Playground Safety

Maybe you remember the summer when your child could first walk. They were ready for the playground! Your world gets so much larger when this necessary community venue becomes one that you can let your child run free through. But not all playgrounds or play at playgrounds is safe. While it is true that you can’t protect your child from every bump and bruise that comes their way, we have compiled a list of some things to look for in keeping your child safe at the playground.

1. Shade. Not every playground has adequate shade for sun protection. If yours does not, just remember to reapply after four hours (on top of the coat of sunscreen you lathered on them prior to leaving the house). Even on those not-so-sunny days, harmful UV rays can pose a risk to your child. Get your child to wear a hat and keep it on.
2. Hydration. Make sure you keep your child hydrated by taking water with you everywhere you go, including the playground. Not all playgrounds have drinking fountains.
3. Safe zone. For urban playgrounds, a safe zone might be a fence; for more rural ones, it could just be a field of grass that separates the playground from the road.
4. Age-appropriateness. Many playgrounds have signs that indicate the age-appropriate level of the playground. For those playgrounds that don’t have these signs, make sure you assess the playground for its level of appropriateness for your child. High drop-offs and vertical ladders, for example, are not safe for children under age five.
5. Adult supervision. With adult supervision at any playground children are less likely to get hurt. Sometimes children misjudge distances and having an adult close by can prevent this from becoming hazardous. Older children occasionally misuse playground equipment, making the playground dangerous for others. Even a toddler walking near a swing set can be dangerous without the proper supervision.
6. Equipment. Make sure to check for safe equipment. There should be no pinch points on any moving parts (with see-saws or merry-go-rounds). If the equipment is broken or dated, jagged, rusty materials can easily be dangers to a child running and having fun.
7. Surfaces. Playground surfaces should be free of debris (broken glass, litter, jagged rocks, gravel). A semi-bouncy, cushiony playground surface made of recycled tires or other rubber is usually the most common safe surface seen today.
8. Etiquette. Teach your children proper playground etiquette—it will help them be safe. For those playgrounds that do have drinking fountains, make sure your children know the etiquette association with using one, including no pushing and shoving near the fountain. Teach your children not to walk in front of swings, and to stay away from equipment (like see-saws and merry-go-rounds) that are in use. If there are limited supplies of these playground features and each is being used, teach your child to wait their turn, and when they are using them, if another person is waiting, to share after a few minutes. Keep your child aware of slide safety. Don’t allow them to climb up slides.

The National Program for Playground Safety has an acronym they use for parents to remember a tip for a safe playground: S.A.F.E., meaning that the playground is Supervised, the equipment is Age-appropriate, that the playground surface is cushioned so that Falls are safe, and the Equipment is safe.