Make Sure Your Kids Playground Is Safe

Playgrounds are a magnet for kids of all ages and give them the chance to interact with other children and extend their bodies and minds. But ensuring playground safety is important for everyone involved. Most playground injuries happen when kids fall from equipment. Proper surfacing can significantly reduce these injuries.

Supervision

Supervision is one of the most important components of a 안전놀이터. Children need to be supervised at all times when playing outdoors, and adults must be trained on how to supervise groups of kids while on the playground. Distractions are common when working with children, but adults should never leave the area they are monitoring. If a child gets injured, the adult should stay with them until help arrives. Active supervision means constantly scanning the area, watching and listening to children as they play. This includes knowing safe playground rules and intervening when necessary.

Proper Surfaces

Whether kids fall while playing or run into equipment, proper surfacing is crucial to safety. Playground surface materials are called “safety surfaces.” While they can’t prevent all injuries, they help lessen the severity of falls. Some safety surface materials are loose-fill, like sand and pea gravel. They require frequent inspections to ensure they have not been kicked away or displaced by children. Other playground surfacing options include engineered wood fiber and shredded rubber. The latter is ADA-compliant and can be a cost-effective solution, but it also degrades quickly and must be replaced frequently.

Climbing Equipment

Kids have a natural urge to climb, and climbing equipment can provide a safe way for them to burn off energy and improve their strength, coordination, and depth perception. It’s important to make sure that any climbing equipment has safety surfacing designed to reduce risk of injury. Kids should always slide down feet-first and sit up, and they shouldn’t play on the equipment with more than one child at a time. Also, it’s important to teach kids not to hang on the sides of monkey bars and to check for sharp edges or rough spots before using any equipment.

Slides

Slides, whether straight, wavy or twisty, provide kids with the adrenaline rush and sense of adventure that they love. They also boost children’s confidence by requiring significant balance and coordination skills to climb up at a high height and then propel themselves down the slide panel. Kids should always go down a slide feet first and sitting up, not head first or on their stomach. And only one child should be on the platform at the top of the slide, and when they reach the bottom they should move out of the Use Zone immediately so it’s clear for others to go up.

Ladders

Ladders are a key component of playground equipment. While they offer children an opportunity to build upper body strength, it is important that ladders follow safety standards and have proper surfacing. Laders that feature swinging handholds like our School Age Horizontal Ladder create a fun challenge for kids to climb. Each rung is spaced differently, encouraging kids to use their core strength and balance skills. It is also important that playground equipment is inspected regularly to ensure it meets the CSA standards. This includes checking for protrusions that could catch a string, hood or neck drawstring.

Jungle Gyms

Jungle gyms are designed to help children develop their strength and balance. They can also encourage a child to overcome their fear of jumping off a swing or crossing monkey bars. Unlike large metal jungle gyms, which often lead to injuries from hitting heads, plastic and PVC models are softer and can bend to cushion a fall. They can also be easily washed and don't absorb mud or foreign odors. Look for a jungle gym that features special fall safety mats to soften the impact of falls and provide protection against splinters. Also, be sure to inspect the equipment frequently for rust and loose infrastructure.

Seesaws

Children can develop their balance and coordination by playing on a playground seesaw. They must cooperate and take turns as they rock up and down. They must also interact with other children. The social interaction is vital for their emotional and social development. Playground seesaws are also known as teeter-totters or tilting boards. It is not clear when the first one was invented, but it has since become an integral part of most childhood playgrounds. To be safe, a seesaw should be designed with a spring centering device and shock-absorbing material. It should also be constructed of low-toxicity materials.

Wrapping It Up

Kids enjoy climbing equipment, but it’s important to make sure the surface and equipment are safe. Falling is the leading cause of playground injuries. Age-appropriate equipment and a well-designed layout are crucial. Close adult supervision is also essential. Inspect for hazards like sharp points and edges, gaps large enough to trap children and objects that could catch clothing or cut skin. Check for a protective ground surfacing of wood chips, mulch or safety-tested rubber that covers the entire area of the play equipment.