Playground Safety Tips for Children

Each year, approximately 15 children die from playground-related injuries. On the other hand, the number of children sustaining minor or less serious injuries is innumerable. Fortunately, parents can avoid the panic of rushing their children to the emergency rooms or bandaging nasty cuts. Playground safety involves simple and memorable techniques that children can put into practice. However, it is the responsibility of parents to teach their children these simple techniques. Here are a few tips on keeping your children safe while playing at school or backyard playgrounds.

� After a rainfall, children should allow playground toys to completely dry. If climbing a wet slide, children can easily slip and fall to the ground. This may result in a minor injury, or something more serious like a broken bone or head injury.

� Creating a train formation on a sliding board is fun for children, however, when multiple children attempt to come down a slide at the same time, the risk of injury increases. Overcrowding a slide can result in someone falling to the ground.

� Never come down a sliding board backwards!

� During the summer, it is common to see children running around a playground barefoot. Although comfortable, this puts children at great risk of splinters, cuts, and other types of infections.

âÂ?¢ With regards to swinging, children have created some very interesting games. These include swinging while standing up, dodging a moving swing, two people sharing a swing, and jumping off swings. Furthermore, children may also create challenges to see who can swing the highest. Although fun, these present some serious dangers. Parents should carefully monitor their children’s playground habits, and interfere when a games becomes dangerous.

� Children should inspect plastic swings and metal slides during the summer time. Because of high temperatures, these items can become extremely hot. To prevent burns and other skin injuries, children must avoid hot equipment.

� Playing and running should be confined to the grassy or mulch areas of a playground. If the playground includes a concrete or asphalt area, children are encouraged to stay away from these surfaces. Falling onto the concrete may result in a severe scrape or cut.

� Importantly, children should not play with broker equipment. For example, if the seat on a swing has popped, children ought not to repair the swing, and then hop on.

� Use sunscreen to protect children against the sun.

âÂ?¢ Teach children “stranger danger” techniques. For example, never talk to a stranger, accept food from a stranger, or leave the playground area with a stranger.