If your kids love the playground, then you might need some safety tips. Here are 4 essential safety tips for kids on a playground!
by Troop Atomic Mommy
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Outdoor recreational activities for kids are important. Not only do they help reinvigorate kids from the sometimes monotonous routines of being indoors, but it also helps them acquire socialization skills. Kids equally improve their cognitive and motor skills when they play outdoors.
Playing outdoors also means that there will be playground equipment to facilitate creative play. However, these pieces of equipment must not be faulty or have harmful surfaces that can cause playground-related injuries to children.
To ensure that these kids play safely on a playground, you must apply these safety tips to keep kids away from harm on a playground.
#1 Kids should be supervised by adults
Kids of different age ranges need adult supervision on the playground. The younger kids may not have the capacity to always gauge or assess the gravity of some play methods. They might decide to stand on a swing or make a rather high jump from playground equipment. This puts them at risk of harming themselves.
The older kids might attempt to test how skilled they are in unconventional ways. These are potentially hazardous situations that could lead to serious playground-related injuries.
The best course of action is to watch them, supervise their play activities, and have first aid handy should any one of them sustain a minor injury. You can equally have these kids do away with extra clothing like scarves that could get stuck in playground climbing structures, causing the kids injuries by pulling them towards the equipment.
#2 Have the playground equipment and surface regularly inspected
Playground equipment must be inspected often by qualified and certified professionals. They will check to see that there is no rust or sharp edges sticking out. Playgrounds should also be kept clean and free from harmful debris such as big tree branches, glass shards, and litter.
If you have to use a public playground, check to see that the playground equipment and environment are constantly inspected and maintained by professionals.
#3 Instruct kids on the use of the different playground equipment
Responsible play should be the taught before allowing kids on a playground. You can teach them easy lessons for responsible playground behavior such as the following:
- There should be no pushing on slides and swings.
- The swing should be sat on, not stood on or knelt on, and the kids should hold on to them tightly.
- Other kids not sitting on the swing, should maintain a safe distance from the swings to avoid being thrown off.
- Jumps should be made with the knee slightly bent to prevent the pull or strain that could occur due to the impact of the feet on the floor.
- Wet playground equipment should be avoided because it will be slippery.
- Playground equipment, especially the metal ones, that are hot should not be played with to avoid burns.
#4 Enforce the use of age-appropriate playground equipment
Separate playgrounds should be designed for kids in different age groups. For instance, children under 5 should not have to play in the same environment as older kids between 6-10 years. The materials used for the playground should also be different, with the former group getting softer flooring materials. The types of playground equipment should also vary by level of difficulty. The younger age groups should have equipment that challenges their physical abilities in a healthy and safe way that is appropriate and in-line with their young ages. Whereas the older children’s playground can have even more challenging types of activities since their physical mobility is better.
The Takeaway
As much as the playground often brings excitement and joy for kids, things can turn pretty sour quickly. For this reason, it is only advisable that you as a parent, guardian, or playground owner ensure the highest level of safety when having kids around dangerous equipment. So, keep a close eye on all kids as they play and help them adhere to the instructions.
