How Old Would You Put Your Twins on Carnival Rides?

Last night we went to the county fair. There were some kiddie rides...little cars that go around and around, little airplanes, a little caterpillar/ladybug ride thing. I was with some friends and they thought it would be OK for the twins to go on these little rides. There were lap seatbelts...good ones, but adults could not ride along with them.

I hesitated for a long time, then I let the twins go on one of the rides. (the one that looked the safest and slowest) Micheal had a GREAT time! He laughed and signed MORE MORE MORE. Mikayla screamed her head off. I was wondering, at what age did you put your little ones on these carnival rides?

Bridget :unsure:

 

They started riding on amusement park rides alone the summer that they were 1.5yrs old. They loved and still do.

 

I voted 22-24 months because I won't be able to put them on one until then. I was thinking about doing this summer but they are just to young yet. One thing I've noticed is that the small rides are becoming not existent here. I've gone to two carnivals this summer and there wasn't any small rides, its all for big kids. I remember as a child having a lot of small rides to choose from. We're going to the Cherry Festival (the biggest festival around here) this weekend, maybe there'll be some small rides.

 

My girls went on just after they turned one, but it was on the Merry-Go-Round with us holding them. They were 2 before they went on the small rides alone, but the park we go to is permanent, year round, with lots of small ridea that are very safe. Our travelling carnival is coming in August, it will be interesting to see how brave they will be now that they're 4.

 

my boys just turned on on the 22nd. we live in jersey so we are never more than an hour from the ocean and the boardwalk. we went down monday and i put the boys on a small round and round pony and cart (not real ponies!). they sat together (which i thought was key), they just sat there looking confused. i didn't put them on any more that day but we may try again next week.

 

My boys were 2 years old the first time they rode any rides. This was at the State Fair. They had a blast. DH and I LOVE theme parks, so it's in their blood.

 

They will be 19 months and we took them for the first time to the shore about 3 weeks ago to see how they would react on rides...I gave every excuse not to and was very nervous on the ones we could not go on, however, they had a ball! We are going on vacation the first week of August so I didn't want that to be their first time and be scared. My Ian did try to stand up in the little boats but it was at the end of the ride and I ran inside the ride to grab him, thankfully the girl stopped the ride I guess they are used to that. Honestly I think it was going to slow for him and he was bored...too funny!

 

I didn't vote, because I don't really know how old Anthony was when he went on his first ride. He started going just as soon as he was tall enough to get on. He LOVES them. In fact we went to Sea World the other day and all he talked about all day was the Atlantis ride (the wet rollercoaster ride). When we got up there he was about 2 inches too short! He was SO heartbroken! We also just went to the fair, and he rode all the rides that he could. I know that when the twins get a little bigger, they will be riding too. Gabriel is my other daredevil and I won't be able to keep them off!

So I guess, I will vote. It must be about 18 months to 2yo, but only because that is when he was tall enough to really get on.

 

I haven't done it yet -- it just hasn't come up. I think at this point (20 months), Sarah might like it but Amy would be terrified. At least, that was our experience with a pony ride a few months ago.

I am also a bit of a scaredy-cat about carnival rides just because you hear so many horror stories about them malfunctioning. I would feel better about a ride at a permanent amusement park -- I think they are better maintained and inspected.

Anyway, I said age 2 because I would want them to at least be competent enough to walk back to me if they got stuck on the ride or something, and old enough to have the presence of mind to stay seated when they're supposed to.

 

I put 22 months and I'm so glad to see I'm not alone!
I live in an area with no saftey standards! So it's all my decision.
They went on the Carousel younger, but we were able to get on and hold them.
They were 22 months when we first put them in a little car that goes round the track. We did it on an impulse as it was a street fair we stumbled upon, we didn't go there with the idea of riding rides. Once it started, DH and I were both like, "Oh! do you think they'll be okay?!?!?" They loved it, if they hadn't been together they might not have, that first time around they had this look like, why did my mommy and daddy send me away, but once they saw that they kept coming back by us they started to enjoy it. It had little steering wheels and they loved "driving". Now they ask to go. This year at that same fair--it's for St. John the Baptist--we let them try a moon bounce thing, Bianca liked it, and but Gabby didn't. The big fair here starts next week!

 

We started going regularly to Disneyland at 18 months and they go on a lot of rides. We just had a mini carnival in our city for 4th of July and I let the kids go on the rides they asked to go on. Blake is much more willing to go on them, Katelyn not so much. But if she can be sitting right next to Blake then she is good!

