Parents are only now realizing that children should use the ‘bottomless slide’ on the playground
CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUNDS are becoming more futuristic with every generation.
A parent sparked an online debate when she asked what a certain feature should be used for.
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The confused mother posted a message on a closed Facebook group asking how to play with a device in her neighborhood playground.
She added a photo of the equipment, which showed a wooden frame with a ladder on each side, a climbing wall and ropes.
On the side closest to the camera, two parallel metal bars ran from the top of the structure at a steep incline all the way to the ground.
The slope resembled a slide, but there was no place for a child to sit to use the slope as such.
The bewildered mother asked her fellow social media users if they had any insight.
Other parents shared their thoughts in the comments, but opinions were divided.
“It’s a slide. Legs over each pole and slide down,” someone suggested.
“If the kids cheat you can tell them it’s an invisible slide,” joked another Facebook user.
“It’s a slide. Butt in the middle, lean back, arms and legs over the sides,” said a third parent.
Others, however, thought the poles were meant for climbing.
“My daughter used to use them as a monkey tail when she was little, from bottom to top,” one commenter said.
“No, it’s about using your hands and arms to walk up and down and build upper body strength, similar to gymnastics,” someone else wrote.
“My son uses it as a monkey tail, but it’s actually meant to be a slide,” one parent said.
Some parents showed clips of the different ways their children used the device.
A woman warned her fellow mothers not to make the same mistake she did.
Playground Injury Statistics
The experts at Kids Health have revealed how many playground accidents happen every year and how you can prevent them.
Each year, more than 200,000 children are treated in the emergency room for playground injuries.
“Many of these accidents could be prevented with careful supervision,” the experts said.
They advised checking the equipment for potential hazards and following some simple safety guidelines.
The experts stressed the importance of waiting your turn, not pushing, always standing feet first on the slides, and keeping backpacks and other tripping hazards away from the equipment.
They also advised checking the equipment under different weather conditions, as on sunny days certain surfaces can be uncomfortably warm, while moisture can pose a slipping hazard.
It is also advisable to ensure that your child does not wear clothing with loose laces or drawstrings.
“Slide down with both legs on either side. NOT RECOMMENDED IF YOU HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE CHILD,” she wrote.
a website about playground equipment described the construction as a “hang glider”.
The product description, which recommended that the device was suitable for children aged eight to twelve, put an end to the confusion.
“Kids can climb up, slide down and swing through this wavy playground slide,” they said,
According to the manufacturers, the setup “promotes creativity and strengthens upper body strength.”
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