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School is beginning! While thoughts of “back to school” usually bring thoughts of desks, pencils and paper, it’s also time to start thinking about the playground. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year ERs across the country treat more than 200,000 children for playground-related accidents. About half of those accidents are severe, including fractures, concussions, dislocations, amputations and internal injuries. Now is the time for your school to do what is necessary to make your playground safe. Here are four steps to take to make your playground safe:
1. Make Sure It’s Soft playground2Kids break arms and legs when they fall from tall playground equipment, yet you don’t want to keep them from experiencing the joy of climbing. Instead, make sure that the ground underneath the playground is soft and that the ground cover, whether you choose wood chips, pea gravel or sand, is well-maintained and is shock absorbent. Schedule regular times to rake the ground cover into place so that kids do not wear away spots underneath it.
If you have a little extra budget and don’t want to have ongoing maintenance of your ground cover, consider pour-in-place rubber flooring. This gives enough softness without the need to constantly pay attention to raking the mulch back in place.
Looking at softness extends beyond the ground as well. Inspect the playground for pointed, sharp edges that could cut children or snag clothing. Make sure all of these are properly filed or covered, and that the surface is smooth and safe on the actual play structures.
2. Ensure Proper Supervision
Playground duty is no one’s favorite task, but you can’t sacrifice safety because the staff can’t agree on who should be on duty. Make sure that all age groups are properly supervised, with staff at key areas with a clear view of all climbing equipment so they can see if someone is playing too rough or using the equipment improperly. Proper supervision is an absolute necessity for playground safety.
Kids’ First Aid & Child ID Kits
Ow-Wee-Kit, Child I.D. & Records Mini Kit • Latex Free & Fun MediBag 4 Kidz & Kid Friendly First Aid Kits in FUN COLORS! • FUN BANDAGES… Many themes to suit Kids of all ages (we like them ourselves!) • Also see the great new Diaper Bag Buddy… Know an Infant? 15 quality baby on the go travel kit items – ALL ORGANIC & NATURAL products.
3. Choose Play Structures According to Age
Children of different ages have different ability levels when it comes to playground equipment. Make sure that your children are playing on equipment designed for their age range.
Kids First Aid & Child ID
For preschool children, the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) recommends small steps and crawl spaces. Railings need to be placed appropriately for smaller bodies. Low platforms that limit injuries from falls are also important, and slides should be no taller than four feet from the ground. Overhead bars and rings, long spiral slides and seesaws should not be on a playground for children in this age group.
For elementary-school children, rope and chain climbing structures are great. Tire swings and slides are also excellent pieces of equipment for this age group. Taller slides, provided platforms are properly closed so that children do not fall, are also lots of fun for this age group.
4. Inspect the Playground Regularly
Finally, make sure the playground is inspected on a regular basis by an authority on playground safety. This inspection should look for signs of wear and tear, including problems with the ground cover, and should take care of those problems before they cause injuries. Any problems found must be addressed before children are allowed to play on that piece of equipment.
It only takes a moment for a tragedy to occur on the playground. Do what you can to ensure the playground at your school is safe, and let your kids and students enjoy hours of recess time on a safe, age-appropriate playground.
1. Make Sure It’s Soft playground2Kids break arms and legs when they fall from tall playground equipment, yet you don’t want to keep them from experiencing the joy of climbing. Instead, make sure that the ground underneath the playground is soft and that the ground cover, whether you choose wood chips, pea gravel or sand, is well-maintained and is shock absorbent. Schedule regular times to rake the ground cover into place so that kids do not wear away spots underneath it.
If you have a little extra budget and don’t want to have ongoing maintenance of your ground cover, consider pour-in-place rubber flooring. This gives enough softness without the need to constantly pay attention to raking the mulch back in place.
Looking at softness extends beyond the ground as well. Inspect the playground for pointed, sharp edges that could cut children or snag clothing. Make sure all of these are properly filed or covered, and that the surface is smooth and safe on the actual play structures.
2. Ensure Proper Supervision
Playground duty is no one’s favorite task, but you can’t sacrifice safety because the staff can’t agree on who should be on duty. Make sure that all age groups are properly supervised, with staff at key areas with a clear view of all climbing equipment so they can see if someone is playing too rough or using the equipment improperly. Proper supervision is an absolute necessity for playground safety.
Kids’ First Aid & Child ID Kits
Ow-Wee-Kit, Child I.D. & Records Mini Kit • Latex Free & Fun MediBag 4 Kidz & Kid Friendly First Aid Kits in FUN COLORS! • FUN BANDAGES… Many themes to suit Kids of all ages (we like them ourselves!) • Also see the great new Diaper Bag Buddy… Know an Infant? 15 quality baby on the go travel kit items – ALL ORGANIC & NATURAL products.
3. Choose Play Structures According to Age
Children of different ages have different ability levels when it comes to playground equipment. Make sure that your children are playing on equipment designed for their age range.
Kids First Aid & Child ID
For preschool children, the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) recommends small steps and crawl spaces. Railings need to be placed appropriately for smaller bodies. Low platforms that limit injuries from falls are also important, and slides should be no taller than four feet from the ground. Overhead bars and rings, long spiral slides and seesaws should not be on a playground for children in this age group.
For elementary-school children, rope and chain climbing structures are great. Tire swings and slides are also excellent pieces of equipment for this age group. Taller slides, provided platforms are properly closed so that children do not fall, are also lots of fun for this age group.
4. Inspect the Playground Regularly
Finally, make sure the playground is inspected on a regular basis by an authority on playground safety. This inspection should look for signs of wear and tear, including problems with the ground cover, and should take care of those problems before they cause injuries. Any problems found must be addressed before children are allowed to play on that piece of equipment.
It only takes a moment for a tragedy to occur on the playground. Do what you can to ensure the playground at your school is safe, and let your kids and students enjoy hours of recess time on a safe, age-appropriate playground.
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