As back-to-school season hits and you race to the park to soak up the last days of summer, it’s important to know how you can keep your kids safe on the playground. Each year, more than 200,000 kids are treated in hospital emergency rooms for playground-related injuries. Faulty equipment, rough surfaces and reckless behavior can quickly turn a game of tag into a trip to the ER. Knowing proper playground safety can help you prevent injuries during this busy and active end-of-summer season.

Preventing Playground Mishaps

Many playground accidents can be prevented with proper supervision and by laying some ground rules for playground behavior. There are many ways you can make sure the playground equipment is safe for your child to use. Look around for dangerous materials like glass, metal and other sharp objects. Check swings and slides to make sure they are stable and intact. Move any large branches or other possible hazards out of the areas where kids may be running. Taking a few minutes to assess the safety of the playground before you let your child roam free could help prevent a potential break or sprain.

Having safe equipment and adult supervision is only part of ensuring playground safety. Teaching kids how to play safely and how to be aware of their surroundings can also help prevent serious injuries from occurring.

Spend some time talking with your kids to make sure they understand that they need to:

• Use equipment properly — e.g., always slide feet first, never stand on swings or seesaws, etc.
• Leave bikes and backpacks away from the equipment and play area so that no one trips over them.
• Never push while on jungle gyms, slides or other equipment.
• Always check to make sure other kids are out of their way before they jump off equipment.
• Appropriately climb up and down a rock wall.
• Steer clear of hard surfaces like asphalt or gravel.

While there are many necessary precautions to ensure proper playground safety, playgrounds are helpful for building strength, coordination and depth perception. They are a great resource for getting kids active, keeping them in shape and giving them a safe space to interact with their friends.

Some playground accidents are inevitable despite any measures you may take to prevent an injury from occurring. The fact is, bones and muscles are much smaller and weaker in growing children than adults, making them more prone to injury. Life is unexpected, but our After Hours urgent care locations make it easy to get help when playground injuries do occur.