What Age Can Children Learn To Swing By Themselves

When my son was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, I was committed to finding natural ways to help him manage his energy and hold his focus. One recommendation from our pediatrician was to make sure we gave him frequent opportunities to burn energy throughout the day. We spent a lot of time at local playgrounds, where he took a strong interest in the swings.

I was helping him even more than I realized back then. Research has proven that children with ADHD focus better after enjoying a 20-minute walk outdoors. We also now know that children living within one mile of a playground are five times more likely to maintain a health bodyweight due to their increased activity level.

That leads us to a critical question: At what age can children learn to swing by themselves? There are a lot of variables that every parent should keep in mind. Let’s get into the details to keep your children safe while having tons of fun at the park.

What Age Can Children Learn to Swing by Themselves?

In order to swing safely, children need to pump their legs back and forth while securely gripping ropes or chains with both hands. They also must lean their upper bodies back and forward slightly, coordinating with their legs to propel their bodies higher and higher. They must also push off with their toes as they pass the ground, going higher and higher with each little push.

Finally, children ready to swing alone can bring themselves to a stop without hurting their legs on the ground or falling off the swing. Babies and young children don’t have all of these skills, and their coordination isn’t fully developed. That’s why secure bucket seats were invented.

Every parent and caregiver must assess the capabilities of each individual child to determine the most appropriate time to introduce solo swinging. Start by assessing the child’s cognitive understanding of how swings operate. That includes how to get on the swing, put their bodies in motion, and then come to a full stop.

Next, assess the child’s physical ability to balance on the swing, hold on tight, and coordinate their upper and lower body. Age doesn’t matter if you know your child isn’t ready to swing due to slower development in one of these areas.

What Age Can My Child Sit on a Big Swing?

What age can children learn to swing by themselves on a big swing? We’re talking about the standard belt swing that is found on most playgrounds designed for older children.

In general, most children are ready to graduate from the full or partial bucket seat to a belt swing around the age of five. Consider this quick recap of the skills every child needs to master before swinging on a big swing alone:

Balance on the swing without tipping back or forward
Pump legs out and in while moving the upper body in coordinated effort
Hold onto ropes or chains tightly
Safely bring the swing to a stop
Keep the swing straight during full swing
Kick of with the toes with each pass by the ground
Fully understand the mechanics of swing operations

What Swings are Appropriate for Different Ages

What age can children learn to swing by themselves on different types of swings? That’s an essential question to answer whether you’re spending a lot of time at local playgrounds as I did or you’re shopping for a backyard play set that includes swings. Let’s break it down into the best swings for children in different age brackets.

Swings for Babies 6-23 Months

It’s not recommended for babies under six months to swing. Most babies don’t have enough neck control to safely control their bodies during the swinging motion. Around six months of age, your little one may start reaching for the swing or watching it with great interest. That’s especially true if there are older siblings role modeling the fun.

Until your child turns two, bucket seats are recommended. These are the seats that look like cups with two holes at the bottom where your child’s legs can dangle. They allow young children to feel supported while minimizing the risk of your baby falling from the swing.

You need to push your baby in a bucket swing, so you’re in complete control of the speed and direction of the swing. Some children may graduate to a partial bucket swing with a chain across the front a little before their second birthday. Use your discretion when choosing between full and partial bucket seats.

Swings for Toddlers 2-5 Years Old

Somewhere around the second birthday, many kids will start showing interest in swinging by themselves. They may want to play on the big swings with older siblings or friends. Leading up to the age of five, most children will go through the following process:

Graduate from full bucket seats to partial bucket seats, if available
Swing low and slow on a standard belt swing
Learn to sit in rotating tire swings, disc swings, and other secure swing designs

It’s perfectly normal for children to remain at the first stage until around the age of four if not up to the age of five. By the five, most children are able to sit on a tire swing and twirl in circles or hold themselves securely on a belt swing while moving slowly.

Swings for Children 5-12 Years Old

Once your child masters a low belt swing going slow, they can gradually pick up speed as their confidence grows. Your child has years to continue developing that confidence and swinging higher and higher, so there’s no rush. Allow each child to go as high as they feel safe pushing with each visit to the playground.

