Playgrounds are places where children make the best memories
of their childhood. They not only laugh and play but learn many new experiences
on the playgrounds. Not only this, playgrounds play a significant role in
shaping the social behaviors of kids and making new friends.
Although commercial playground equipment today is safer
than the previous years, there is always a chance of getting injured while
playing at the modern playgrounds. There are many playground-related injuries
that are a major threat to our children’s lives. Today, we have come up with
four ways you can make the playgrounds safer for your kids.
1. Supervise kids play
Adult supervision is one of the key components of a
playground safety strategy. We can better control how our kids play under our
supervision. When adults are around the kids when they are playing using
playground equipment, they make sure that the kids do not engage in any risky
game activity. Adults help kids understand the distance from the equipment, and
ensure that elder kids do not violate the playing limits. Even if you don’t do
anything, having parents or caregivers around help kids regulate their playing
behavior.
2. Safety Instructions
If you are advocating for the safety of the children on the
playground, then the first thing would be to make sure that the outdoor playground equipment in the playground meets
the safety standards of watchdog organizations. Look for the recommendations of
the Consumer Product Safety Commission. From the past few decades, advancements
in technology have produced new playground equipment. As a result, there have
been changes to the surface requirements and safety guidelines. Some of the
basic guidelines that should not be missed include:
a) Proper labeling and signage on the equipment
b) Sightline to track the children anywhere in the
playground
c) Safe surface materials including engineered wood fiber,
sand, and pea gravel
3. Maintenance
Once you have safe and modern equipment in place, it is also
important to keep checking it periodically to ensure it is working optimally.
Proper maintenance makes sure that the school playground equipment is in safe working order.
Any obstruction like rocks or stumps of trees must be cleared from the
playground area. Soft seats must be installed in place of metal or wooden swing
seats. There should not be any sharp edges, instead, make them smooth. All the
platforms must be timely repaired. There is another safety rule that the
cushioned surface should extend at least 6 feet beyond the equipment. Finally,
replace all the worn-out materials to avoid any dangerous situation.
4. Use Age-Related Equipment
Playground equipment today is made according to the age
groups and ability levels. It is important to ensure that any equipment that
your kids play with must be age-appropriate. Similarly, there is a ladder
height of 60 inches for kids in their preschool years. Moreover, age guidelines
must be clearly displayed on the playground equipment.
Comments
Post a Comment