They might still be under stage 4 lockdown but an easing of restrictions saw playgrounds reopen and the Tiny Humans rediscover their love for them, writes Natalie Moutafis.
Not since early July, between lockdowns, have the tiny humans played on a playground. They have been desolate places that we walk past on our lockdown walks each day.
At the beginning, there were questions of ‘Can we go to the playground?’ and ‘Why are the swings tied up?’. Eventually, the questions stopped and it was just an occasional passing comment of ‘Oh, the playground is still closed because of the germs.’
But on Monday parents of young children across Melbourne breathed a collective sigh of relief, for it was the day that playgrounds opened again as part of relaxation to stage 4 lockdown restrictions.
We ventured to one of our local playgrounds and happened to be there at the same time as the city council worker was removing the ropes and opening it back up – a momentous occasion and one that was cause to celebrate with a victory lap around the playground.
The smallest tiny human followed her big brother excitedly into the sandpit, only to look at me questionably wondering what exactly she was supposed to do. She quickly remembered and began playing.
The bigger tiny human ran from the sandpit to the slide, to swing, back to the slide, through the cubby house, over to the see-saw, climbed the tree, spun around, balanced and leapt from the rocks and logs in the nature area, and then back to the slide and swings.
There were squeals of joy, and smiles were a permanent fixture for the duration of our visit. Shouts of ‘Hello!’ and ‘You can have a turn too!’ to other tiny humans also enjoying the reopening of the space could be heard through the commotion.
Parents gave each other knowing smiles (beneath face masks) and polite nods of heads (from an acceptable social distance) were given to familiar faces. For those of us living with little to no outdoor space, the return of playgrounds is so welcomed and now, more than ever, so greatly appreciated.
Hopefully, it will mean less scaling of furniture when we are indoors and a happier disposition all-round. The past couple of days the tiny toddler has made declarations about how ‘happy’ he is and how he is ‘excited to play at the playground again’. To see my children’s faces light up with pure joy at a simple visit to the playground has made my week, and the world suddenly seems filled with more positivity.
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Subscribe to the Parents WebsiteAbout Natalie Moutafis
Natalie Moutafis is the author of our Tiny Humans blog, providing her engaging and insightful take on life with two young children. Natalie is also a project manager at ISV.
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