Follow These Tips for Playground Safety

A trip to the playground is always fun for kids. Playgrounds help develop large motor skills like climbing, balancing, jumping as well as exercising muscles. Equipment from swings to slide allow them to test their skills and take reasonable risks.

Reviewing some tips to keep kids safe on playgrounds is always in season.

Check What Equipment is Available – and Its Age

While most public playgrounds are safe, parents and caregivers must be on the lookout for hazardous playground equipment and conditions. Be especially wary of old playgrounds with outdated equipment, such as see-saws or teeter-totters and merry-go-rounds. These are not considered safe due to their crush or shear points. You can also check the playground for damaged equipment or other hazards, such as:

Surfaces: Playground surfaces need to absorb impact when a child falls. Acceptable playground surfaces include wood fiber or mulch, pea gravel, sand or rubber. Avoid playgrounds with concrete, asphalt, grass, dirt or gravel surfaces.

Openings: Any equipment openings on ladder rungs, ropes, railings or crawling tunnels should be less than 3½ inches or more than 9 inches wide. These measurements are small enough so a child’s body cannot go through and possibly entrap the head, yet also large enough so the child’s whole body will go through. Always remove bike helmets before playing since equipment openings don’t account for helmets, which can pose strangulation hazards.

Equipment Size Related to User Age: Choose a playground that is safe for the age and developmental level of your child. On a toddler playground, equipment like slides should be smaller and equipment height levels should be lower. Watch your child carefully to be sure he/she can safely navigate the equipment on a particular playground.

Keep an Eye on How Well the Equipment is Maintained

More things you can be careful about include the installation and maintenance of slides, swings and monkey bars.

• Equipment should be anchored
• “S” hooks should be enclosed
• All bolts should be counter-sunk or covered
• No loose ropes; climbing ropes should be anchored and secured at both ends
• No V-shaped joints that could entrap a child’s head

You can also watch for general hazards, such as:

• When you arrive at the playground, do a quick check for sharp edges, broken glass or garbage
• Be on the lookout for damaged equipment and report it
• Make sure swings have soft seats

Part of Safety Includes Good Supervision

Parents must supervise their children, especially if the playground is not fenced. Be aware of nearby hazards like streets and ponds. Make sure to turn off your device and keep your eyes on the children while they play. Avoid letting children wear anything around the neck like scarves, drawstring hoods or jewelry when on playground equipment. Backpacks, purses and similar items should be removed before playing; these items can become tangled or caught in equipment causing a strangulation hazard.

Keep an eye on the sun and heat and how it affects kids, too. Be sure your child is wearing sunscreen. Bring water, especially on hot summer days, because children can become dehydrated quickly. Offer water frequently. It’s smart to check the temperature of playground equipment like slides and swings before children use them. Even if materials are heat resistant, they can still get hot on a sunny summer day.

Make it a Game: Try a Playground Marathon

For a fun summer activity, try a playground marathon day. Pack sunscreen, snacks, water and a picnic lunch and choose three or four playgrounds to visit. Spend 30-45 minutes at each playground before moving on to the next one. You can take pictures so you can compare the playgrounds later and describe which you liked best and why.

As long as parents and caregivers keep safety in mind, check playgrounds before use and supervise children, playgrounds will remain at the top of the list for fun activities for kids.

Learn more from our family life educators.

By Twila Perkinson, CCLS, a Family Life Educator with Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center