It's Playtime at the Playground - Here's How to Make it Safe and Fun
As parents, it is always a joy to watch our children run, jump, climb, and make new friends at the playground. It makes sense that our little ones enjoy the playground so much that they sometimes forget about safety and the possibility of injuries. So, as a parent it's important to be conscious of the injuries that may occur while they are playing. But don’t be alarmed. With active supervision and some basic safety tips, every day at the playground can be a walk in the park.
As the weather gets warmer, please remember these four tips to keep our youngest, most energetic family members active, enjoying the playground, and free from injury at the same time.
- Actively supervise children on playgrounds. It won’t be hard – they’ll probably be calling for you to watch them climb, jump, and swing.
- Take your kids to playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as rubber, synthetic turf, sand, pea gravel, wood chips or mulch. If your child falls, the landing will be more cushioned than on asphalt, concrete, grass, or dirt.
- Dress appropriately for the playground. Remove necklaces, purses, scarves, or clothing with drawstrings that can get caught on equipment and pose a strangulation hazard. Even helmets can be dangerous on a playground, so save those for bikes.
- Teach children that pushing, shoving, or crowding while on the playground can be dangerous.
For more information, check out our Playground and Falls Safety Tips or visit safekids.org.
See our other blogs on how to help kids safe from playground injuries and beyond. If you have any questions for one of our experts, please email Gary Karton at [email protected] and we’ll include it in a Q&A to help you and other parents.
