do you check playground equipement before your child uses it?

[Bena]

well, I guess the title of this post covers it!

[leighi123]

Check it for what?  

Generally, no I don't, unless I see something that looks weird, I'll go check it out (missing board on a wood structure at a church playground the other day with nails poking out, I didn't let ds go on it).   I might check the slide to see if its hot and let ds know.   

When he was little, we lived in a scary area, so I did check the equipment for weird stuff, but that was when he was 12-15months old, so I went on all the equipment with him anyways because he was little! 

[Bena]

ok...I guess a little background is in order.

Last week, a playground structure in our city (but not my area) was vandalized in a way that could've been pretty disastrous.  It was a unfinished structure in a new suburban developpement, so not yet in use.  The construction workers discovered the next morning when they arrived on the site.

This, obviously, caused quite a stir.  I am not all that concerned because I  personally don't believe the culprits were willingly wanting to harm anyone, after all, it was obvious that the play structure wasn't opened  yet.  I think it was just a bunch of teenagers playing around and thinking this would be a good prank (don't ask me how they could think that, but that's not the point!) 

 But it still got me wondering.  One mother I know, whose backyard opens to a park with a play structure in it and regularly lets her kids go play there on their own, was telling me that she now goes and inspects the structure before letting them use it.  

My DD is still little enough that I go on the structure with her, or at least follow her very closely, but it still got me thinking, which is why I'm throwing this question out there to the community!

[DahliaRW]

I glance at it, but if other kids are running around and playing on it I assume it's ok or it would have already failed.  But I think just by doing a quick "scope" I'd see anything wildly out of place, and I never have.

[*Katherine*]

Yes.

We had a wake-up call in 2004 at a playground with our then 2 & 4 yr old boys. The slide was covered in poo! Human poo!  In a nice neighborhood! Luckily we smelt it and found it before the sliding began...

I also watched a little buddy crack his head on a pole and there was a blood mess that the parents didn't clean up in their rush to the car/dr (?) so I was concerned about that.

I have seen kids play the "spit" on the kid on the slide game....right before we decide it's time to cruz.

So yes. We always check the equipment...and tend to avoid them unfortunately.

[DahliaRW]

Originally Posted by *Katherine* 

Yes.

We had a wake-up call in 2004 at a playground with our then 2 & 4 yr old boys. The slide was covered in poo! Human poo!  In a nice neighborhood! Luckily we smelt it and found it before the sliding began...

I also watched a little buddy crack his head on a pole and there was a blood mess that the parents didn't clean up in their rush to the car/dr (?) so I was concerned about that.

I have seen kids play the "spit" on the kid on the slide game....right before we decide it's time to cruz.

So yes. We always check the equipment...and tend to avoid them unfortunately.

I personally wouldn't bother to clean up if my kid was spouting blood and I felt that the child needed to get to the ER ASAP.  But I might go back later, if possible, so I don't blame those parents!  The poo, that is just gross!
 

[Polliwog]

I've never checked the equipment. There's usually other kids there when we get there, though.

[MommaBirdie]

I check to make sure slides aren't too hot, but that's basically it.

[mamalisa]

Originally Posted by MommaBirdie 

I check to make sure slides aren't too hot, but that's basically it.

Just this.  

[Drummer's Wife]

No, not really.  I mean, I'm there with my eyes open and all, but I don't make them wait while I scope it out like I do with Halloween candy. 

[StephandOwen]

In the one playground we go to a lot there are a few "hiding places" on the playground equipment (hugs wooden structure). I do a quick once-over to look in all those places to make sure it's just kids. There has been more than once I've found a random teen boy and even an adult man sitting/laying in those "hiding places".   When that happens I make sure to say, loud enough for other parents to hear, something to point out the person in hiding and then we generally leave the park and go somewhere else. I've never found anything bad on that playground (no poop, needles, condoms, etc), other than the random weird person.

[EmilyZ25]

usually just check to see if the slide is too hot. other than that, do a quick scope and that's probably enough. if other kids are running around and playing, i think it's fine.

[Honey693]

If I remember I'll check the slides to see how hot they are, but that's it.  And tbh I don't remember most of the time, but we don't go to the park when its super hot anyway.

[butterflylover]

Wow. Until I read this thread it never crossed my mind to check the playground equipment. I've always checked the slide's temperature and I'm always right there with my child when she plays. I'm not one of those sit at the picnic table and read my book or text kinda moms.

I have to say now though my imagination is taking hold in a creepy, scary way! We rarely play at playgrounds due to the fact it's just too hot here. 

The whole poop thing is so nasty! Ugh!

[Katie T]

I mainly check the temp of the slides and also the point where the swing attaches to the structure. Weird I know but as a kid one broke when I was high in the air and I was knock out for a few minutes and remember it and the puking the came after.

We go to the same park every day so anything out of the ordinary would grab my attention.