Playground accidents can happen both at public parks as well as in the backyard on home playground
equipment. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000
children under 14 years of age end up in the emergency room each year as a result of accidents on
playgrounds.
Fortunately, there are several things you can do to try to help make sure your child avoids injuries when
playing on playground equipment.
- Make sure the playground equipment is not installed on a hard ground surface, such as concrete or
blacktop.
- To help protect against falls, make sure the play area has a soft surface, such as wood mulch,
shredded tires, or sand. The soft surface should be at least one foot in thickness.
- Play areas for younger children should be separate from those intended for older children.
- Areas intended for swinging, jumping, and climbing should be kept separate from areas intended for
quieter play, such as sandboxes.
- Playground equipment should be regularly inspected to make sure it is free from sharp edges,
exposed nails, loose screws, or peeling paint before allowing children to play.
- A barrier, such as a fence, should be in place between the play area and any nearby streets.
- Don't let children play on any equipment with openings where their head or another body part could
become trapped or squeezed.
- Make sure your child's clothing doesn't contain any strings that could become caught in the play
equipment.
- Inspect your children's play area regularly for any potential hazards that could cause an injury, such
as holes in the ground, that might not have been there the last time they used the play equipment.
Always remember that there is no substitute for the watchful eye of caring adults and family remembers,
especially where small children are playing. Whether your child is playing in the backyard or you are visiting
the playground at a local park, take a few minutes to check playgrounds for potential hazards, and you can
help reduce your child's potential for injury.
