Public Play Areas

Winter time here in Minnesota is the time that we would like to venture out the most & the thought of those indoor play areas at the malls or Mcdonalds etc sound really appealin but our pediatrition really thinks we should shy away from those places durin the cold & flu season.
 
What are your feelins about that. I kind of think that they are around kids in preschool anyway & catch stuff there so what is the difference. Are those public places really that much worse?

 

Were your kids preemies? Have underlying health issues? Just curious. Now, I'm sure those places are swarming with germs, but so is the preschool classroom(s), the pediatricians office, the grocery store, etc etc. Now, I wouldn't be rushing there on a daily basis, but I also wouldn't be avoiding it like the plague either lol.

When we go to them, which is rare just because, I just make sure we wash hands as soon as we get home. Or if I have some antibacterial one(for places like this), I'll give them a quick squirt.

Andy boys are 6 and my daughter is 4.5. Aside from the common cold, we've been lucky. And knock on wood-nothing this year. Think of the immune system they are building.

 

Unless your kids are really young, or have a compromised immune system, I wouldn't worry too much. Like Meg said, take some hand sanitizer and have them wash hands well afterwards. My thoughts are, for most kids, there's no point in stressing out about the germs in public and places like preschool and the grocery store are just as bad, if not worse, than public play areas.

Now, if your kids are more susceptible for some reason, like asthma or low immune systems, that would be a different story, and I would definitely avoid public play places during cold and flu season.

 

Agreed that if your kids are otherwise healthy I see no reason to avoid them. Yes, they might catch a bug but I know for myself that's a small price to pay for an opportunity to get out of the house. We don't use antibacterial anything nor do I make a point of extra hand washing and we all seem to be doing just fine. :good:

 

 
Yep, ditto this.  Just went to mcd's today, I have to drive 25 mins to get to one with a play place in the next town over, but so worth it when it's cold outside!  We usually go once or twice a month, depending on whether the kids have been outside much or not.

 

I am probably a little more cautious then some.  We wash hands before we leave and wash again when we get home but a cold for my two equals no sleep for me and round the clock breathing treatments so I do what I can to avoid them.  Mine were preemies and both have asthma and one has preemie lung issues in addition to asthma.  We probably didn't go to many public play places until they were closer to 3.  But we also had to deal with 5 rounds of pneumonia in 9 months between the two of them during their 2nd year so I was a bit overprotective and even considered pulling them from preschool.  Even though they did go to preschool I knew at preschool that they practiced hand washing and cleaned and sick kids stayed home.  My boys also get the flu shot every year (so do I).  There is a major flu outbreak in our area so if mine had not had the flu shot we would avoid public play places actually I can't imagine not getting the flu shot since they both have asthma.  Although H1N1 is hard on kids who don't have underlying health problems as well.
 
I actually left a play place once after overhearing a mom telling another mom that they just couldn't stay at home another day and he (the kid) had not been running a fever that morning.  The kid had snot running out his nose and was sitting there crying (obviously not feeling good) while the mom chatted with her friend.  I think you can get more of that in a public place then at a preschool at least at the boys school.
 
We did gymboree and a parents as teachers playgroup (free).  At both parents were pretty good about sanitization and not bringing in obviously sick kids.  The places we went also sanitized after each class or playgroup. You might check with your local school district to see if they have  a parents as teachers playgroup.  You did not have to be in the program to participate in the playgroups. 

 

I took my boys to the mall indoor play area when they were about 2.  They got really really sick.  Ever since, I have avoided indoor play areas during the winter months.

 

I was mo cautious when the boys were younger because we as such a tough time with respiratory problems. They would get asthma symptoms every time they had a cold, and one always had ear infections. It was miserable. So I'd carry hand satirized and we would go to places that were cleaned regularly. As they ave gotten older and their respirator problem have relieved themselves, I am more relaxed about t.

 

We avoided those places when they we were little. But since last yr, we started taking them everywhere. We use lot lot of hand santizier. My kids learned to cough in their elbows. I told them stay away from sick kids. Also, in winter, I let them take extra C.
But most importance is their immune systems buid stronger as they get older. My kids were not sick that much last yr. my husband and I actually visited doc offices more often then they did last yr.