Swing Countdown
What you need
- a toddler bucket swing at the playground
How to do it
- At the playground, sit them in a toddler bucket swing, with no other children near its path.
- Stand beside the swing, level with the seat, where your face is in their view.
- Count down together, "Three, two, one", reach in to push the seat gently on "go!", then step back.
- Let it slow down, then count again, leaving a gap before "go!" for them to fill.
Why it matters
The countdown builds the wait and each gentle push brings the swoop, so every go has a start, a build-up and a happy finish.
What they're learning
- Swinging
- Feeling the swoop forward and back and sitting steady in the seat.
- Counting down
- Hearing "three, two, one" before every push.
- Waiting for go
- Holding on for the last number before the swoop.
What to look for
Watch for their face lighting up as the countdown reaches one.
A tip
A toddler bucket seat only, and small, gentle pushes. Reach in from the side only to push, then step back out, and never let anyone walk into the swing's path. When the swing has stopped, lift them out yourself.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: count slowly and just rock the seat gently with your hand on it
Harder: let them choose whether to count down from three or from five
