Region-first for Wakefield playground
Haley Furlong and two-year-old daughter Penny have their first-ever go on a ‘you and me’ swing. Photo: Jo Kent.
A new Wakefield playground features the region’s first ‘you and me’ swing seat, which aims to benefit both toddlers and their caregiver.
The swing, on Wakefield’s Genia Drive, was opened on Saturday by Tasman District Council’s horticultural officer Richard Hilton.
“It’s basically a two-person swing where the parent and toddler can sit facing each other and swing together,” he says.
There are many benefits to the swing as it allows young children to use visual cues to help them understand new vocabulary and what an adult is trying to say.
Being able to see their parent’s face clearly as they swing helps them to learn how to speak and comprehend oral language better, Richard says.
It’s also thought swinging face-to-face with an adult is beneficial for children who have social and emotional disorders.
A caregiver can use the swing to help children with ADHD or autism to process another person’s emotions or learn how to make more eye contact.
Local mum to two-year-old Penny, Haley Furlong, says the addition of a new type of swing is a great idea.
“It’s great and we love the rope net swing and climbing area too. Penny has two older brothers who could also come and use the swing with her, so it’s ideal for multigenerational play.”
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Richard says there was a lot of community feedback on this project regarding what people would like to see included.
“The focus was on a natural play area, so we’ve added some giant rocks to climb on and a balance bar, too.”
The new playground brings Wakefield’s grand total to four, but Richard says plans to develop Faulkner’s Bush are in the pipeline.
“Faulkner’s Bush is due for an imminent upgrade, so we’ll be consulting with the community in the coming months to get some feedback on what they would like to see happen as Wakefield’s population continues to grow,” he says.