Health Topics

Lack of supervision is associated with 40 percent of playground injuries.

• The best way to prevent injuries on playgrounds is close supervision.
• Falls are the No. 1 injury children get while playing on playgrounds.
• Strangulations can also occur while a child is on a playground.
  • Avoid loose hanging ropes.  They are a strangulation risk.  A rope should be secured at both ends.
  • Never let your child wear helmets, necklaces, purses, scarves or clothing with drawstrings while on a playground.
• Teach your child the rules of the playground, including:
  • Never walk in front of a person swinging.
  • Go down the slide the right way, never backwards or head first.
• Before using playground equipment, make sure the metal surfaces are not too hot. They can cause serious burns if a child touches them. 
• If your home has a playground, make sure to:
• Install according to the manufacturer’s instructions and pay careful attention to anchoring (to prevent the playground set from falling over)
• Install surfacing under your playground to help soften the impact of falls and prevent serious injuries.  Good surfaces include:
• Rubber
• Sand
• Sawdust (12 inches deep)
• Wood chip
• Bark
• Install the playground at least 6 feet away from fences or walls

• Asphalt, dirt, concrete and grass are not acceptable surfaces to place underneath playground equipment.
• A one-foot fall onto concrete could cause a concussion.