Playground Safety

A Quick Checklist for Parents

Place this list in a prominent area of your home for quick reference. Then, before your children head out the door for the playground, check that:

• Supervision is present, but strings and ropes aren't.
  Adult presence is needed to watch for potential hazards, observe, intercede and facilitate play when necessary. Strings on clothing or ropes used for play can cause accidental strangulation if caught on equipment.
• All children play on age-appropriate equipment.
  Preschoolers, ages 2 - 5, and children, ages 5 - 12, are developmentally different and need different equipment located in separate areas to keep the playground safe and fun for all.
• Falls to surface are cushioned.
  Nearly 70 percent of all playground injuries are related to falls to the surface. Acceptable surfaces include hardwood fiber/mulch, pea gravel, sand and synthetic materials such as poured-in-place, rubber mats or tiles. Playground surfaces should not be concrete, asphalt, grass, blacktop, packed dirt or rocks.
• Equipment is safe.
  Check to make sure the equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed, bolts are not protruding, there are no exposed footings, etc.
• Safety checklists are available from the CPSC or the National Program for Playground Safety.

National Program for Playground Safety
School of Health, Physical Education & Leisure Services
WRC 205, University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0618