Playground Safety
A day at the park isn’t always a picnic. Each year nearly 200,000 children need emergency room treatment after being injured on America’s playgrounds.
Articles within this series
- Overview
- Safety in the Pool
- Playground Safety
A day at the park isn’t always a picnic. Each year nearly 200,000 children need emergency hospital treatment after being injured on America’s playgrounds. That’s one every couple of minutes. Many parents steer their children away from rickety monkey bars, sharp edges or broken glass in the sand. But there is much more to be aware of when it comes to playground safety.
From 1997-1999, the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) examined playgrounds at child-care centers, parks and schools in all 50 states. This study resulted in U.S. playgrounds earning a C grade. The NPPS has defined four easy-to-remember aspects of playground safety:
Supervision
Age-appropriate design
Fall surfacing
Equipment maintenance
Adult supervision is key. A parent needs to refrain from burying her face in a book, engaging in deep conversation or getting involved with other distractions that prevent her from keeping a close eye on her child. The best way to prevent injuries is to be at your child’s side during this age to explore new things together.
Because toddlers do not know how to fall properly and protect their heads, playground equipment should not be higher than 4 feet. Also, gaps in protective fences and other openings should not measure between 3.5 to 9 inches, which can cause head entrapment. Many play areas have signs that suggest the age-appropriateness. These guidelines should be followed.
The area beneath playground equipment is just as important as the apparatus itself. Between 9 and 12 inches of loose fill or a rubberized surface should cover the ground and all concrete footings. In addition, there needs to be sufficient fall zones around slides, swings and climbing equipment so if a child does fall, she will not hit something on her way down.
Finally, parents should keep an eye out for peeling paint, sharp edges, anchored supports that can be tripped over, broken or splintered pieces and other signs of deterioration in playground equipment. If anything appears unsafe, quickly report it to the school or park and recreation department.
Many people assume there are laws requiring playgrounds to be safe. But only six states have laws regulating equipment. The NPPS offers more information and a report card to assess your child’s playground on its website: http://www.uni.edu/playground/*.
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