Key Elements of Playground Safety

Playground safety is a matter of great importance to every parent. Hundreds of thousands of children suffer playground injuries every single year. Unfortunately, many of those injuries result in fatalities. Children and playgrounds are inseparable and high-quality play areas are very beneficial for any child. However, safety cannot be overlooked. There are at least four key elements of playground safety that deserve attention.

Proper Use

The first consideration is the actual nature of a child’s use of the equipment. Many accidents occur because of improper use of the items at the playground. These incidents may be the result of inadequate training regarding the equipment. In other cases, they may grow out of intentional misuse when a child wrongly decides to use equipment for a purpose other than that for which it was intended.

Parents must take the time to show their children how properly use playground equipment and to explain to them the risks associated with use that may be too “creative” to allow for good playground safety.

Proper Maintenance

A lack of maintenance can result in countless injuries. A poorly maintained wooden seat on a swing may result in splinters. A neglected merry-go-round could result in stitches or broken bones. If you have your own at-home playground, be sure to take the time necessary to keep it in tip-top condition. Replace worn parts and make sure the structures are always sound and in good repair.

If visiting a community or commercial playground, take the time to carefully examine the pieces upon which your child will be playing. Make sure they appear to be well maintained and direct your children away from any equipment that does not appear to be in optimal working condition. Safe equipment is a key component of overall playground safety.

Proper Supervision

Even a well-instructed and generally obedient child can suffer an accident due to a lack of supervision. Children naturally tend to push boundaries and can often be inattentive. Parental supervision can prevent many accidents. It may not be possible to personally supervise your child every time he or she hits the playground, but it is ideal to make sure that there will be adult supervision provided by someone who is familiar with basic playground safety.

Proper Surfacing

Almost two-thirds of all playground accidents occur as the result of a fall onto the area’s surface! As such, one should make sure any playground at which their child plays is properly surfaced. Playground safety experts will tell you that a surface needs to be sufficiently solid to allow for movement on its surface while simultaneously providing a giving, cushioned surface in case of falls. If a playground offers a surface made of wood mulch, make sure it is several inches deep. Otherwise, seek out playgrounds using new rubber mat surfaces or that otherwise appear to be appropriately maintained with respect to surfacing.

Playgrounds should be fun, not dangerous! By keeping elements like those mentioned here in mind, one can increase the likelihood of their child having a great time at the playground while also increasing the overall level off playground safety.

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