Playing with Sticks

[Oneluckymom]

my own kids have always loved playing with sticks, but I think for liability and safety I won't allow DCKs to play with them.

I just would feel horrible if it poked an eye...you only get one pair!

[rmc20021]

Sticks and rocks stay on the ground...leaves, grass, moss, bugs are all ok. Sticks can poke eyes and rocks usually end up getting thrown.

[Patches]

Nope, too dangerous. My own kids, outside of daycare hours, yes.

[cheerfuldom]

I do but I only have three daycare kids right now, and my four kids. but I do set boundaries to it. As long as they are pretending campfire, building and such, thats fine. No "sword play", poking, throwing, etc.

[mema]

Only if they are helping me pick them up and put them in the stick pile.

[Cradle2crayons]

Yes, mine are allowed to play as in stack, pile them up, and build with them. No they aren't allowed to fight or sword fight with them.

[Scout]

My DCK's are NOT allowed to play with sticks. EVER.

I lovethis your smilies! I actually laughed out loud!!

[Scout]

I don't even let my own kids play with sticks!! This could all be due to the fact that I am legally blind in one eye so I am very cautious about eye safety!! I could just see a stick poking someone in the eye and the bad things that would follow!

[SilverSabre25]

We're allowed I also consider them loose parts, and there are guidelines, as with everything else.

No throwing them.
No throwing them anywhere, not even straight up in the air.
No throwing them at the tree.
No throwing them in the air even if you didn't mean to hit the tree.
No using them to whack bugs off the tree.
No weapons
No fighting
No poking people.
No swinging. Even if it's a sword, because it's not a sword? Remember, no weapons. yes, swords are weapons. Yes, even if it's pretend.

I tend to wrap all those up into "Play softly and gently with the sticks" which works. Except for one particular child who needs to find ALL the limits and test them, haha. The "detailed" rules up there are all things I've said to him at one time or another.

Sometimes I decide one is too sharp/long/heavy/etc and take it away, but we mostly get the smallish ones. And I have some pieces of tree branch lying around for "campfires" and things of that nature. It's cute, really.

[youretooloud]

We're allowed I also consider them loose parts, and there are guidelines, as with everything else.

No throwing them.
No throwing them anywhere, not even straight up in the air.
No throwing them at the tree.
No throwing them in the air even if you didn't mean to hit the tree.
No using them to whack bugs off the tree.
No weapons
No fighting
No poking people.
No swinging. Even if it's a sword, because it's not a sword? Remember, no weapons. yes, swords are weapons. Yes, even if it's pretend.

I love that we have to say something in five different ways because kids can always find a loophole.

[MissAnn]

Speaking of sticks, this book is awesome!

http://www.amazon.com/Not-Stick-Antoinette-Portis/dp/0061123250/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367079431&sr=8-1&keywords=not+a+stick

I hope I did the link right!

[LK5kids]

Nope...never!
They can play with sticks at home

[_Dana_]

This actually hits close to home.

Just last week a little boy wanted to show my neighbors daughter a Y-shaped twig(not even a stick) at daycare. She tripped as she ran to him and the stick pierced her nose. Now, she has two little scabs where the prongs poked through. Poor kiddo. Luckily, it wasn't an inch higher. It could've easily been her eye.

Personally, I would like to allow the children to play with sticks. However, I see it as a liability.

[pandamom]

It's not a center rule. But me and the other 2 year old teachers agreed we wouldn't let our kids play with sticks on the playground.

[AmyKidsCo]

I never used to allow it, but last summer I let them play with sticks "as long as there are no problems." Obviously, hitting a friend, using them as weapons, running with them, etc, would all be problems and the child would have to try again the next day.