How to keep your children safe on the playground

How to keep your children safe on the playground

Pay attention to these expert guidelines on playground safety to ensure your children leave the playground with fun memories and not broken bones.

Before you lock up your children at home or ban them from the playground altogether, you must remember that accidents do happen. But there’s a lot you can do to prevent them. Educating yourself about playground safety is vital and it’s equally important to pass the information on to your children using age-appropriate language before you get to the playground. It’s better to teach proactively rather than reactively. That way, your children will know what to look out for so you don’t have to constantly yell at them when they are doing the wrong thing.

Playground safety begins with your child wearing the right clothing. Go for closed-toe shoes and avoid laces that could loosen and get trapped in equipment. Loose clothing can also catch on equipment and cause falls or strangulation risks. Remove your kids’ bicycle helmets before they play, as helmets can lead to head entrapment in tight spaces. Before you let your children step foot on the playground, be sure to lay out some ground rules. Your rules might include taking turns, using equipment properly and keeping their hands to themselves.

Your children might be happy to be left to their own devices on the playground, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to supervise them. You have to always watch your child. A warm day may seem to present the perfect opportunity to visit the playground, but the combination of heat and metal equipment can end in tears. Touch the equipment before allowing your child to go on. Sometimes, the sun can increase the temperature so much it causes children’s skin to burn.