about this. My child is about to turn 1 and loves to climb on playground equipment and be among other kids. But I always leave the playground uncertain if I've made the right decisions and I'm not sure what to tell our nanny either.

Do you let your older baby or younger toddler play on equipment at the playground? Yes

Do you wipe down swings before putting them in? No

How do you handle handwashing right after you leave the playground? Are baby wipes enough? Is hand sanitizer safe for little ones? I use hand sanitizer on my 15 month old as we leave playground

How assertive are you with keeping them distanced from other kids (bearing in mind little ones aren't masked)? Not super assertive for one off kids- I am more aware of the overall business of the playground and would leave if it got crowded. But I don't worry too much if a kid gets too close on occasion- they are outdoors and all evidence shows that outdoor brief contact is very low risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It seems like less of hassle to get a playset for the back yard. Your 1 year old doesn't need to play with other kids these social outings are more for you and your nanny at this stage, which is fine, but you also have to accept the germs with it.

These comments always strike me as entitled and douchey. You realize you’re in an urban area, right? Many of us live in apartments.

Put the kid in a stroller an take a walk? Your 1-year-old doesn't need the playground for peer interaction or peer interaction.

There’s definitely a gross motor benefit at the playground. My 20 month old started walking at the beginning of the pandemic and we didn’t go to a playground for six months. We have visited local playgrounds a couple times in the past few weeks and she is noticeable behind in climbing and other gross motor as compared to her old sibling at the same age.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks to everyone who has answered the questions. It's reassuring that we're making similar decisions.

I don't really care about the socialization aspect, but with a small house and no backyard, having someplace outdoors to climb and explore is pretty big thing for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids have gone to the playground since they opened after the riots and have played there with other kids in a normal fashion. Still alive 6 months later.

Where do you live? What riots?

Trumplandia. That's their favorite talking point. No one caught COVI from the protests ( or as they call them riots), so social distancing is not a thing. PP will now come back and proclaim they are not a Trump supporter.

I live in Northern VA and am not a Trumper. My point was that the playgrounds were closed (with no justification) but once the protests/riots occurred in DC and having 500,000+ gather and was deemed "acceptable" then the playgrounds were opened back up. There is no single reason on God's green earth why playgrounds should have been closed, especially after the first 4-6 weeks when it was understood that being outside was extremely low risk. But you keep your kids in the backyard for another year while the rest of the country moves on with their lives.

[Anonymous]

No, I haven’t brought my toddler back yet. We don’t have a yard either but found a big green park where we’re alone.

I just don’t feel comfortable letting him touch equipment or come close to other kids or parents.

[Anonymous]

2yo DS goes to the playground every weekend. We don't wipe anything down, we just do antibacterial handwipes when he gets in the stroller to leave, and then good handwashing once we're home. We live in an apartment and he's just too active and energetic for a walk or even just running around the grass in the park to be enough. Our pediatrician said it was totally fine, just to wash hands when we get home.

[Anonymous]

UV rays (e.g. sunlight) are pretty good at killing any Covid on the surface of playground equipment, so by the time you show up, it's had a lot of time to do its job.

We sanitize our hands just before we get in teh car to go back home. Mine are 5 and 7. We go maskless in the playground unless other kids are around, then they mask up (I just keep my distance). Our kids are in private school in-person so they're used to it as they have to wear masks at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our kids have gone to the playground since they opened after the riots and have played there with other kids in a normal fashion. Still alive 6 months later.

Where do you live? What riots?

Trumplandia. That's their favorite talking point. No one caught COVI from the protests ( or as they call them riots), so social distancing is not a thing. PP will now come back and proclaim they are not a Trump supporter.

I live in Northern VA and am not a Trumper. My point was that the playgrounds were closed (with no justification) but once the protests/riots occurred in DC and having 500,000+ gather and was deemed "acceptable" then the playgrounds were opened back up. There is no single reason on God's green earth why playgrounds should have been closed, especially after the first 4-6 weeks when it was understood that being outside was extremely low risk. But you keep your kids in the backyard for another year while the rest of the country moves on with their lives.

There were no riots here. Calling protests riots does not make it true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UV rays (e.g. sunlight) are pretty good at killing any Covid on the surface of playground equipment, so by the time you show up, it's had a lot of time to do its job.

We sanitize our hands just before we get in teh car to go back home. Mine are 5 and 7. We go maskless in the playground unless other kids are around, then they mask up (I just keep my distance). Our kids are in private school in-person so they're used to it as they have to wear masks at school.

Are you saying that you, the parent, don't mask at the playground? WTF?