You can introduce a wide variety of swing seats once your child is over the age of five and feels secure in a standard seat. There are round disc swings that allow children to sit with their feet out in front of them or even lay back while twirling around or moving forward and backward. Tire swings hung in various configurations are tons of fun as well.

How Do You Teach a Child to Swing?

Once your child has the developmental and cognitive skills to start swinging, how do you teach them to put those skills together effectively? We have some suggestions that can help you get your child started safely.

Role Modeling

Many children watch their peers swing before they have the opportunity to do it themselves. If your child doesn’t have an older sibling, cousin, or close friend to role model this activity, allow other children at the park to do so. They can learn how to swing on a swing before they’re old enough to hop on the swing themselves.

Your child will naturally start showing more interest in the swings as they get older. The more they get to watch other children, the more they’re likely to pick up on the basic mechanics of how swings work. Once you notice their interest, start by teaching them to keep their distance. They need to understand how to approach the swings without other swingers hitting them as they move forward and backward.

Related post: How To Teach a Child To Climb a Ladder

Target Practice

Once your child is able to sit on a swing and hold themselves steady, give them a kicking target. Stand in front of your child and encourage them to kick their legs toward you. Give them a specific target by holding your hands out in front of you or standing close enough that they can lightly tap your legs as they come forward.

You may even want to hold a ball or other object out, encouraging your child to kick it. That makes it a bit more fun.

Assisted Motion

One of the simplest ways to teach a child to swing on a swing is to stand close to the swing and help them move their bodies. Start by standing behind your child with your hands on their waist. Ask them to lean back slightly while pushing their legs out in front of them. Ask them to pull their upper body back to an upright position as they pull their feet back in.

When the slight forward and backward lean is mastered with no risk of falling off, it’s time to practice kicking. You can squat or lean over beside your child and gently pull their legs out and back. Show them how to snap forward and back from their knees while keeping their bottoms securely on the swing.

You may also want to instruct your child to squeeze the rope or chain tightly with both hands. Start by asking them to grip and squeeze your fingers or hand. They can then transition the same motion to the swing ropes. Add the kick off that allows your child to go higher and higher, and you’re ready for real swinging.

Finally, you can sit on a swing beside your child and verbally coach them through each of these individual motions. Then put them all together for a full swing.

Start with Basic Play

You can start teaching your child to swing by simply allowing them to play on the swings any way they want. Many children enjoy leaning their bellies over the swing with their feet securely on the ground. They can twist side to side or possibly put their hands on the ground in front and crawl around if the swing is low enough.

Most children will naturally graduate to a seated position and start to strengthen their balance. You can then start to teach the basic mechanics of swinging.

Kids are curious people and just love exploring. In no time, you will have to teach your child how to go down a slide.

Benefits of Swinging on a Swing

We already talked about some benefits of children spending time outdoors. They’re more likely to maintain a healthy body weight and will have an easier time focusing when it’s time to sit still.

Some of the benefits of swinging on a swing in particular include the following:

Fine and gross motor skill development
Grip strength development
Core muscle growth
Sensory system development
Improved sense of balance
Improved spatial awareness
Enhanced muscle control
Soothing and calming
Encourages social interaction

Related post: How To Teach A Toddler To Ride A Tricycle

What Age Do Children Stop Using Swings?

We’ve thoroughly discussed at what age can children learn to swing by themselves. Perhaps you’re now wondering when the magic of swinging might end for your child.

That’s an interesting question because some children will never stop enjoying the motion of swinging. These are the children that you may catch enjoying a good swing in the park even when they’re grown. They never seem to lose that child heart, which is amazing when they get to play along with their own children one day.

Other children will start to lose interest in swinging as they become more socially connected. Swinging is fun, but it doesn’t allow children to speak to one another, laugh, and hang out. You may notice your child start to ditch the swing for a game of tag or to climb the monkey bars elbow to elbow with their friends.

My son is now 18, but he will still run for a swing if we’re near a playground that isn’t overrun with smaller children. It’s still good for him to exercise, enjoy time outdoors, and burn off energy whenever possible. He still has that adventurous heart of a child, and I hope he never loses it.

What Age Can Children Learn To Swing By Themselves? Best Tips To Let Kids Swing On Their Own