Parents realising how kids are ‘meant’ to use ‘bottomless slide’ at playground – we’ve all been doing it wrong for years
CHILDREN’S playgrounds become more futuristic looking with each generation.
One parent caused a debate online when she asked what a particular feature is supposed to be used for.
Posting on a closed Facebook group, the confused mum asked how a contraption at her local playground was supposed to be played on.
She included a picture of the equipment, which showed a wooden frame with a ladder, climbing wall, and ropes on each side.
On the side closest to the camera two parallel metal bars reached from the top of the structure to the ground in a steep slope.
While the slant resembled a slide, there was nowhere for a child to sit to use it as such.
The baffled mum asked her fellow social media users if they had any insight.
Other parents shared their opinions in the comments section, but opinions were divided.
“It’s a slide. Legs over each pole and slide down,” suggested one person.
“It’s for when the kids play up, just tell them it’s an invisible slide,” joked another Facebook user.
“It’s a slide. Bum in the middle, lay back, arms and legs over the sides,” said a third parent.
However, others seemed to think the bars were meant to be used for climbing.
“My daughter used to use them as monkey bars when she was little, starting from the bottom to the top,” said one commenter.
“No, it’s for using your hands and arms to walk up and down building strength in upper body like gymnastics,” wrote another person.
“My son uses it as monkey bars but yeah, it’s meant to be a slide,” commented one parent.
Some parents showed clips of the various ways there children used the apparatus.
One woman warned her fellow mums not to make the same mistake she did.
Playground injury statistics
The experts at Kids Health revealed the amount of playground-related injuries that occur each year and how to prevent them.
More than 200,000 kids are treated in emergency rooms annually due to playground-related injuries.
“Many of these accidents can be prevented with careful supervision,” the experts said.
They recommended checking equipment for possible hazards and following some simple safety guidelines.
The experts highlighted the importance of taking your turn, avoiding pushing, always using slides feet-first, and leaving backpacks and other tripping hazards away from the equipment.
They also suggested checking equipment in various weather conditions, as sunny days can make certain surfaces uncomfortably hot while moisture can be a slipping hazard.
Ensuring your child isn’t wearing clothing with loose laces or drawstrings is also advisable.
“Slide down with either leg on either side. DO NOT RECOMMEND IF YOU’VE HAD MORE THEN ONE CHILD,” she wrote.
A playground equipment website described the structure as a “hang glider.”
The product description, which recommended the apparatus for used for children aged eight to 12, cleared up the confusion.
“Kids can shimmy up, slide down, and swing through this wavy playground glider,” they said,
According to the manufacturers, the set-up “develops creativity and builds upper-body strength.”