What are your local parks like?

[janminder]

I am so lucky to have a park across the road from where I live and can walk through it to get to the school I take and collect from but why can't they make the playparks suitable for under 5's especially toddlers to run around freely. My swing area is enclosed but with no gate its open access you have to pass the bigs swings to the baby swings which are on the same framework. They have one low height apparatus with a small slide buts its surrounded by the big stuff, how are you supposed to keep children safe if you have more than one and they are going in different directions heading for cetain unsafety. Why can't they have a properly enclosed area for small children inside the one for big children. Another park thats close has a nice low height apparatus for the small children with slide, walk along bridge with the ropes and another walk across bridge nice high sides but its surrounded by big childrens apparatus.

[angiemog]

Hi,
I have one near me that is suitable for under 5s, has rubber flooring all over and the things for the older children are outside the fence. There are still swings but I generally go between 9 and 3 when there aren't any older children, Mums generally are pushing their children so keep an eye out for any runners! x

[balloon]

We have a few parks in our town, most are not suitable for toddlers at all apart from the obligatory toddler swings...

But... One has a great design! It's all painted with non slip paint in pretty designs on the floor and games like hopscotch etc. There are 2 parts to it which are divided by a 3 foot high(ish) wooden fence (like loads of logs toed together).

One side is for big kids and the other for toddlers.

It's great cos parent/carers can see the children on both sides no matter which side they're in. Not enough benches for parents but you can't have everything!

[CherryBlossom]

I have two parks-both 15 minute walk from my house.

Both are really big nice parks..with lots of green space around them.

To be honest I haven't been to either one lately, but it I remember rightly there was a suitable area for under 5's-and they def have swings slides etc suitable for toddlers.

x

[Madminder]

There are many parks in my area but all are a long walk, bus or car ride away.

None of them have seperate toddler areas but most have all the toddler suitable equipement grouped together so I tend to stand or sit near that. Maybe I have been lucky with my mindies, but I have found that if they run off towards the big childrens equipment I just tell them that it is only for the big children and they can't use it till they start school and that seems to do it!

I have had problems in the past as have cared for two sets of twins from babies and the designers of some of this equipment do not seem to take into account having two kids the same age using it and have open areas (firemans poles, rope ladders etc) at opposite ends so it is impossible to use! I would always make sure that I went to these parks with a friend or other minder.

I have recently re-discovered a park though and it is fantastic, they have revamped it and made it suitable for all abilities. There is a roundabout that is flush with the ground, has gates to open and push wheelchairs or buggies on, and safe seats for little ones. The small witches hat has dangly ropes with circles at the bottom that a child can sit on and swing, and panels between the ropes that a less able child could be laid or sat on and enjoy being bounced as other children climb. There is a large round platform that is raised about 3 ft off the ground and turns on it's base; the older kids climb on it and run to turn it, the younger or less able kids can sit or lie on it and be turned. There is one of those big swings that you can get lots of kids on or lay a couple of children in, a rock climbing wall and loads of other great stuff too.

It has been landscaped with lots of small hills and has many sandy areas in the dips and bridges (great for playing billy goat gruff which is the 3 yr olds current fave!) There are plenty of benches and seats but none which enable you to see the whole park! It is quite spread out and not one that I would be happy to take more than one under 3 to without another adult, but at the moment I only have one 3 year old and the others are 5, 7 and 11 so it is a great place to go after school. In fact, I reckon the kids would be happy to spend all day there in the summer, if ony there were some toilets! Just wish we could walk to it though.

[Ripeberry]

Our village has just had a new playground put in and yesterday we went to try it out with my 3yr old mindee and my 4yr old daughter. It was OK for that age group but had some quite big equipment in it and the slides were a bit fast and high.
Also had a climbing wall and a 'spider web' climbing frame, so much more suited to 5yrs +
Bit dissapointed that there were no baby swings, only one of those circle swings that you lie down on.
All the other parks around here are quite old (1980s) and we have to drive.
Yesterday, even though I had two children with me I ended up with 4 as two mums were just sitting there chatting and their kids kept following me around asking me to put them on the swing and things (the mums were OK about it).
At least I joined in ;)

[janminder]

My problem is I am looking after twin boys (actually my grandsons) they are two & half but as they were born at 26 weeks have developmental delay especially with language. I cant keep them contained near the small stuff on my own. On way home from school and in school hols I do sometimes have a 10 year old and 11 year old with me and they can help.

[julie w]

Our parks have all been done up and look lovely, but I am sick to the back teeth of DOG POO. It doesn't seem to matter how much the council spend, it is always abused. Sorry, it's my big gripe. :angry:

[janminder]

Some of you have some really nice sounding parks, think I might enquire of my Local Authority if they have any suitable toddler friendly play areas, but they will probably end up being to hard to get to or take to long as I don't drive.

[cher25]

There are no parks near to me. I have to drive or it is a long walk. But neither of the 2 nearest parks are really any good for babies or toddlers.
There was a meeting a while ago at my local school about putting a park nearby. But as far as im aware the locals complained about that. :(