Every parent wants his or her child to have a safe place to play. While it may be easier to control the safety of activities and equipment inside your own home, children need time outside. They also need time with other children. Playgrounds are wonderful places to exercise both of these needs. However, you want to be sure that the slides, tire swings, teeter totters, and other aspects of the place where your child plays are safe and well-maintained. Here are some tips for ensuring a safe playground experience for your child.
1. Make sure that there is enough adult supervision. Ideally, you should be able to watch your child while he or she plays. But if you are unable to do this, make sure another adult you trust is there to supervise. If there are many children in your neighborhood who regularly use the playground, you could organize a schedule where all of the parents share responsibility for doing this.
2. Be familiar with the playground structure and potential problems. Even when children are always supervised, there are usually some areas of a playground that are hidden or obscured from view. All of the adults who spend time watching the children should be familiar with these areas, and should be sure to move around the playground rather than sitting in one spot.
3. Make sure the equipment is monitored. Small things such as rotting wood or rusty screws are sometimes overlooked, and they can become safety hazards. To put your mind at ease, find out who is responsible for checking for these issues. If no one is, find someone who has the knowledge to check for these small safety details.
4. Make sure repairs are done. From the small details mentioned above, to larger, more visible issues such as chipped paint or broken ladders, playgrounds are in need of constant repairs. Someone needs to be responsible for ensuring that problems are fixed in a timely fashion.
5. Assess the safety of the areas surrounding swing sets, slides, see-saws, etc. Not every playground can afford to put down the popular foam cushioning that several of them have. If your playground does not have this, make sure the dirt around the equipment is safe and free of large or jagged rocks. Planting grass can also be helpful.
6. Find out who owns or controls the playground. Whether the playground is privately owned, attached to a school, or under the control of the city parks department, someone is responsible for it. Network with this organization. If funds are not available for repairs or upgrades, offer to help by fundraising.
Every child, regardless of where they live or how much money their family has, deserves to have a safe and fun place to play outside. No child should have to play among rusty swing sets and broken teeter totters. Creating a safe playground in your neighborhood may take some effort. It may require making phone calls, attending meetings, and rallying other parents who have the same concerns. It may even require getting your own hands dirty and making some of the necessary changes yourself. All of this is worthwhile if it enhances the safety and happiness of your child and other children in your neighborhood.
1. Make sure that there is enough adult supervision. Ideally, you should be able to watch your child while he or she plays. But if you are unable to do this, make sure another adult you trust is there to supervise. If there are many children in your neighborhood who regularly use the playground, you could organize a schedule where all of the parents share responsibility for doing this.
2. Be familiar with the playground structure and potential problems. Even when children are always supervised, there are usually some areas of a playground that are hidden or obscured from view. All of the adults who spend time watching the children should be familiar with these areas, and should be sure to move around the playground rather than sitting in one spot.
3. Make sure the equipment is monitored. Small things such as rotting wood or rusty screws are sometimes overlooked, and they can become safety hazards. To put your mind at ease, find out who is responsible for checking for these issues. If no one is, find someone who has the knowledge to check for these small safety details.
4. Make sure repairs are done. From the small details mentioned above, to larger, more visible issues such as chipped paint or broken ladders, playgrounds are in need of constant repairs. Someone needs to be responsible for ensuring that problems are fixed in a timely fashion.
5. Assess the safety of the areas surrounding swing sets, slides, see-saws, etc. Not every playground can afford to put down the popular foam cushioning that several of them have. If your playground does not have this, make sure the dirt around the equipment is safe and free of large or jagged rocks. Planting grass can also be helpful.
6. Find out who owns or controls the playground. Whether the playground is privately owned, attached to a school, or under the control of the city parks department, someone is responsible for it. Network with this organization. If funds are not available for repairs or upgrades, offer to help by fundraising.
Every child, regardless of where they live or how much money their family has, deserves to have a safe and fun place to play outside. No child should have to play among rusty swing sets and broken teeter totters. Creating a safe playground in your neighborhood may take some effort. It may require making phone calls, attending meetings, and rallying other parents who have the same concerns. It may even require getting your own hands dirty and making some of the necessary changes yourself. All of this is worthwhile if it enhances the safety and happiness of your child and other children in your neighborhood.
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