Prevent playground injuries

Children spend countless hours playing on equipment in backyards and at parks. Parents should be alert to potential play area hazards and take steps to prevent injuries.

Age-appropriate equipment – Some play areas only provide one piece of equipment for all ages. The result is younger children get injured on equipment designed for older children who are larger and stronger. Make sure the playgrounds your child uses have equipment for his or her age and skill level.

Proper surfacing under and around equipment – Nearly 200,000 children each year are treated in hospital emergency rooms as a result of falls from playground equipment onto unsafe surfaces. Asphalt, concrete, dirt and grass do not provide cushioned protection from falls and should not be used in the "fall zone" under or around equipment. Surfaces such as pea gravel, sand, wood chips or mulch, and synthetic surfaces designed for playgrounds help reduce the impact of falls and the seriousness of injuries.

Adult supervision – Children should be supervised whenever playing on equipment. Playground injuries can happen anytime and anywhere and adult attention may be needed immediately.

Playground maintenance – Broken or poorly maintained equipment is involved in 30 percent of all playground injuries. Your visual impression of a playground is important. Ask yourself these questions:

• Are there any broken pieces of equipment such as broken swing seats or teeter-totters?
• Is there trash such as broken bottles or can tops lying around that could cause injuries?
• Does the playground have adequately cushioned surfacing that is deep enough to prevent injury?

In addition, teach your children these playground safety rules:

• Never run, push, shove or fight while near or on equipment.
• Sit in the proper position on equipment.
• Take turns using equipment if several children want to use it at the same time. Do not overcrowd equipment.
• Always use the ladder to reach the top of the slide, rather than crawling up the slide.
• Avoid walking into the path of a moving swing.
• Never wear a bicycle helmet while playing at a playground. The chinstrap can cause choking if caught on equipment.
• Never wear hoods or clothing with strings, which also can cause choking.