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Older children like to test boundaries, and adults can point out unsafe behavior. For example, a 2-year-old may walk behind a swing without noticing it’s being used. Young children may be unaware of potentially dangerous situations and need an adult to warn and protect them. Even older children are not immune to playground-related injuries. Children of all ages need adult supervision when using playground equipment, whether it be at a park, school, community center, friend’s house or at home. According to, lack of proper supervision accounts for almost 45 percent of playground-related injuries. It’s important for adults to supervise children at a playground to help prevent injuries. To help you apply the rules of S.A.F.E., we will look at each factor in detail. The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) identifies four factors to maintaining a safe playground whether at home or in the community. Keeping a playground safe is easier than one might think. Although no one can guarantee an injury-free childhood, you can take precautions to lessen the risk of playground injuries. We’ll cover the basics of playground safety, from expert tips to the best playground equipment you can buy.
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Luckily there are strategies for reducing incidents and making sure kids are kept safe at the park and in the backyard. These stats paint a grim picture for kids without proper skils and safety equipment in place.Īlthough these numbers seem alarming, there is no need to keep children from experiencing the joy of outdoor play. Most injuries on public playgrounds occur on climbers, while swings are responsible for the majority of injuries at home. About 75 percent of non-fatal injuries happen at public playgrounds. Unfortunately, accidents happen.Īccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency rooms in the United States attend to over 200,000 playground-related injuries every year. Even though playgrounds are lots of fun, they can pose certain safety risks. They can discover and create unique worlds while spending time outside and being physically active. It’s good for them too! Playgrounds help children develop essential skills and maintain healthy weights.
PLAYGROUND PLAYSETS HOW TO
How to Choose a Safe Site for Your PlaygroundĬhildren love to climb, swing and slide at the playground.How to Teach Kids About Playground Safety.The perimeter of the play yard is often made from concrete or wood. Options for surfacing the ground around a playset include sand, pea gravel, wood chips, shredded rubber, and asphalt. Most injuries occur when a child falls onto the playground surface. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reported that each year, more than 200,000 children are taken to hospital emergency rooms due to playground-related injuries.
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Towers may be connected by monkey bars as well as bridges. Swings are usually mounted on a free-standing swing set. Playground slides may be covered or uncovered. A sandbox often accompanies an outdoor playset. Rope ladders and fixed ladders are common accessories for playsets. Towers may be connected to one another via fixed bridges or chain bridges for children to walk across.
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A deck is essentially a horizontal play surface contained within or attached to a tower. In a playset, a tower is a vertical structure with one or more decks placed at various levels. Typical components of an outdoor playset include:
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