 

We haven't yet (and they'll be three), but this summer we'll be at the Jersey shore for a week and there will be ample opportunity. My prediction, Jade will love it and Melissa won't want to be near it. She won't even go in their Little Tykes jump castle -- "don't like the sound!!! Waaaaahhhh!" :huh:

I think they'll both love going on the ferris wheel with me. Well...maybe...

I love rides myself, so I hope so!

Anyway, we didn't because we didn't really have the opportunity yet, but I'm thinking 2 if we had.

 

Although the girls had been on a carosel with me before then, the first time they rode alone was at 23 months when we took them to Holiday World. I almost didn't let them ride then, because I was so nervous. But the rides all had waist straps, and were very small. The girls loved them, and loved them even more this year when we went.

 

I didn't vote because on the traveling carnival rides, I want to say never. I don't trust those.

I would let them go on rides at Disneyland that were apropriate at 18mos+

 

From reading all the news lately, I'm afraid to go on any rides myself now!!!! :cray:


The following contains grafic material that has been on the news lately, read with cation.
A 4-year-old boy drowned July 12 in a 355,000-gallon wave pool at the Paramount Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, Calif.

A 13-year-old girl was hospitalized in intensive care after hitting her head June 28 on the Magic Teacup at Boomers amusement park near Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

A woman was killed in June when she was thrown from the Mind Scrambler at Rye Playland in New York. A 7-year-old died May 22, 2004, on the same ride.

A girl's feet were cut off June 21 when a free-fall thrill ride, above, malfunctioned at the Six Flags amusement park in Louisville, Ky.

Passengers were left hanging for 30 minutes on the X-Coaster at an amusement park in Hot Springs, Ark., June 9 after the park suffered a power outage.

In May, a woman died and several others were injured when a roller coaster car in Osaka, Japan, derailed and crashed into a guardrail.

In May, a faulty exit platform injured five visitors and an employee at the Kali River Rapids ride in Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla.

Daudi Bamuwamye died in 2005 at the age of 4 after riding Mission: Space at the Disney park in Orlando. He had an undiagnosed heart condition. Sources: AP, Rideaccidents.com

They say the strength of the suction from the drain pulled part of her small intestines out. Her mom says Abbey somehow pulled herself off the drain and out ...







Most are amusment parks but they are suposably safer than fairs or carnivals.

 

My girls were about 18 months when they went on their first rides. My older two were also on the ride but in different seats. I thought Danielle would love it and Solomé might freak out. They fooled me - Solomé smiled and squealed with delight while Danielle SCREAMED at the top of her lungs! She screamed so loud that the guy operating the ride stopped it so I could take her off. He then gave the rest of the kids a super long ride because he had to stop it.

 

We have not done carnival rides, but they have done rides at amusement parks since around 20 months. I have one of loves them and one who mainly only goes on rides if me, my DH or Grandma go with him.

To add to coconutdancing comments about the unfortunate accident at Great America that happened this week, me and the boys were at Great America earlier this week. We walked around the water park when we were there to check it out (we have never gone into the water park portion of the park before). There seemed to be a lot of life guards on duty. The wave pool was very crowded and some people had tubes with them adding to the clutter. When we heard about the accident it hit me since we had just walked around the area two days before. When we were looking around, it seemed safe to me, but thinking back on it I can see how a small kid could get lost in the crowd of people and tubes. I would never let me guys go in the wave pool with out me and my DH right next to them (want 1 on 1 numbers). Great America does have life jackets all over the place for kids to wear while playing in the water. I do not like roller coaster rides because of what could possible happen/go wrong.

 

My singleton was always a roller coaster fanatic in the making. She loved rides. As soon as they sit safely, I would put them on. With these two, one loves frantic play and the other cries at the sight of balls form the ball bin! He takes a long time to warm up to new adventurous things. It will be an interesting to see how it goes.

 

My eldest went on when he was 2... but with twins, I may do it a bit earlier. I will know next year I guess.

 

We did it last month (the ones your talking about that spin and go up and down). They were able to sit together on the same seat. At first they looked terrified but after a bit they started to enjoy it.

 

Given the hysterics we had from our normally fearless girls on the carousel with Mommy and Daddy a few weeks ago at 18 months, it'll be a while before we try again. :-(

 

My dh and I took the boys to Dutch Wonderland this weekend and they had a blast. They are 17 months old and were able to ride half the rides.