Playgrounds are considered a safe place for kids to have fun, make new friends and burn off energy, but more than 200,000 children are injured on playgrounds every year.
National Playground Safety Week raises awareness about playground injuries and educates people on preventing accidents. Parents, teachers, babysitters and other caregivers can help reduce the amount of injuries by carefully monitoring children and following these safety tips.
Supervise your kids. Constant supervision is the best way to prevent accidents on the playground. Put your book or phone down and join the fun; interacting and playing with your child will help you spot potential risks before they happen.
Encourage your kids to be friendly on the playground, but warn them about the dangers of talking to adults they don’t know. Tell your children that adults they don’t know shouldn’t try to give them candy or gifts, or ask them to leave the playground. Instruct your child to alert you immediately – yell, scream or run to you.
Inspect playground equipment. Look at all structures to make sure everything is properly secured before letting your child play. Equipment shouldn’t move when you apply pressure. If swing set posts are jumping from the ground as kids swing, it needs to be secured better. Check for exposed hardware, like bolts, nails and s-hooks that could scratch or puncture the skin.
Call the park owner or management company if you notice playground equipment that needs maintenance or repair.
Dress appropriately. Accessories are cute, but they can put your child at risk for strangulation. Kids shouldn’t wear scarves, necklaces, drawstrings, purses or anything that could get caught in equipment on the playground. Bicycle helmets can also be dangerous if they get caught in openings, like the space between monkey bars.
Watch for hot equipment. Play sets can get hot enough to burn your skin, especially in the Florida sun. Even when outdoor temperatures are mild, direct sunlight can quickly make materials very hot. Metal slides and equipment are the highest risk, but dark plastics or rubber can also burn your child. Always check the temperature of playground equipment that sits in the sun before letting kids play on it. Wearing shoes and long pants can also help children from burns.
Be careful on high surfaces. Three out of four playground injuries are caused by falls. Talk with your child about how climbing and jumping from play sets and slides could hurt him, and make sure elevated equipment has guardrails to help prevent falls.
The playground’s surface can help reduce injuries if your child falls. Choose a playground with shock-absorbent materials like sand, pea gravel, shredded rubber or wood chips, which are safer than asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt or gravel. Surfaces should be 12 inches deep and extend at least 6 feet in all directions under playground equipment.
Use caution with homemade sets. Save the high platforms, tire swings and climbing walls for kids older than 5 years old. Play sets with low platforms, small steps, sand boxes, crawl spaces and slides shorter than 4 feet usually work best for toddlers and preschool-aged children.
Building a play set from scratch can be tricky; read instructions carefully and follow the recommended age guidelines. Be careful when buying wood for the play set. Some common pesticides used in lumber, like chromated copper arsenic, can be dangerous if inhaled. Your lumberyard or hardware store will be able to tell you if the wood is safe to use around children.
Look out for insects and plants. Parks and playgrounds may be homes to unpleasant critters, such as fire ants, bees or wasps. Check the area for any hives or ant mounds, and warn your children to stay away from the area. Always bring an EpiPen® or medications if your child has any insect allergies, just in case there are any accidental bites or stings.
Small kids are curious and love to explore new things by tasting them. Certain plants, such as poison ivy, Angel’s trumpet and berries, can be poisonous when ingested. If you child eats any sort of plant or seed, call Poison Control immediately at 1-800-222-1222.