Playing with Sticks

[daycare]

Depends on the size and under what condition. We collect smaller scale sticks and then place them in small to large order. Or we collect sticks and paint with them.

We have made sticks into boats, kites and fishing poles. Any other circumstances than supervised art or creative projects I would not allow for it.

[SquirrellyMama]

I allow kids to play with sticks but the stick cannot be longer than the child.

K

[originalkat]

Unfortunately, I do not allow the kids to play with sticks. I have gone back and forth with this over the years but ultimately decided the risks outweighed the benefits. Although I am ALL FOR NATURE PLAY happyface sticks are too dangerous for groups of young children. They can poke someone in the eye waaaaay too easily, and I have had some close calls in the past. We have TONS of trees. The kids know if they find a stick they can take it to the stick pile in the back corner of our yard.

[Childminder]

I do not because they always turn into a weapon or some child runs and falls with them. Other toys can/are used the same way but I can't take Mother Nature to court and would have to assume all liability if the kid is injured.

Heck, for that matter I have one girl that can't walk across the grass without fallin and splitting her lip on the one pebble hidden in the lawn. Four stitches. Thank God the parents know how graceful she is.

[spud912]

It depends on the child. I have three children who make "nests" with them and are very careful. My other three children swing them around and poke/hit (this includes all 2 of my boys and my tom-girl daughter....the children who are careful are my 3 prissy girls :. As a result, the three wild ones are not generally allowed to play with sticks.

[Starburst]

Do you allow your DCKs to play with sticks...even really long ones?

I have a large yard with LOTS of trees. The DCK's I have LOVE playing all kinds of imaginative games with them. I realize that there are dangers with sticks.

Today I had a licensing visit...which went greathappyface, but she saw one of the DCKs with a stick and said "oh my, that's dangerous."

So, should I NOT allow sticks?

I think it depends on the circumstance. At my college they have a class called "outdoor classroom with children" where they teach you how to lead kids into natural material play and teach kids how to collect sticks, leaves, and other natural items. They believe that children need more exposure to nature. I think if they are a certain age (usually late 3's; some kids not until 5 or 6ish) and that child understand what is okay and not okay like if it's with sorting, scavenger hunts, or art projects it should be fine. If they are deliberately using them as weapons or throwing them then no. At the FCC I worked at she had an outdoor equipment area with woodchips and the kids would always try to play in the wood chips but we would tell them not to play with it because we knew they would try to throw it. But it depends on the child, though sometimes you have to make an "everyone" or "everyone who isn't at least _ years old" rule because the responsible child's peers do not understand.

But when I was a kid at recess in elementary school I would always play with sticks like Barbie dolls.... I didn't have much friends....

[Crystal]

I saw this idea on pinterest and am going to do it....it may be a good way to allow children to "play" with sticks without it being a problem:

http://pinterest.com/pin/514606694891505141/

[Oneluckymom]

Thanks for all the helpful comments and ideas. I love you guys !!

[youretooloud]

I saw this idea on pinterest and am going to do it....it may be a good way to allow children to "play" with sticks without it being a problem:


http://pinterest.com/pin/514606694891505141/

That's a neat idea! I will go up to the mountains and collect sticks for that project!

[Unregistered]

another craft or two

Those sticks are adorable. We also use the little alphabet pasta and glue each child's name on a stick. And for Father's Day we sometimes use thing sticks, like willow, glued onto a piece of tagboard for a picture frame. Sometimes use little rocks too. Kids will search for hours to find the "pretty" rocks.
The frames are rustic and outdoorsy. Bunches of sticks on each side, however many a child wants to glue. All done outside, no mess

[Kimskiddos]

My yard too generates a ton of sticks! I discourage it but there are so many so my rule is you have to be sitting down to play with sticks. Of course no using them as weapons or throwing them. This way they usually get bored with them pretty quickly.

After a wind storm we do collect them and put them in a pile for the trash.

[melskids]

I do.

[Second Home]

As a general rule no the dck don't play with sticks . But depending on who is here sometimes we do .

This winter we took a stick and drew pictures in the snow while waiting for the bus . But I knew that child could handle it without hitting me . If I had a different dck that morning there would have been no sticks as I just know there will be hitting .

Just yesterday dcg grabs a stick while leaving with her father , runs back up to my steps and starts hitting my flower pots with the stick . I told her she needed to stop hitting while dcd just watched .

[CraftyMom]

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

I love that! ::

I allow them to play within reason like the others posted.

My son since he was one has been fascinated with sticks. I have very few pics of him outside without a stick

[bklsmum]

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.

This is my policy as well.