Playground Safety Tips for Outdoor Recreation for Kids

by Florida Playgrounds Florida Playgrounds, Inc

Playground equipment is essential in allowing children to grow up physically fit and in great shape. During playtime, children interact together and learn a lot of things that are essential for their overall growth. Providing them with the right playground equipment ensures that the children grow up mentally and physically healthy.

While providing proper playground equipment is essential, finding the right equipment is quite challenging. You need to put into consideration a lot of things before settling on the right equipment. Today, we are living in a fast-paced technology-driven society where there are so many options to choose from. Safety is vital and should be your primary point in selecting your equipment.

Playground Design Safety

The most valuable factors to consider while evaluating the safety of any playground facilities is properly designed surface, spacing, and inspection and maintenance of the equipment. Safe playground surface is arguably the most vital factor to consider when you need to lower the risks of injuries during playtime. The surfaces beneath the playground equipment should be made from soft material that is thick enough to lessen the fall impacts by kids from the equipment.

The following are a few things to consider:

Asphalt, blacktop, and concrete are considered highly unsafe for playgrounds. Grass cover and earth surfaces are also risky because wear and tear by weather conditions can lower their safety cushion capabilities. Additionally, you need to ensure that the playground surface is free from stagnant water, solid debris such as rocks, broken glass, twisted metals, and tree stumps that are likely to cause trips and falls.

A safe playground can be filled with a material such as wood chips, sand, pea gravel, mulch, or shredded rubber. Avoid wood chips that contain chromated copper arsenate because this can be a dangerous health hazard. You can also consider mats made of high-quality and tested rubber material that is much safer. Always remember that proper surfacing cannot prevent all playground injuries. Avoid greater heights of playground equipment as they are potentially risky and kids may get injured from falls.

Shade Structures

A great playground should also consist of shade structures that help keep the playground safe from the sun's radiation and protect the equipment from weather conditions. They are instrumental in guarding against UVA and UVB rays which are responsible for causing skin cancer. Playgrounds remain cooler with 20-30 degrees hence allowing children to enjoy their playtime. They can also be designed to integrate well with the playground equipment.