Playground Safety Tips
- Choose age-appropriate playground equipment for your child. Never allow a child who is younger than the posted recommended age play on equipment designed for older children. Keep older children off of elements designed for smaller ones to help prevent unintentional injuries.
- Take your child to playgrounds that have shock-absorbing or soft surfaces to help prevent serious fall injuries.
- Avoid outdated playground equipment made from pressure-treated wood. Between 1975 and 2003, most pressure-treated woods were manufactured using chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a wood preservative that can expose children to dangerous levels of arsenic when their skin comes into contact with the wood. The process was banned for residential use in 2004. If you are uncertain as to the age of your local playground equipment, look for a greenish tinge to the wood, which indicates it has been treated with CCA. Much older woods may not show the color, however. Woods that have been sealed regularly or have been recently painted should be safe.
- Always keep an eye on your children while they are at play. Of the 800,000 children that go missing each year in the U.S., 58,200 were abducted by non-family members. Thirty-two percent were taken from a street or in a car, and approximately 25 percent were taken from parks or wooded areas. Never place a younger child in the care of an older child under the age of 12 without adult supervision.
- Speak with your child about the proper use of playground equipment, and monitor them carefully to ensure that they are not misusing slides, swings, and other elements.
- Teach your child not to push or shove other children on the playground, especially at the top of slides, jungle gyms, or other climbing structures.
- Clean, medicate, and bandage small cuts and abrasions immediately, and be sure your child's tetanus shots are up-to-date. Keep a first-aid kit in the car or your purse.
- Take falls or bad bumps seriously - especially if they involve your child's head or neck. If your child loses consciousness or falls in such a way as to injure his neck or back, do not move him. Make sure he is breathing, then have someone contact emergency personnel while you protect his head and neck and keep him immobile until they arrive.
- Keep your child well-hydrated when outdoors on a hot day, and re-apply sunscreen every two hours.
- Dress your child in appropriate clothing and shoes for playground activities. Flip-flops and open-toed shoes can leave your child's feet exposed to injury or come off when she is running and potentially cause a fall. Sneakers and other soft-soled, closed-toed shoes are best for running and climbing.
Resources & Further Reading
NCJRS.gov
Missing Kids
Stranger Danger
FBI: NCIC
