All They Want To Do Is Swing!

[busymommy0420]

I have a fabulous fully fenced in playground area for pre-schoolers. It is covered in rubber mulch for safety and making it a mud free zone. I love being outside but all the girls want to do is SWING. I have two swings and two sore arms from the constant pushing. There are many other activities available but no one seems interested. Should I offer more choices? I often say the swings are all done and then just start playing with something myself which then they all follow me to join in but minutes later migrate to the swings. Any thoughts???? My ages are: 2,2,2,3 & 5

Here is what our area has at all times:

Swing set (two swings)
Slide
Colorful climber with slide
Child size bench for sitting
2 Cozy coupes
1 Little tikes big rig
2 Little tikes ride on scooters
2 toy lawn mowers
Sensory table (currently empty usually used for water)
Little tikes blue rocking horse
Little tikes stroller
Little tikes play house
Assorted sand toys (for use in rubber mulch)
Child size large rakes, shovels
Plastic baseball bat and ball
Bubbles
Assorted balls
Sleds/Snow tubes for winter
Sidewalk chalk (to draw on house)

[Hunni Bee]

I have a fabulous fully fenced in playground area for pre-schoolers. It is covered in rubber mulch for safety and making it a mud free zone. I love being outside but all the girls want to do is SWING. I have two swings and two sore arms from the constant pushing. There are many other activities available but no one seems interested. Should I offer more choices? I often say the swings are all done and then just start playing with something myself which then they all follow me to join in but minutes later migrate to the swings. Any thoughts???? My ages are: 2,2,2,3 & 5

Here is what our area has at all times:

Swing set (two swings)
Slide
Colorful climber with slide
Child size bench for sitting
2 Cozy coupes
1 Little tikes big rig
2 Little tikes ride on scooters
2 toy lawn mowers
Sensory table (currently empty usually used for water)
Little tikes blue rocking horse
Little tikes stroller
Little tikes play house
Assorted sand toys (for use in rubber mulch)
Child size large rakes, shovels
Plastic baseball bat and ball
Bubbles
Assorted balls
Sleds/Snow tubes for winter
Sidewalk chalk (to draw on house)

I wish I had your yard, it sounds awesome!

Id do a couple "no swings" days a week. Just announce it before you go outside, and.get ready to do a ton of redirection, but in time they'll get it. I do that sometimes with the PC, house/mommy-and-baby play and anything they tend to fixate on.

[Meyou]

I would take the swings down for a while and only bring them out randomly until they find other things they like to do.

[daycare]

I would take the swings down for a while and only bring them out randomly until they find other things they like to do.

ditto.. I force mine to explore other things by taking out the things that everyone either fights over, all wants all the time or if that is all they will do.

[newtodaycare22]

So, can your little ones only do it with your assistance? If so, yea...close them Tue/Thurs or something like that. If they can swing on their own, maybe make Tue/Thurs YOUR no swing day (If they swing, they have to manage on their own. Pump pump pump!happyface)

[MrsB]

I am with newtodaycare. I dont do any pushing on the swings. Most of my little ones learn the pumping pretty early because of that. We have a sticker chart for good behavior and after they get 20 stickers one of the things they can cash them in for is 5 minutes of pushing during swing time. After they learn to pump they dont usually pick that reward though!

[SilverSabre25]

I don't push kids on swings.

If they can't do it themselves, they have to find something else to do. They can try, they can play on and with the swings, they can swing themselves on their stomachs if that's the way they can get up there. I have even been known to ignore someone sitting on

I don't play with kids outside much, either. I will throw and catch balls, I will sometimes draw with chalk or splash in water, but that's about it. Otherwise I watch babies and read on my Nook. Or simply soak up the sun and enjoy watching them play.

[Blackcat31]

Yeah, no way would I push the kids on the swings. I don't care if the kids do swing all day and do nothing else but no way am I pushing them.

Here, you do things yourself or you don't do them.

[SilverSabre25]

I just want to add that I had this SAME problem until I instituted the "no pushing on the swings" rule. Everyone was miserable until I quit pushing...then everyone was miserable for a few days or a week until they relearned how to play outside. Now they are independent and creative and have a great time.

(just don't start micro-managing how they DO use the swings so that they can figure it out for themselves. I don't allow twisting the swings, but that's about it. I will verbally coax someone in how to swing correctly. My 4 yo can pump so she's a good example, too)

[Blackcat31]

I just want to add that I had this SAME problem until I instituted the "no pushing on the swings" rule. Everyone was miserable until I quit pushing...then everyone was miserable for a few days or a week until they relearned how to play outside. Now they are independent and creative and have a great time.

(just don't start micro-managing how they DO use the swings so that they can figure it out for themselves. I don't allow twisting the swings, but that's about it. I will verbally coax someone in how to swing correctly. My 4 yo can pump so she's a good example, too)

:: :: LOL!! I do that too! Some days all I hear in my head is "In! now Out! In and now Out! Great you are doing it! Now in! and Out!!" ::::

[cheerfuldom]

sounds like they are just fighting for that one on one attention. I would disconnect the swings and put them away for now.

[SilverSabre25]

:: :: LOL!! I do that too! Some days all I hear in my head is "In! now Out! In and now Out! Great you are doing it! Now in! and Out!!" ::::

I say, "Kick forward! Back! Forward! Back!" or, "Your legs kick forward when you swing forward, and back when you swing back!"

[Soupyszoo]

I would let them play wherever they want! Your yard sounds great! Stop pushing them and maybe they will get owed and move on

[Soupyszoo]

That was supposed to be "bored" not "owed"... Stupid auto correct

[SunshineMama]

Mine are the same way- similar ages.

I tell them that I will push them for a little bit and then they have to go run and play. They all understand