Playground Equipment
Playground Safety
Playgrounds and outdoor play equipment can provide your child with fun, fresh air, and exercise, but they can also pose some safety hazards. Faulty equipment, improper surfaces, and careless behaviour are just a few of the dangers that cause children on playgrounds to visit hospital emergency departments.
Playground equipment or suppliers which display the Kitemark gives you the confidence of knowing that they meet all the new European standards. It also demonstrates the company's commitment to product quality and safety standards.
You can also make the playground a place that's entertaining and safe for your child by checking equipment for potential hazards and following some simple safety guidelines. In addition, teaching your child how to play safely is important: if your child knows the rules of the playground, it's less likely he or she will get hurt.
Adult Supervision
You as parents can help prevent playground accidents by taking some precautions, ensuring that there is adult supervision at the playground, and making sure that any equipment that your child plays on is appropriate to his or her age and maturity level.
Adult supervision can help prevent injuries by making sure kids properly use any playground equipment and don't engage in unsafe behaviour around it. If an injury does occur, an adult can assist the child and administer any needed first aid right away.
Surface
A proper playground surface is one of the most important factors in reducing injuries - and the severity of injuries - that occur when kids fall from equipment. The surface under the playground equipment should be soft enough and thick enough to soften the impact of a child's fall.
Keep in mind that even proper surfacing can't prevent all injuries. Also, the greater the height of the equipment, the more likely the child is to get injured if he or she falls from it.
Maintenance and Inspection
Whether your child plays on a home or public playground, it's important that you take a general look at the equipment to make sure that it is clean and well maintained.
Teaching Your Child About Playground Safety
Safe playground equipment and adult supervision are extremely important, but it's only half of the equation: Kids must know how to be safe and act responsibly at the playground.
