How To Teach a Preschooler To Pump on a Swing
- November 4, 2009
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- Child Kyren Johnson
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Adult
Jovan Landry
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Jovan Landry
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Editor
Jovan Landry
Children as young as four can learn to keep themselves in motion on a swing. That means you’ll have to start going to the gym for your upper-body workouts.
You Will Need
- A child
- Swing
- An extra swing (optional)
Did you know? In 1903, New York City opened the first municipally built playground in the country, so that kids who lived in nearby tenements would have a safe place to play.
If there’s an empty swing next to your child, sit on it and demonstrate swinging yourself.
Step 1: Stand in front and behind
To help them get the forward motion right, stand in front of them, just out of the swing’s range, and tell them to try to touch you with their toes as they lean backward.
Step 2: Give a push
When they seem comfortable manipulating the swing themselves, give them a gentle push from behind to get them started.
Step 3: Switch to pushing, if necessary
If your child isn’t getting the hang of it, especially if they are getting frustrated or upset, don’t push them. Or rather, do push them – until they are a bit older and ready to try again. Most kids master swinging solo by the time they’re five.
Step 4: Sit your child in the swing
Have your child sit on the swing and pull on its ropes or chains, and lean forward and backward without help from you. This will show them that merely shifting their weight makes the swing move.
Step 5: Describe the motions
Once they’re in motion, describe what they should do. Say, “Hold on tight, reach with your toes as you go forward, and lean back,” and, “Bend your knees when you’re going backwards.”
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