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Playgrounds are fun - and good for your child, too. It's where children practice social and physical skills, and use their imaginations. However, each year doctors and hospitals treat more than 500,000 injuries related to playground equipment. Monitoring the equipment, supervising their play, and teaching them playground behavior will keep your children safe and happy.
Here are tips to keep your child safe:
Equipment
Check out the equipment at the playground to see if it's appropriate for your child. The playground needs of younger, 2-5 year old children, are different from the needs of older, 5-12 year old children. Children need equipment designed for their age, size, and abilities. The safest playgrounds have separate, designated play areas for both groups.
- Swing seats should be made of plastic or rubber. Avoid metal or wood.
- The safest seesaws for preschoolers are the ones with a large spring underneath.
- Slides are safe if kids are careful when using them. [SF: Many (most?) parks have already replaced them with plastic, but maybe it's worth saying to check whether a metal slide is hot.]
- Climbing equipment comes in many shapes and sizes - including rock climbing walls, arches, and vertical and horizontal ladders. Be sure your child is aware of a safe way down in case he or she can't complete the climb. Adult supervision is especially important for younger kids who are playing on climbing equipment.
Some equipment is hazardous. Watch out for:
- Wooden equipment, rides with long ropes, swings that hold more than one child at a time, and gymnastic equipment like rings, bars, and especially trampolines. Some of these may be appropriate for older children, but not preschoolers.
- Animal swings, glider swings that hold more than one child at a time, and metal monkey bars.
- Ropes that are attached to equipment are a strangulation hazard. Also, never let your child tie jump ropes or leashes onto the equipment
Surface
Check the surface underneath the equipment. Look for:
- Wood chips, mulch, or shredded rubber are good surfaces for play equipment up to seven feet high. Safety-tested rubber or rubber-like mats are also safe. The proper surface reduces the amount, and the severity, of injuries from falls.
- The cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet past the equipment. For slides and swings, the cushioning may have to extend further than that.
- Bear in mind that no surfacing materials are safe if the combined height of playground and the child (standing on the highest platform) is higher than 12 feet.
Clothing
Make sure your child is dressed appropriately.
- Clothing can get caught in equipment and strangle a child. Remove or cut drawstrings and other cords from clothing. Use a neck warmer rather than a scarf in winter. Use mitten clips instead of cords.
- Children should never wear bicycle helmets while they are on playground equipment because a child's head may get stuck in narrow openings.
Supervision
An adult should accompany and supervise children at the playground. Adults can make sure children are using equipment properly. They can check unsafe behavior. Play areas should be designed so adults can clearly see children while they are playing on all the equipment. If a child does fall or is injured, an adult can help the child and administer first aid right away.
After Play
Make sure your children wash their hands with soap and water after playing outside. Washing hands removes dirt, chemicals, and germs.
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The #1 priority at playgrounds is to have fun. To stay safe while having fun, children need to learn playground common sense. Here are some playground tips for children:
- Take turns. Always wait for your turn.
- Play only on dry equipment. Wet surfaces are slippery.
- Wear proper footwear. You could get a splinter or a cut if you're barefoot.
- Slide one person at a time. Always slide sitting down and facing forward. Move away from the slide bottom as soon as you reach the ground.
- Don't climb over guardrails. Guardrails are there to protect you.
- Hold onto the handrails. Climb stairs or steps slowly.
- Always look before you jump off equipment.
- Everyone should start on the same side of the equipment and move in the same direction.
- When climbing down, watch for children who are climbing up.
- Never push anyone while on jungle gyms, slides, seesaws, swings, and other equipment.
- Swing sitting down, one person per swing. Wait until the swing stops before you get off.
- Only one person at a time should ride a spring rocker. Rock sitting down.
- Be careful when you walk in front of moving swings and merry-go-rounds. Always look around when you're near swings.
- Stow bikes, backpacks, and bags away from the equipment and the area where you're playing so that no one trips over them and falls.
- Always remove your bicycle, skating, or scooter helmet in the playground.
- Wear sunscreen so your skin won't get burned. Remember that sun heats metals. A hot slide could burn your skin, too.
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Kids fall down all the time on the playground. As all parents know, bumps, bruises, and scrapes are common. Most of the time, a kiss and maybe a Band-Aid will do just fine.
In some rare cases, though, an injury from a fall or collision might be more serious. A child might need emergency care, or a visit to a doctor. How can you tell the difference? Call 911 if the child:
- is unconscious or was briefly unconscious
- has a seizure
- is not breathing or has difficulty breathing
- has an injury to the head, neck, back, hips, or thighs
- has blood or clear fluid coming from the nose, ears, or mouth
- Call your doctor or seek medical attention if the child:
- becomes sleepy and is difficult to wake up
- cannot stop crying
- vomits more than twice
- complains of back or neck pain
- complains of increasing pain
- cannot walk normally
- has trouble focusing his or her eyes
- is acting in a way that worries you
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