![]() For example, swings may be too close together, or not have enough clearance behind and in front of the set. And, if the equipment is older, it may not come with modern safety features or standards. Remember, maintenance is not always required after a playground is installed. You can also quiz the kids with random questions each day, before they go out the door for playtime. You can do this with photographs, like flashcards. But our suggestion is to teach them to the group beforehand. Sometimes, the above pointers can be taught to daycare kids while they’re on the playground, as teachable moments. Kids need to be taught that these can be dangerous to their health it won’t come naturally to their logic. This also applies to trash, dead animals, and the like. Kids should be ultra sensitive to not touch these things. This is gross, but sometimes things like used condoms, and those needles we mentioned above, are left on playgrounds or their surrounding fields. ‘Dirty’ things that don’t belong on the playground.This includes needles, broken glass, nails or other objects left behind by irresponsible citizens (yes, we said it!). Sharp objects that don’t belong on the playground.For wood parts of a playground, make sure there are no breakages that could cause splinters or cuts. Balls, jump ropes and toy cars can be real hazards in those small climbing spaces, especially with elevated openings that can just ‘scream’ for an unintentional fall. And, while rocks, sticks and toys may be part of the playground scene, make sure kids know they shouldn’t be in the way, especially on slides, or places they can trip. Tripping, bruising and cutting hazards. ![]() Otherwise, honestly, we’d say to just avoid the playground all together. Pea gravel, wood chips or other synthetic material should be used. Grass or dirt are too hard for potential playground falls. For that, it should be at least 10 – 12 inches thick, and extend at least 6 feet around the playground equipment. The ‘padding’ on the ground should not only be made of a soft material, it should also absorb the impact of the fall. This is the most serious cause of injury on a playground. Hard foundations or lack of soft cushioning on the ground.Always touch metal slides and rails softly before letting them burn you. Sometimes, playground equipment made of metal, or even plastic, can get hot in the summer. The kids should know not to step on the very wet playgrounds, however tempting it may be! Wet, slippery surfaces, such as on the slide (especially since kids like climbing up them).If they see a bar that isn’t tightly screwed in, or a swing hook or pole leg that looks wobbly, they should tell their teacher or parent right away, and ask the other kids not to go near that equipment. But, in general, kids should be attuned to: The type of instruction will vary depending on the age group of the daycare kids you’re teaching about playground safety. The good news is that kids pick up facts pretty quickly, and some of them (depending on personalities) like to point out the ‘rules’ too! Before heading to the playground, daycare educators should be conversing with kids about this issue (like, during circle time, for instance). So, one way to handle this is to make sure that during play, kids are aware of safety standards. And, we’re not exactly going to go through a 20-point-checklist before touching playground equipment either (though, we technically should, and would encourage it). But if we’re honest, we mostly assume the playground is safe. The adults ‘in charge’ usually notice ‘big’ things, like maybe a wet, slippery slide. It’s easy to get excited when arriving at a playground, and to charge ahead and get playing right away. It’s important that adults and kids alike learn to keep their eyes open for any potential hazards on a playground. Teach kids and caregivers to scout their play area and playground equipment Below we’ll outline some of the major ways to teach playground safety at daycare. This applies to early childhood educators and caregivers supervising children too. So, in short, it’s important that we keep reminding our daycare kids to be safe on the playground. The good news is that bigger injuries (such as head injuries and open wounds) were reduced when playgrounds got safer, and more people began paying attention to playground safety rules. Most of these injuries happen to kids aged 5 to 9, and most are from falling, which result in fractures. ![]() While that’s not a staggering statistic, no parent wants their child to be part of that 29,000. According to the The Canadian Paediatric Society, 29,000 children up to age 15 go to the emergency room for playground injuries. Injuries on playgrounds are a serious issue.
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