Playgrounds are designed to be areas where children can develop cognitive, motor, perceptual and social skills. Unfortunately, these developmental areas are also accident zones. Each year, hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 15 are treated in a hospital emergency room for playground-related injuries.
Playground accidents are preventable. The following are a few tips that may help keep your children safe:
• Scope out the playground before allowing children to play. This includes making sure the area is designed so that adults may supervise children at all times. Check to see if the playground is free of trash or broken glass. Look to see if there is safety surfacing under equipment like sand, a thick layer of mulch, or shock absorbing shredded rubber.
• Check the equipment. Make sure the equipment is in good condition and repair. Any exposed screws or nails, rust, or loose pieces are red flags and increase risk of injury. Any plastic parts should be free of cracks and wood parts should be free of splinters.
• Adequate shading. Having shading is important and you should see if the equipment is not too hot to play on.
• Steer children in the right direction. Many playgrounds are designed for various age groups. To optimize safety, steer children to equipment that is appropriate for their age.
• Remain alert. According to experts, nearly half of all playground-related injuries are due to poor supervision. For example, always keep an eye on the slide to make sure children go up one at time. If there is more than one adult, split up so you can both cover different angles of the area.
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