Swing danger

[ebhappydc]

I was outside in my backyard just before quiet time today with the dc group. The oldest child was swinging quite eagerly...I stand close so as to keep the younger ones from passing in front, but a little one got behind him and basically got body-checked... i decided to take down the 3 swings i have and will replace them with trapeze bars, or climbing ropes... do you guys have swings up? any other ideas how to fill that space?.... my oldest dck is 4 and quite big for his age... he's bawling though that i took them down....

[torontokids]

Personally, I think that's an extreme reaction. Kids get hurt and although we don't want it happening on our watch, it happens. I would keep them up and just do as you were doing to keep them from going in front. If we make things "too safe" the kids will be playing with nothing.

[5 Little Monkeys]

I took down the swings that came with mine and put up a baby swing and a tire swing ( it's a little tykes and it's a plastic square). I've had kids get hit before but it's usually not hard enough to seriously hurt them. I try to teach them that when kids are swinging they have to stay away from the front and back....of course some don't listen and have had to learn the hard way!

Just this year I got smart...I lowered the swings close to the ground. The kids can now get on the swings themselves( my back loves this!lol) and they are low enough that if a child gets in the way the damage is minimal and more to the body instead of head.

[cfred]

I don't think it's an extreme reaction at all. Swings aren't put on school or daycare playgrounds any more for this very reason. They are, in fact, quite dangerous and in ECE, they were considered a huge liability risk. I took them down at my old daycare location as well, after a 3 year old got kicked in the face. That parent was cool and understanding....lot s aren't. Best to be rid of them.

[FSD]

I HATE swings during daycare time!! LOL Between the two older ones constantly asking me to push me push me and the little ones who haven't quite gotten the whole "I'm gonna get it in the head if I walk in front of them swinging", it's enough to drive me batty! I usually take them down during daycare hours for my piece of mind and put them back up for my own girls. I don't replace them with anything....there's tons of other stuff for the kiddos to play with.

[playfelt]

In previous houses we have done the safety margin by filling an area with mulch and you had to stay out of the mulched area if a swing was in motion and in another house the yard setup allowed us to put a short fence around across the area so you had to enter through the equivalent of a gate to get to the big kid area. Could also do the opposite and make a little kids only play area depending on which group you have is the largest or which age group your own kids fall into.

We have a swingset but it has the bench in the middle and two swings on side that are the rubber so even when you get hit it isnt' the same as getting clobbered by a wooden board as with wooden swings.

[mickyc]

My kids love the swings!! I just teach the older kids to watch for the little ones. If the little ones are close by they must stop. I teach the little ones to stay away. Some kids need to learn the hard way and get bulldozed over.

I understand we want our kids to be safe but I think that is being excessive. Kids need to learn danger and if we bubble wrap everything they do they won't learn.

[Polkaroo]

I agree, kids must be kids. Yes we must make sure they are safe but these things happen. It's part of learning. As long as it's not life threatening, they will be ok. I LOVED the swings growing up and my kids also love it.

[Samantha33]

Children are bubbled wrapped (using someone else's expression) from the parents way to much in my opinion and so I don't bubble wrap here. Swings for sure. Telling older ones to watch for the younger ones and helping the younger ones learn to watch what's happening around them. It only takes a month or less for the younger to learn. I have baby swings and rubber for the older ones.

[Spixie33]

Kids do sometimes get knocked over by the swing but that is something that anyone near the swings just has to be vigilant off. Kids are going to encounter them at the park also. The kids love the swings and they are fun for the kids. I sometimes think I just need a 5 swing person swing set in the backyard rather than all the slides and climbers because the kids seem to just fight about my 3 swings all the time.

Kids need to learn that things can hurt them.

I try very hard to protect the kids from the swings and create a safe zone but if a kid continually doesn't listen then I will let them wander close when someone is going very slow so that they get knocked into just a little bit and learn the danger is real.