Playgrounds offer kids fresh air, friends and exercise. But faulty equipment, hot playground temperatures and unsafe user behavior can ruin the fun and lead to injuries. Fortunately, many playground injuries are preventable with proper maintenance, age-appropriate equipment and safety rules.
The most common playground injuries involve children tumbling off equipment or from falls. The best way to protect your children from these dangers is to have them play on well-maintained, fenced and monitored equipment. Look for equipment that meets national safety standards and check it regularly for loose or broken parts.
Also, choose a playground that has a separate area for children younger than five years old. They are not as active or resilient as older children and may get hurt more easily on equipment designed for bigger kids.
Make sure the playground has a soft surface like mulch or poured rubber beneath and around all equipment. Concrete, asphalt or other hard surfaces could cause traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a fall. Grass or dirt is not a safe surface either because it might not be thick enough to cushion a fall and environmental factors can affect its shock-absorbing abilities.
Inspect the ground and surrounding areas for 안전놀이터 trash, glass, rusting metal, poisonous plants and other hazards that can cause harm to little feet and hands. Look for spaces that can trap a child’s arm or leg, such as gaps in equipment or rungs on ladder steps. Also, check for splinters or weak points in wood structures that can break and cut a child.
Lastly, kids should always wear sneakers without drawstrings or cords that might catch on equipment or strangle them. They should also wear sunscreen to avoid a painful sunburn. And they should be supervised at all times by an adult to ensure their safety and to help them follow the playground’s rules.
Each year, more than 200,000 kids go to hospital emergency rooms due to playground-related injuries. These accidents can discourage kids from playing outside and have long-term health consequences. By keeping playgrounds safe, parents can help their children enjoy the social, physical and cognitive benefits of outdoor play. In addition to monitoring kids as they play, selecting appropriate equipment, ensuring a padded landing surface and making sure adults supervise children at all times, parents can also reduce the risk of injury by educating themselves on safety issues. This includes understanding the importance of a holistic approach to playground safety that includes equipment, materials, environmental factors and safe user behaviors.
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