McDonalds Play Structures - Page 3

vioburn · 03-19-2007, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlelizard

I don't like those tube things. DS1 never could go in them, so when DS2 came along we let him go in one at Burger King...and boy were we sorry! He refused to come out and the way it was situated, there were some parts that only a child or very petite adult could fit through. It was pretty dangerous actually.

That's so true. When I was about 7 months pregnant (and very big), DS1 got scared on the top of the one here and wanted me to come up and get him. Luckily one of the older kids went up there for me and helped him come down. There would have been no way for me to get him out by myself.

desertmom · 03-19-2007, 06:59 PM

I've asked how often they have been cleaned. One near me says they never do it, and the other one monthly. There is another one that does it weekly - I've seen them up there with a hose!

Bottom line, is that McDonalds regulates everything they do food-wise, and should also have their franchisees follow a strict cleaning schedule for these, too. I would contact your local health department, as it is in a food place.

abbysmommy · 03-19-2007, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kellynkay

I agree with Happymom. Without them in the winter I would be sunk on some days. I would have told the manager and asked about their cleaning schedule.

Granted these are indoors at an eating establishment and should be monitored more closely, but most parents don't inspect the play equipment at on outside park and I bet most of them aren't monitored at all. Just think how many animals crawl over those things in the middle of the night spreading germs.

I agree. There's bird poop...in the public park....always. And birds are nasty creatures that carry lots of disease. Ew!

I guess I just don't get too whacked out about stuff, though, and let my kids enjoy these things unless they just appear too dirty. I just try to keep them (the kids) clean, make sure they wash and sanitize their hands and not think about it...because just thinking about how many kids pick their noses (or their tails

) and then hold the handrails on the stairs at school makes me want to bathe NOW. Our schools have installed hand sanitizer dispensers in every class to help with that, though. There are just germs everywhere as someone else mentioned.

As for ball pits, they don't even have them in our area anymore...none of the restaurants with play equipment.

I would definitely put in a complaint to the manager and to the headquarters to make sure it's followed up on. There does need to be a regular cleaning schedule at all of them, indoor our out.

Mommyof3 · 03-19-2007, 07:34 PM

I have one at our local Chik Fil A and that is the one I let the kids play in, I know for a fact that the thing is deeped cleaned every week because they put out a notice letting us know that it would be done on certain days so that we would know. I also know that there is someone who comes in every couple of hours and wipes down the play surfaces and sprays with disinfectant. I think that you just have to take a look at the thing before you get on it and see how it looks if it seems clean go ahead and play if its nasty keep away.

Missystuy · 03-19-2007, 07:36 PM

One thing I wanted to mention too is Handwashing. We all know its the #1 way to prevent sickness, ect. Make sure your kids eat FIRST before going into the play structure. My kids aren't allowed to play until they finish thier meals, which is a good thing anyway.

RobertPost'schild · 03-19-2007, 09:33 PM

Ok I'm editing my whole post because after reading it, it sounded stuck up! But the gist of it was that I don't let ds play at say the McDonalds ones. He doesn't even ask anymore. We do go to the Mall ones on occasion, but it's always hand sanitizer afterwards and I do try to keep it short. Yuck.

stacia · 03-19-2007, 09:42 PM

My kids have been in them I think 2 times. That is mostly b/c the MCD close to us doesn't have a play place and we hardly ever eat in there. Now when we were on a trip we stopped at a chick f lay and theirs was nice, of course they are a nicer fast food place as a whole. I'm not much of one of those anti-germ moms, but they are still gross. I would just send a letter to head manager and HQ and try to get a cleaning schedule set up.

Maryfs · 03-20-2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MomOfThreeMonsters

I reluctantly let my children play on McDonalds play structures, but as of yesterday it is no longer an option.
Dh had to climb in the tubes to get dd because she refused to come out on her own ( she loves to act helpless- typical girl drama). When he came out he told me that he saw brown stuff smeared on the walls. He said that he was unsure if it was dried up ketchup or feces:hurl:. Either was that is NOT an enviroment that I want my children to be in.

If I could get enough parents to sign a petition I would go to headquarters and ask that they just remove all of the structures period.

How do you all feel about these play areas??

Big EWWWWWWWWW!! :hurl:

momof2boys · 03-20-2007, 10:11 AM

We never go to the playland in McDonalds etither mainly because the one closest doesnt have one! There is one by Mil that we have gone to maybe twice in 2 yrs but what really grosses me out is that parents let their kids play and come right back to the table and eat a fry or whatever!

Claire · 03-20-2007, 10:17 AM

I love them, too, but I also asked the manager of our local BK when they do cleanup. They have a regular cleanup crew come in once a week in the morning. We go after that. I have been in them before, too, so I know they have been cleaned!

We also do NOT go to them during cold and flu season! No way, no how. No matter how much they clean them we always seem to catch something - probably from the kids that are there! We always have a "squirt" as the kids call hand sanitizer right after they get out, too.

Doing away with them is a bit extreme. Some are just cleaner than others.