During a playground consultation for a toddler daycare in Uganda, we learned their slide was causing big problems. It was a traditional steel slide with a ladder to the top.
While the toddlers loved sliding down the slide, they most definitely did not love standing in line on the ladder to use it. As they hadn't quite mastered the concept of turn-taking yet, they would push each other off in their impatience or trample over the younger toddlers to get to the top. Outdoor play time would often dissolve into tears and bruises. The caretakers had resorted to keeping the toddlers inside more often to prevent these episodes.
On their new playground, we swapped their old slide for one built into a gently sloping earth mound with tire steps. The more challenging trek to the top slowed the toddlers down and prevented traffic jams in line. Any missteps resulted in a slow tumble down the hill instead of a steep fall off the ladder. The caretakers were happier taking the toddlers outside as they were more self-regulated in their play and required less mediating.
Regardless of age, all slides are more interesting when coupled with a dramatic hill. Take a peek at this slideshow of "hill slides" from around the world.
Follow the link to get the step-by-step instructions for building your own “Slide Hill with Steps.”(Note: must create a free user account to see full instructions.)
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