Anonymous wrote:You can Clorox wipe the equipment before your kid touches it but I doubt you’ll find an empty playground anyway.

LOL - are you really going to wipe down an entire playground? Have fun with that.

I think we need to be realistic.

Being at home with three elementary boys while trying to telework is a nightmare. We will avoid playgrounds, but you will see us biking, walking, jogging, paying soccer, shooting hoops.

If I had one kid I would probably let them hang out with a neighbor kid or two with the understanding that they will only play with each other for the next month. Kids (and parents) can go crazy sitting in isolation.

This will be a marathon - not a sprint - so we need to be safe, but also make this doable long-term.

We are taking the kids to the playground.... with other kids!

Anonymous wrote:People in HK and Singapore go out and about. Probably true elsewhere, but I know it to be true there. And they didn’t develop an Italy style problem. Some of you are determined to panic and declare everyone else selfish.

If you wipe down what you can, and it’s empty, you might get sick. But you would have no one to transfer it to if you’re really staying away from all non-family. People can’t stay indoors for months - that’s also known to be bad for humans.

+1
People are taking their kids to work in Japan. Playing in an empty park seems far less risky.

People in HK and Singapore go out and about. Probably true elsewhere, but I know it to be true there. And they didn’t develop an Italy style problem. Some of you are determined to panic and declare everyone else selfish.

If you wipe down what you can, and it’s empty, you might get sick. But you would have no one to transfer it to if you’re really staying away from all non-family. People can’t stay indoors for months - that’s also known to be bad for humans.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids and we can’t be trapped indoors for an entire month. I don’t mind driving a while to get to an empty playground.

Is this ok as long as there aren’t other kids on the playground?

I know people were saying playground equipment was never cleaned.

This precisely the mentality that’s going to have to change in a lot of folks, including you, OP. Otherwise, we wind up like Italy or worse.

+100

OP, you CAN deal with your kids but are choosing to believe you cannot cope without giving them what they're used to having for play. Time to think outside the box. It's not hard -- unless you insist it will be hard.

Why is a playground essential? Because they're used to it and will beg you to go? So? Tell them no and distract them with new routines but you will have to do some quick planning.

Go to parks without playgrounds. They don't need to see playgrounds and be told not to go over there, so go to parks without them (they do exist, all over the place). Take balls, jump ropes, bat/ball/gloves, take chalk to draw on paved paths and to make hopscotch boards on paved areas. Take picnic blankets or just old sheets and bring books so the kids can read outdoors when they get tired. Look online for rules of outdoor games your kids can all play, and outdoor challenges like building lean-tos out of branches if they're old enough. Do not go to playgrounds. Do some planning and you can do without the playground equipment. And do not let your kids play with other kids or you are defeating the whole purpose of their being out of school.

And yes, I've been there. Parks without playgrounds were the norm near my mom's house when DC was small. I had to get DC out of the house each morning when we stayed at my mom's so we did a lot of playground-free play. You can do this.

So your kid is going to leave germs all over the playground, days before you know he's sick? And spread them between playgrounds?

Just stop. Go to an empty field, go for a walk, get an indoor trampoline.

Anonymous wrote:I have 3 kids and we can’t be trapped indoors for an entire month. I don’t mind driving a while to get to an empty playground.

Is this ok as long as there aren’t other kids on the playground?

I know people were saying playground equipment was never cleaned.

This precisely the mentality that’s going to have to change in a lot of folks, including you, OP. Otherwise, we wind up like Italy or worse.

Totally fine. We are not quarantined. Even if there were a few other children there you’d be fine.

We have a playground right behind our house that really is only used by the kids on our block. We feel comfortable using that one, but wouldn't go to a larger park.

Why is this so hard for people? I seriously cannot.

Go to smaller elementary schools. Most of them are always empty. You can also try churches and small parks.

You can Clorox wipe the equipment before your kid touches it but I doubt you’ll find an empty playground anyway.


What about hikes and races in grassy parks? I just started taking my toddler to just a park-park and bring his toys.

Greater good. Everybody cannot do this so neither should you.

I have 3 kids and we can’t be trapped indoors for an entire month. I don’t mind driving a while to get to an empty playground.

Is this ok as long as there aren’t other kids on the playground?

I know people were saying playground equipment was never cleaned.