Children and adults benefit from stimulating their imaginations by visiting fascinating places like playgrounds. These places allow children to engage in self-directed, unstructured play without restrictions. If you want to take advantage of a playground, ensuring it is a secure place to be is essential.
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Teaching children about playground safety
First, instill in your children a sense of responsibility for their safety. Make them aware that not all kids have the same motor skills and muscle strength. Similarly, not all kids will be ready for the same play structures at the same time.
Help them remain on the right equipment by providing the necessary supervision and encouragement. Finally, be there when they’re ready to try that brand-new playground equipment.
Preparing for a Day at the Playground
It’s also important to check the playground’s condition before sending your child to play. Make sure your child is wearing protective clothing first. Here are a few considerations:
- Take precautions to avoid over-exposure to the sun. It will be necessary to protect children from the sun’s damaging rays. Even though it’s easy to overlook how dangerous the sun may be when you’re on a playground. Keep sunscreen at hand.
- Your kids should wear shoes so they won’t hurt themselves if they stumble.
- Ensure your kids do not play on the playground while wearing clothing that could easily get snagged on something.
- Make sure they have a hat on.
- Drawstring clothing, like dresses or hooded sweatshirts, is items you should avoid at all costs. This is because of the risk of strangling and other dangers they pose.
- Sunscreen will help to reduce sunburn.
- Bring an umbrella, jacket, or blanket if the weather turns unexpectedly.
Have an adult present to supervise children.
Children of all ages need supervision, not just the youngest ones. It’s important to have adults nearby who can help you keep an eye on your kids and step in case of an emergency. Make sure you have other reliable adults in your child’s life who can step in and take charge in the event of an emergency.
To attain this, you can train supervisors and teachers to ensure children stay safe on the playground. Never leave the playground unsupervised.
Check for safe playground surfacing
Some playgrounds may look great at first glance, but they may not be safe enough for your children. Additionally, they may be in disrepair, so it’s best to steer clear of them despite your child’s pleading. Ensure you avoid playgrounds with wood chips or concrete surfaces. This is because they pose an unnecessary risk to children.
Playgrounds with surfaces that don’t absorb shock should also be a no-go zone. These include:
- Gravel
- Dirt
- Grass
- Asphalt
Installing a proper playground safety surface is essential. You can reduce injuries with the use of a safe surface. To keep kids safe, playground flooring should have poured-in-place rubber or a similar substance. These materials are the industry leaders in terms of safety. This is because they may act as a cushion should a child fall.
Go for safe play equipment
When you inspect playground equipment beforehand, you prevent many common playground injuries. Additionally, it helps to report any dangerous materials in the area. Sweeping the playground thoroughly before use could have prevented many injuries.
Be sure to alert the supervisor or any adult if you notice any potentially hazardous items near the playground, like broken glass or dangerous equipment. Your children will be able to resume playing while you receive the assistance you require.
In order to provide your child with a secure environment in which to play, there are a few things that you can do:
- Prevent the equipment from overheating.
- Check for the presence of any strings or ropes.
- Make sure everything is in working order by conducting regular inspections.
Bring a first-aid kit.
Most accidents don’t require any prior warning. However, if you’ve planned, you may lessen the blow and regain command of the situation.
Every parent should remember the importance of bringing a first-aid kit to the playground. While waiting for medical help, a first aid pack allows you to administer urgent, basic care to your loved one.
The following items should be in your first-aid kit:
- Bug spray.
- Alcohol wipes.
- Adhesive Band-Aids, for relief from different insect bites.
- Eye dressings.
- Cold pack.
Playground injuries – common causes.
Falls
Children frequently go to the ER after suffering injuries sustained in falls from playground equipment. Kids can easily hurt themselves if they lose their balance, grip, or slip when using playground equipment like see-saws, slides, monkey bars, merry-go-rounds, and swings.
If the drawstrings from their hooded sweatshirt get caught on a piece of equipment, a child can trip and fall on the playground. When kids fall off playground equipment, the metal or wooden parts on the ground below may cause wounds.
Children, in an understandable attempt to shield themselves, frequently fall on outstretched hands, breaking the bones in and around the elbow.
Slides
Slides are also responsible for a great number of injuries. According to the findings of one study, children who ride down a slide on an adult’s lap are at increased risk of breaking their shinbones.
Other Causes
- Damaged surfaces, rusting play equipment, and trash are all potential sources of injury in playgrounds that have received inadequate care and maintenance.
- Contact with sharp edges, impact with stationary equipment, and falls after being struck by equipment other than what the child was playing on all contribute to injuries, although to a lesser extent.
- See-saws account for a comparatively low share of playground injuries.
Conclusion
Your children will benefit greatly from playing on a playground. This gives them a safe place to run around and use their imaginations in a natural setting.
You can do your part to ensure your child’s playground experience is always positive. This is done by having early conversations with them and establishing ground rules.
Your children will have a better chance of developing exceptional talents. They will use them throughout their lives if you teach them how to play safely. And how to make the most of their abilities without risking their lives.