Disc Swings & Your Family
A disc swing is a great piece of playground equipment that incorporates the motion of a swing but eliminates the constrictive back and forth pathway. A disc swing hangs easily from a sturdy tree branch or a pre-constructed playground structure. When deciding where to put your disc swing, make sure you leave ample room for the swing to move in a wide circle without obstruction. Once you’ve found the right spot, line the ground or floor with protective padding to ensure any falls yield the least amount of injury.
Now that you’ve got your disc swing up and moving, your next task is to make sure your children know how to use it. Show them the disc swing is not like an ordinary swing; in fact, the physics and mechanics of a disc swing are almost opposite. Kids play on the disc swing may require careful dispersion of energy by an adult. Make it clear that children are not to push each other on the disc swing until they learn how to push carefully and responsibly.
Also important to note is the ability of a disc swing to spin in place - a characteristic which can provide an exhilarating feeling, or induce sickness. It’s your job as supervisor to get a feel for each child’s tolerance to spinning in a circular motion - and while you're figuring this out, its a good idea to keep children who have eaten recently off the disc swing.
Finally, create a set of rules for the disc swing, and make sure the children learn them. Have children line up far enough from the swing and out of the swing's line of motion. You may want to make up a song that lasts around 30 seconds and teach the children to sing it while they wait in line for their turn on the swing. When the 30 seconds is up, everyone will know it's time to switch.
While the end goal of any playground activity is "fun," these precautions can help kids and adults have a better, more productive, and safer experience.
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