Playgrounds

Once your child is old enough for playgrounds you get a chance to sit back and hyper vigilantly observe your child.

Finding the right playground for your child could make the difference between your child being bored, having fun or getting hurt.  Most of the playgrounds in my area are aimed at ages five and up, with the exception of the baby swings.  My son loves the swings, but eventually he will feel done and want to slide down slides.  Which is really only safely manageable for someone his age when the other kids are not crowding the slide.  Which circles me back to the fact that this playground was not really made with toddlers in mind.

Surprisingly the best toddler playground in my area is at the mall.  Not only is it climate controlled, which is nice, but it only has play structures that appeal to kids his age and maybe a few years older.  A seven year old would be bored here.  Which is perfect because comparatively big kids just don't mix well with toddlers.   The difference in running speeds alone can make for painful collisions.  And then factor in that bigger kids like to jump off of play structures, without necessarily making sure that the way is clear of toddlers.  It's enough to make the heart leap out of the chest of every adult near by.

Which leads back to the previous point.  It is important to find a playground that is age appropriate to your child.  There are wide differences to be found  in playgrounds.  And it's just not worth the hassle of trying to assist a child in playing on a structure that is clearly meant for older kids.  And your child will quickly grow bored and begin misusing equipment if you take them to a play area for children much younger than they are.

As the parent it is up to you to make a judgment call on where you want to let your children play.  Don't feel bad if and when you have to change which part of the park to play at.  And while it's good to give your child some space to play and explore, always keep an eye on your kids.  The heartbreak of something bad happening to your child while they were supposed to be on your watch is to be avoided regardless of how inconvenient it may feel to do the parent thing, and keep an eye on your child.