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  1. #1
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    Hammocks for Child Care Facility

    So I'm starting a new Montessori school in the mountains of Virginia, and one of Montessori's future aims was children having a larger presence outdoors in the open air. Setting aside any potential licensing issues, one of my ideals would be having the nap area outside with children sleeping on hammocks that either each have some sort of tarp or the area itself being under a tarp to protect from precipitation. I know nothing about camping, hammocks, etc., so I was wondering if anyone here knew of good hammocks to buy/make that would fit this purpose.

    The initial group of children will be 2.5-3 years old but the casa would eventually grow to have children of 6+ years old, though they would likely not be utilizing the nap area as much as the younger ones. Given the large number of children that would be ultimately inhabiting our space, I would guess that hammocks that just fit their body lengths would be the most practical. Any help, even if it doesn't directly answer my question, would be appreciated. You would be helping out a number of deserving children!

  2. #2
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    Sounds like a liability problem to me. First kid to fall out could be the end of your business. And if you hang the hammocks low enough to be an appropriate height for 2.5 - 3 year-olds, your staffers are going to either be on their knees or hurt their backs getting the kids in and out.

    I'm sure you think it's a good idea, though. I'm wondering why. What's the advantage aside from being unique?

  3. #3
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    Welcome to HF.

    I'm guessing the liability/fall issues could be overcome fairly easily outside by utilizing a playground equipment type of soft surface under the hammock area...thick bed of bark mulch or whatever your local codes require.

    One nice thing about hammocks is that they could be laundered.

  4. #4
    Senior Member pgibson's Avatar
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    Kids + hammock = the opposite of napping. Ever seen circus performers jacked up on cool aid!


    I have thought a lot about adding a kids line to our gear selection...been down the road 2 or 3 times with prototypes, have the logo, but each time I pull back wondering about liability issues. It's one thing if an adult gets hurt using out gear, plenty bad enough, but should a kid suffer a injury it would end out world...both legally and personally with the guilt of a kid getting hurt while using our gear. My kids hang and I take that on myself, Though we don't let our wild little 4 year old in a hammock alone yet...Not worried about her falling or anything like that but more over her goofing off and getting tangled up in the suspension when on her own. Both our boys 7 and 10 are fine to sleep in them here at home as they know better than to play around in the suspension.
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  5. #5
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    A quick call to Montessori's insurance company would nip this idea in the bud. Adults look at hammocks as a better way to sleep. Kids look at hammocks like they're gymnastic equipment.
    "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson

  6. #6
    Senior Member Ratdog's Avatar
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    It starts like this.



    And leads to this...


    They call it "boarding" like boarding a pirate ship. It ends with one kid on the ground either crying or stunned and embarrassed.

    Bottom line 3 years old, 7 years old or 12 years old, kids like to swing in hammocks. Just saying...
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  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by RkyMtnMan View Post
    Sounds like a liability problem to me. First kid to fall out could be the end of your business. And if you hang the hammocks low enough to be an appropriate height for 2.5 - 3 year-olds, your staffers are going to either be on their knees or hurt their backs getting the kids in and out.

    I'm sure you think it's a good idea, though. I'm wondering why. What's the advantage aside from being unique?
    The advantage for the children is essentially the same as the advantage of an adult being out in nature: fresh air promoting healthy development, a connection with and appreciation of nature, etc., etc. Children are naturally drawn to nature, so the more nature is integrated into their early development, the more conducive their environment is for their proper development. Don't want to bog you do with too much Montessori theory haha

    The idea is that the hammocks would be low enough that the children could get in and out by themselves after being presented how as a big part of Montessori is independence and learning from error (ie. falling down). I already know I would want a wrap-style hammock or whatever they are called (not the ones with the bars on either end that are notorious for flipping). If the liability issue would be a problem no matter the height off the ground, this would likely be gotten around by supplying a resilient surface below the hammocks as gmcttr mentioned.

