Creative Systems Inc | Blog

Believe it or not, playgrounds can be dangerous places.  Christine Kim fills you in on how to buy safe, fun playground equipment for your kids.

Playgrounds are a great place for kids to explore and an opportunity to test his or her skills.  However, certain kinds of children’s playground equipment can be very dangerous.  Although accidents happen frequently, most people do not tend to think of playgrounds as places where children get injured.   According to Safe Kids USA, Every day, more than 39,000 children are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment, totaling more than 14 million children each year..  Faulty equipment, hard surfaces and careless behavior are just a few of the dangers which can send your child to the emergency room.

Follow up:

Don’t Be Afraid To Go Soft

Falls are the number one cause of injury, so choose a playground with a soft loose-fill surface or rubber surface instead of one with a dirt or grass surface.  Surfaces such as grass and dirt are unsafe as weather and wear can reduce their capacities to cushion a child’s fall.  Using a loose-fill surface, such as sand or wood chips of at least six to twelve inches around the swing area, climbers and slides can help cushion falls.  Providing a deep and soft surface will help reduce the impact of falls and prevent many other injuries.  Remember that high equipment requires deeper surfacing.  Also, buying swing seats of a soft material, such as rubber or plastic, can help reduce injuries.

Bigger Isn’t Always Better

When buying childrens playground equipment, keep in mind to start with equipment that young children can use safely instead of expecting your children to grow into the equipment.  Accidents usually happen when young children play on equipment designed for older children.  This is because the equipment sizes and proportions will not be right for small children and this can lead to injury.  A good tip to remember is if a child is too small to reach and use the equipment themselves, then it is not designed for children their age.

Sharp Edges, Small Spaces

You should always inspect the equipment to ensure there are no pointy or sharp edges that could potentially harm your child.  This is important so that nothing can catch your child’s clothing and lead to strangulation.  You should pay special attention to the tops of slides, S-hooks on swings, the joints of climbers and nearby fencing.  Remembering to dress your child appropriately for play is equally important, as things such as scarves, drawstrings and helmets can lead to strangulation.  Also, ensuring there are no spaces that could potentially trap a child’s head, arm or any other body part is important.  All openings on the equipment should measure less than three and a half inches.

Supervise Actively

Parents know the importance of supervising their children during playtime. However, actively supervising means being ready to catch your child when they are on the equipment.  You should be within arms reach of your child at all times.  It is important to actively supervise children under the age of five and stay close to them as they play, because children that age are not capable of foreseeing dangerous situations by themselves.  Also, keep in mind that although older kids may know their way around a playground, it is important to keep an eye on their behavior, as older children like to test their limits. 
Equipment Maintenance

It is important to maintain your child’s playground equipment as it can wear down and require repairs or replacing.  You should be inspecting the playground regularly, approximately three times a month.  Keep an eye out for signs of wear, splintering or cracks.  Ensure all bolts are tight and the equipment is still firmly anchored in the ground.  Along with these important things, you should also be checking the depth of the surface, especially in the area around the swings, climbers and slides, as it will help to reduce any injury.  If there is not a sufficient amount of sand or wood chips, fill the space adequately.

____________________
Play Safe
These tips are small, but exceptionally important things to consider while purchasing your child’s new playground equipment for the season.  Teaching your children the importance of safe activities and self-safety is invaluable.  Most playground injuries can be prevented with knowledge and education.  Knowing this we can make our children’s safety a priority while providing them with time to explore, make friends and get some fresh air!