Worried about keeping your kids safe on the home playground? Here are some tried-and-tested safety tips you can implement at home.
Home playgrounds and other outdoor play equipment are a fantastic way for your kids to stay busy, get some fresh air, meet their exercise needs and most importantly: have fun! That said, to keep your home playground an entertaining place for your kids, it’s important to take some safety precautions to avoid any potential injuries or accidents. While you can never eliminate risk, there are many steps you can take to ensure that your kids are as safe as can be while they play in the backyard.
Read on to learn about how you can keep your kids safe with our top home playground safety tips.
Establish some ground rules for playground safety.
Set some ground rules for playground time with your kids. You can write them down on a word document, print them out and stick them on the door to have as a reminder each time they go out.
On your ground rules list, you can include:
- No pushing each other. Instead, take turns.
- Sit properly on swings and avoid leaning back too far.
- Don’t wear any clothing with drawstrings that can get caught in equipment.
- Wear sunscreen even on cloudy days.
- No running up the slide. Only slide down.
- Make sure that the playground and trampoline are dry before playing.
- Only jump on the trampoline when an adult is present.
- Never jump off a trampoline to the ground.
- No flips or somersaults while jumping.
- Make sure to wear your playground shoes (more on this later).
To take it a step further and make it a habit for your kids, you can print out your ground rules as a checklist and have your kids actually tick off the boxes. This teaches them other skills as well, like how to follow instructions and take responsibility. Not to mention, it’ll be an engaging activity that encourages them to stay safe!
Inspect your equipment.
Make sure that your playground equipment is age-appropriate, in good condition and safe. If you purchase from a reputable and high-quality seller, chances are you won’t need to worry too much about this. If you want to take it a step further, you can hire a professional to ensure that the equipment is assembled properly and securely.
Have adult supervision at all times.
There must be close and focused adult supervision at all times while kids are playing. This is actually the most important factor related to preventing or minimising injuries in the playground.
Ensure your kids wear proper shoes.
Kids love to race as fast as they can on the playground and have some friendly competition. To prevent slipping and falling, make sure that they’re wearing shoes with a strong grip. This could be either sneakers or sandals that are closed in the back. Flip-flops are a definite no-go!
However, if your kids are going to be jumping on the trampoline, ask them to remove their shoes beforehand. It’s safer to bounce barefoot (or with trampoline socks on).
Make sure the area is clean and dry.
It goes without saying that wet outdoor play equipment or ones that are littered with tripping hazards are both dangerous. Have your kids inspect the playground before they start playing (along with your supervision and double-checking of course). This is also applicable to public playgrounds where there’s a higher risk of unsafe objects being found on the premises.
Safety first!
Home playgrounds are a fun and accessible way to keep your kids entertained. With the above home playground safety tips, you’ll ensure that your kids will have both a fun and safe time!
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