  8. #8
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    Thanks for the many quick responses. I'm not so much worried about the goofing off aspect; it will certainly come up but the prepared Montessori environment reduces this quite a bit and can adequately deal with such matters when they arise. The falling down and hurting themselves is as much a cue to the child that he is doing it wrong as cutting himself after dropping a glass bowl on the flow or giving himself a very minor burn with a temperature controlled iron. Or the simple taking away of their privilege to nap in a hammock until he has had time to practice using it safely is also effective.

    What I'm more concerned about at this point is the equipment side of things. I could theoretically have a community endeavor to weave hammocks but that would be very time consuming. While the community aspect of that would be nice, having some less time intensive ideas would be preferable.

  9. #9
    Senior Member breyman's Avatar
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    Some of the most common entry-level hammocks are parachute fabric style gathered-end hammocks (the most common ones). They're easy to use, easy to set up and are readily available at lots of retailers. Eno are one of the most commonly available ones and would be a good choice for your intended use. Not sure what your budget is, but they're fairly reasonably priced, especially if you can find something on sale. Bonus - tons of cool colors to choose from:
    http://www.rei.com/product/754773/en...lenest-hammock
    Brian
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  10. #10
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    Kids and Hammocks: Safe with common sense

    Quote Originally Posted by datonedude View Post
    one of my ideals would be having the nap area outside with children sleeping on hammocks that either each have some sort of tarp or the area itself being under a tarp to protect from precipitation.
    I have been sleeping in hammocks since i was a baby and am almost 50 now so with a bit of common sense there are no serious problems with it. However, there may be the "fear of the unknown" issues to deal with.

    Obviously it is best to hang them very low to the ground with soft material below, many playgrounds have that soft outdoor foam today this is better than mulch because it does not get kicked aside. (I have spent 20 years working with 5 yr olds on the weekends at Church, kids move mulch all over the place.) I would recommend avoiding spreader bar hammocks (hatteras style) because they flip over easily while the deep pocketed bridge style are better, they may be more difficult for small kids to get in and out of. So go with gathered end hammocks. A hammock with breathable materials is best, cotton is my favorite but highly breathable nylon or polyester will dry out faster. This is because there is less risk of suffocation, which is very low anyway compared to a crib or bed. Also falling out of a low hanging hammock is very low compared to most cribs and many adult beds that kids climb into at home. Discourage them from swinging each other wildly, perhaps this is what is wrong with me, my sister, two years older, may have gotten out of control swinging me when i was an infant and damaged my frontal lobe, only joking. Also avoid two in the same hammock at the same time, this is how heads get bumped together, but this is also true of 2 in same bed, or same tricycle, swing, slide etc, they do it all the time. We who work with kids from time to time know it.

    I spent summers living with indigenous people in the Amazon jungle who had NO BEDs or cribs, their babies slept just fine in hammocks for hours all day long and night, often with the mother. It is easy to pin the sides together (green twigs split to form a clothes pin). This prevents the dog, cat, chicken etc from jumping in there with the infant, also keeps flies off the baby. It all works out great! They just had palm leaf huts, with hard compacted dirt floors. An older child would gently rock the babies to sleep in the hammocks. No infant death syndrome with baby on its stomach, or toddler climbing out of a high crib and breaking it's neck. So bottom line: if the Day Care Lawyers don't freak out and you use common sense you should be fine.

    BTW When my 13 year old daughter was about 4 years old and playing at a "safe" suburban playground with a 3' wall between two areas. She tried to climb over it, damaged her front baby tooth. She has had thousands of dollars of reconstruction procedures to repair both her baby tooth and the adult tooth below it that was damaged by this little fall. So if some kid gets injured in a hammock they will blame you for it regardless.
    Soon all playgrounds will just be flat synthetic pads with heavily filtered WiFi, kids will look like those people in that Wall-e Movie. I sincerely wish you good luck in trying.

    Hammocks are safe, human behavior can be dangerous, it depends on how foolish they are. At campgrounds i often see kids hanging their hammocks much to high, they also throw hammers and hatches as high into the sky as they can and stand under and watch them fall down at their feet, crazy stuff like that. So to blame a hammock for injury? That is crazy.
    Last edited by ntxkayakr; 05-20-2014 at 20:59. Reason: spelling & grammar correction

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