5 Tips for Playground Safety Every Parent Should Know

It can be challenging for parents to know how to navigate safety on a playground. After all, many times, you’re hoping to get a break from a long day of caring for children, among other things. But the reality is that playgrounds, while designed to be safe, do come with hazards. Kids can get hurt unexpectedly in ways that can be prevented with a little preparation. To that end, here are five tips for playground safety every parent should know:

Check for Hazards

It happens all the time: a kid comes tumbling down a slide with a cut on their arm, or they get caught in a chain on the swing. Now, what was supposed to be a day of love and laughter has turned into tears and broken skin. While Parks and Rec departments are charged with maintenance of playground equipment, you just never know when plastic will crack or a chain link will burst.

To guard against your child getting hurt on playground structures and commercial swing sets, make sure to walk the length of the playground. Take your kid up into the structures, slide down the slides, and scan for broken equipment. Sit on the swings and give yourself a little push. Make it a game every time you visit the playground, and your child will get into it, too. This can be both a bonding moment for you and your little one and a safety review as well.

Walk the Surface

Of course, it’s not just the structures and swings that pose a threat to kids in parks. The surfaces in most parks can also be hazard zones if they fall into disrepair. Cracked rubber that’s been poured in place can pose a tripping hazard. Wood chips can have sharp objects lying in wait to poke and prod young skin. Slick cement can lead to sliding and scraping of tender skin on wet days.

Fortunately, you can do a quick scan of the surface of your playground when you arrive to ensure your kid has the safest ground possible. Make this survey part of your play time with your child. If they have wheels like a scooter or bike, have them slowly ride alongside you. Scan the hard surfaces for cracks, slick areas, and large bumps that could be potentially dangerous. Then walk together through wood chips or other uneven surfaces to look for any sharp objects. You can call it a treasure hunt to have fun with it.

Watch the Temperature

You likely already have sunscreen on hand as well as a bottle of water for your child when you visit the park on hot days. But many parents don’t realize just how hot playground equipment can get. The temperature doesn’t even have to be that high for the sun to beat down on a plastic slide or rubber surface and cause real damage. Before you know it, kids are sweating, burning their skin on the slide, and scraping knees on the heated ground.

It’s an easy fix to simply watch the temperature and the position of the sun on days you visit the playground. If you know the hot sun will be beating down on the playground, plan for light, reflective layers for your child. A long-sleeve white tee shirt can prevent burns, and pants can guard against scrapes. Also, be sure to watch your child for signs of heat exhaustion and have them take shade breaks to hydrate and rest.

Use Equipment As Designed… Most of the Time

Who hasn’t climbed the slide on a fun day at the playground? It’s one of the most fun ways to use playground equipment incorrectly. Kids scramble up the side of the slick surface and come tumbling down in laughter. In most cases, this causes no harm, and it’s well worth the risk to allow kids to play freely and think outside of the box. But in most cases, you want to make sure kids are using the play equipment as it was designed.

It’s a good idea to teach your kids that it’s okay to climb the slide as long as no one is coming down. In other cases, like climbing on the outside of the structure, to the peak of a canopy, or on top of the swings, can cause real danger. When you see your child venturing into dangerous territory to push the limits of the structure, evaluate their decisions for safety. Ask yourself if this is a risk that outweighs the benefits, or if a bad fall could cause real harm. In general, try to have your child use the equipment as it is meant to be used.

Remove Dangerous Items

Finally, many injuries on playgrounds come as a result of added items on the equipment. Ropes swinging from overhead bars, helmets getting stuck in narrow spaces, and shoelaces catching in chain links can all cause serious harm. Kids are attempting to make the fun a bit riskier, a bit more daring, but in the end, they may end up getting hurt and regretting those decisions. Your best bet is to ensure the only materials on the playground are those intended to be there.

Before sending your kid off to play, remove their helmet, check for long ties on hooded sweatshirts or drawstring pants, and tie their shoelaces. Then, walk the playground to make sure there aren’t any added items in place. Remove ropes, cords, and tape that might be dangling from structures or swings. And remind your child to be mindful not to use any items that aren’t supposed to be on the playground to play, like sticks or branches.

In the end, the playground is a wonderful place for adventure, free play, and imaginative engagement. In most cases, it won’t pose any additional hazards and put your kid in danger. Still, it’s a smart move to walk the playground, check for any dangerous situations, and remove any added items. Come prepared to play and have fun, and be ready to pivot when you see signs of danger. And the kids will have a blast!

p.s. Related posts:

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