silly park topic from today....monkey bars

can your kid go across the monkey bars swinging?

I never see kids make it across, except one girl who was in gymnastics for years...
the boys at the park today were in awe of her and kept trying and trying...
my kid is crazy beat up from falling-the most he went was 4 bars out of 8 then flopped to the ground.

In school, I remember everyone being able to get across...

is it just the kids that i hang around that aren't up to the challenge?

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

We have monkey bars on our swingset and Emily can make it across about 3 bars before she drops down. She is newly 6 years old, and has been doing this since the summer.

When I was teaching I used to take the kids to the playground a lot. The really tiny kids were able to do it, the kids that were very thin. I think it was easier for them bc they were so light. Other then that I'd say everyone else didn't get a good hang of it until they were in about 2nd grade or so. I was a special ed teacher so I looped up with the kids for sometimes 3 years at a row, and I'd see them master it after trying for years around 2nd grade.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

DS (6) is part monkey, so yes he can....He is insanely athletic and has been going all the way across since he was 3'ish......

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

I think it is typical to learn between 4 and 7 and some kids never learn. I know when my son was four he could do it but then in grade school they had those swinging rings to cross and he had trouble but was determined because his friends could do it. He has always been one of the biggest kids.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

My friends son can and my daughters can.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

I have seen dozen of kids go all the way across the monkey bars! Neither one of MY kids, but dozens of others on the playground!

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

My son started around 5ish...maybe before. My 4 year old can't and is scared. Lots of kids can in my park - maybe your park has really hard ones! I have some little girls who are 3 or just tiurned 4 who zip across them.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

My DD is 4 and at preschool they have a bar that goes across she goes completely across that way - the regular monkey bars she gets about 4-5 or so across - many of the kids in her class (most are almost 5 - she will 4.5 end of December) get on and maybe go one bar or just hang until 15-20 secs. There are a few mostly taller girls who can go almost across. My DD is one of the smallest in the class and is pretty light (38 lbs) so I'm not sure if that helps.

At the playground by us the monkey bars are harder because they aren't straight across they go down and up in a snake like shape so the kids do okay going down but not many make it up - I don't see kids going all the way across until 6 or so.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

My kids love the monkey bars and always make it across. Is it terrible that I've never noticed anyone else's kid?

I will say that upper body strength and coordination changes pretty dramatically when they hit 5 or so. Both kids were only 'eh' at skiing.. until they hit 5 and they completely took off! The instructor actually said that something happens at that age that just makes stuff like that click. Were these little folks at the playground?

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

DD is 5 1/2 and she just did the entire set of monkey bars for the first time about three weeks ago and I was so proud of her as she was SO happy

So now she insists on doing them every time we are at the park and even has some welts on her hands to prove it!!

I think the lighter kids have it easier as they dont have as much weight to hold up -she is light and small boned.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

my son can go accross the Monkey bars...he has been able to do so since age 3. He is 7 now. My daughter cannot, she is 4; and I don't think that she will really ever be able to

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

My DS & DD (9 & 7) can do it, they've been doing it for years. My 5 yr old cannot, he has some core muscle weakness, def not as much upper body strength as my other 2. My DD is especially amazing, she is strong and fast. But I have also wondered in the past if it's unusual and I've seen many kids do it. Not everyone of course but it's not unusual IMO

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

thanks! mainly 4 year olds

2 out of the 8 got it this week.
most just very little interest in doing it.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

Message edited 10/19/2011 2:07:48 PM.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

DD is 5 and cant do it yet but I see her upper body strength really improvong lately and Id bet by summer she may be able to do it.

Re: silly park topic from today....monkey bars

Yes. At the beginning of the summer he was going all the way across.

He turned 5 in September.

He practiced very single day.....except when it was raining or snowing.