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A WA school has banned children from doing cartwheels and handstands because the practice is “too dangerous”.

Parents at Bunbury Primary School were shocked to hear the kids are no longer allowed to practice cartwheels and handstands on school grounds, reports Perth Now.

“My granddaughter told me last night going home and I think it’s absolutely ludicrous,” one parent said.

“I don’t know where it has come from, but that’s what they do and they’ve been doing it for years and I don’t know what the problem is with it,” another added.

The school says before the activity ban, at least two students each day were going to the office with injured wrists.

“This is not about stopping kids from taking risks and having fun – but attempting things like flips or handstands on bitumen and sloping grassed areas without learning how to do it properly is never a good idea,” school principal Shane Dougherty told Seven News.

Parents argue the ban has gone too far.

“I think it’s ridiculous,” one parent said.

“What happened to kids being kids and being allowed to play?”

The school says the ban is only temporary at this stage.

“We’d like to see kids out and being active, we know that kids who aren’t active actually get injured more,” Kidsafe WA CEO Scott Phillips said.

It is not the first time public schools have banned children from performing cartwheels and handstands, with a NSW school issuing a ban in 2012 and a Queensland school banning the practice in 2014.

Last year we shared a story on the call to ban kids using hard cricket balls. Here is why I supported this ban…

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  • pc patrol is on the case! wrecking fun for everyone! don’t be excited about anything children, it won’t be around for long lol

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  • Such a pity that kids can’t play this way. How will they ever learn how to judge risk-taking if they don’t try things out for themselves.

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  • I must admit, watching my kids do handstands, roley poleys, cartwheels etc did freak me out. It’s just a quick slip and their neck could snap. So I can see people worrying about them

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  • Seriously? Very disappointing and silly I think.

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  • That is not good for kids to learn

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  • Wow. Really? The only reason I can understand this is the growth of numbers in schools that is fast reducing the play areas resulting in too many kids in a small area. I guess the question is – what can kids now do in the playground?

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  • Surely the school has some reasonably level lawn they could do it on. Doing hand stands or cartwheels on hot bitumen in warm/hot weather could be dangerous even if they can do it properly as it could burn their skin. A lot of schools encourage activities that foster fitness, including out of school hours sports of any type.

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  • Really ?! That’s rediculous ! Sounds a bit American !!
    They could have practiced card wheels and handstands during their gym lessons so the kids can freely play on their own.

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  • I would much rather my child do cartwheels then sit in a corner not playing. it is good for so many developmental skills like balance and co ordination too.

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  • They are taking the freedom of expression away from children. I can understand they don’t want injuries but maybe they should structure a gym program that allows them to do these physical activities in a safe environment. Not have a blanket ban on it.

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  • What a joke. Let’s stop kids from running in case they fall over and scrape their knee too. Or shouting, in case they hurt their vocal chords.

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  • Kids love doing these activities. I can understand banning them from doing it on bitumen but on the grass? That’s just ridiculous

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  • We only ever did cartwheels and handstands on grassed areas as children.

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  • How ridiculous! Okay, kids MAY get injured doing cartwheels etc, they MAY also get injured on their way to and from school so should this be banned too. Children learn how NOT to do things by discovering what doesn’t work!
    Instead of banning activities such as this, if the school is worried about parents suing (sadly Australia is nearly as bad as the US for litigious activity), then get all parents to sign a waiver at commencement of school, thus indemnifying a school against being sued for “normal” childhood activity.
    Or do we really want all kids on Ritalin etc because they’ve not been able to expend their pent up energy in actual play during recess etc?

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  • I can see the schools point on this …if indeed they are having children presenting with injuries, they just want to keep the children safe and prevent further injuries.

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