Restraints for Kids

Kiddie rides are intended for use by very small children riding alone. They generally move slowly, but some reach significant elevations. Most have some kind of strap, rope, or bar, and these devices vary in effectiveness. Kiddie rides are not required to have child-safe restraints. The following photos show a variety of different kiddie rides. Those in the bottom row appear to have more robust restraints for young children.

Carousels were invented during the Victorian Age for adults to ride on.  There is no secure way to strap preschoolers in.  Carousels often come equipped with belts that can be loosely buckled around a child, but some safety experts distrust the belts.  Children who fall can become entangled in the belts and dragged.  Parents should ride with small children, standing next to the child's horse to guard the child from falling.

Swing rides, like the one pictured here, generally don't use close-fitting child restraints.  If a small child becomes frightened or bored, he or she may unclip the chain and slip off while the ride is spinning.

Swing rides come in different sizes. Make sure the ride's size matches your child's size. Very small children may inadvertently slip into a dangerous position due to the ride's motion and the looseness of the containment system.

Be aware that the design of the swing ride restricts the ability of a parent to intervene if a child starts to slip down or unclip the restraint. If you look closely at the photo, you'll notice an adult riding in the seat behind the smallest child. But because they are in separate vehicles, the man would not be able to prevent the child from slipping out. Parents aren't generally warned of this beforehand, so be aware. Make sure your child is old enough to ride safely before putting him on board.

The restraint bars in most Ferris wheels are not designed to keep children from standing up or climbing out, yet many wheels have minimum height limits that allow young children to ride alone. A child may be excited about the idea of riding a big Ferris wheel, but then become frightened when the car gets too high in the air or too far away from Mom. The stop-and-go motion of wheels can be confusing for children. Kids may be fine while the ride is moving, but panic when their car stops high in the air to unload patrons in the car at the bottom.

Giant gondola wheels have no restraints at all, no physical barriers to keep children inside, and carry riders as high as 100 feet in the air. Newer models are being sold with enclosed cars, but older models without protection are still in use at carnivals and parks across the country.

Despite the obvious child safety hazards, the manufacturer's recommended height limits on many models allow children as young as 4 years old to ride alone. Operators are not required to post any warnings to parents about the lack of restraints or the deadly fall hazard.

Don't ever assume that amusement rides approved for use by young children are designed with safety equipment that will keep youngsters safely contained. Some rides are designed that way, but many rides are not. Check out the restraint system before allowing your child to ride alone. If it doesn't look reliably secure, it probably isn't. Ride with your child or choose another ride.

Amusement ride designers sometimes leave out restraints altogether, even on rides that generate strong centrifugal forces.  For example, the teacup ride looks harmless, and generally is, but children have been thrown out of these. Two patterns emerge:

• Smaller kids riding with older kids can't always safely handle the high-RPMs acheived by their big brothers. It's a bad idea to mix kids of different age groups in a teacup ride. The older kids tend spin them faster, sometimes as a competition, and can spin the ride so fast that a younger child rider might become disoriented and slip into an ejectable position.
• Very young children may decide to stand up while the ride is spinning. If that happens, the child can be knocked over the side or thrown out by the ride's motion. Young children should ride with an adult until you're sure they're old enough to hold on tight and keep themselves properly seated during the entire ride cycle.

Photo by Worchester Telegram&Gazette

Lap bars were invented nearly a century ago to protect adult riders, and they're often sized to fit adults at the expense of children.  These devices are not necessarily considered restraints, in the sense that most parents understand the term.  Ride manufacturers consider lap bars "something to hold onto", and a psychological incentive to stay seated. 

Relying on old-style lap bars to keep children safe can be risky. This type of containment design can leave children too much room to slide around, and the subtle psychological cues might not be interpreted appropriately by childish minds.

Some rides combine lap bars with adustable lap belts. Lap belts tend to fit more closely on children and act as a tactile reminder to stay seated. Parents should still ride along with younger children, even if the ride has lap belts. If a child becomes frightened or misses Mom, the buckle on a lap belt can be unlatched quite easily.

Adjustable-position lap bars can provide more secure containment for children, but only if the bar can be latched to fit the child's lap. If a ride has a single lap bar shared by multiple riders, then the bar will fit closely against only the largest passenger. If a small child rides with an adult or significantly larger child, the tiniest rider may not be securely restrained.

This type of containment system is common in family amusement rides, particularly older rides, and parents should be aware of the special hazards it presents to young children. The gap between the lap bar and the child can be big enough to allow the child's body to slide into a dangerous position as the ride dips and corners. Some ride owners have solved the safety problem by adding a lap belt as a secondary restraint, or installing thick foam padding around the lap bar to improve the fit for the smallest rider.

Parents should be aware that children can be hurt even when they're riding with mom or dad.  Unless the operator says otherwise, always load small children to the inside. Hold children securely on rides without close-fitting child restraints.

Rides that give each rider an adjustable-position lap bar are generally a safer choice.

Sky Skater is a family ride developed by Interactive Rides.  Bucket seats and curved, padded lap bars are designed to safely contain the smallest riders (36 inches), yet work equally well for riders as tall as 6'8.

Safety features of the SkySkater restraint: The padded restraint lap bar centers the rider in the middle of the seat.  Riders cannot "wiggle out" or stand up when secured. Handle grips are naturally positioned for extra security. The seat pad extends down the back of the seat to help protect the backs and heads of riders of all sizes. Faces of small riders are protected in a padded zone - lap bar foam forward and seat padding against the back of the head. Small riders cannot slide from side to side in the seat. Small riders do not require an adult to look out for their safety while enjoying the ride.

Water rides, like bumper boats and slow boat rides, are often designed without restraints in order to avoid trapping riders underwater if the ride flips.  Parents should ride with younger children who might fall or climb out of the vehicle before the ride is over.  Older children who use bumper boats should be warned against deliberately knocking other boats so hard that riders might fall into the water and be hurt by the boat motors.

• Understanding Acceleration, Containment, and Restraint
• Size Mismatch Between Patron and Ride