Recess is often the highlight of a child’s school day, offering a chance to burn off energy and enjoy some unstructured playtime.
Empowering your child with safety knowledge can prevent many accidents, ensuring playtime is both fun and safe. Simple lessons make a big difference, including on the playground when kids are with teachers and friends.
Robert Besinger, MD, St. Dominic’s pediatrician, shares these tips to set your child up for playground success.
Stay Cool: Avoid Hot Equipment
Here in the South, temperatures can stay high deep into the fall. With school starting in August, our playground equipment could pose potential burn hazards. Metal slides, swings and even plastic surfaces can absorb heat and become dangerously hot.
Encourage your child to always test equipment with their hand before using it. If it’s too hot for their hand, they should find something else to play on.
Dressing appropriately for the heat is also important. Make sure your child wears light-colored, loose-fitting clothing to keep them cool when we are having high heat days.
Hats and sunglasses also provide extra protection from the sun. Remember to label them so they come home with your child at the end of the day!
Remember: Hydration Matters
The heat poses a dehydration risk for kids, so it’s important they know to drink water regularly, even if they don’t feel thirsty. A fun water bottle (also labeled!) can encourage kids to keep hydrating throughout the day, especially when outside in the heat.
Your child’s teacher or playground staff will keep an eye out for heat stroke, but teaching your kids to take a break if they start to feel overheated or sick can protect them, too.
Prevent Injuries with Safer Playground Surfaces
Ideally schools’ playground surfaces, especially under climbing structures and swings, would have mulch, sand or rubberized mats to reduce injury when falls inevitably happen.
Encourage your school leaders to advocate for safe playground surfaces and regular maintenance to keep the play environment as safe as possible.
Kids can scan for potential hazards like sharp objects on the ground and choose to play in safer spaces of the playground.
Children can also learn fall techniques, rolling with the fall and using hands and knees to absorb impact if possible.
Safety in Numbers: Teach Turn-Taking and Kindness
Kids can learn how to use playground equipment safely even before they head to school. Teach your child to take turns on the slide, swings and other equipment. This reduces crowding and the risk of pushing and falling.
Slides are one-way, especially at school where lots of children are playing at once. Climbing up a slide rather than using its ladder or steps can lead to avoidable falls and collisions.
When you’re at the playground or park with your child, be sure to slide separately. Dr. Besinger notes that every year he sees a number of injuries when a child’s leg gets entrapped while trying to slide with their caregiver. Never slide with a child on your lab.
Swing Smart: Avoid Danger Zones
Avoid the swings’ paths and be mindful of others’ play. Teach kids to stay clear of the arch of the swing and never walk in front of or behind a moving swing.
It’s important for kids to hold on tight and stay squarely seated while they’re swinging — and to be mindful of others who may wander into their swing’s path.
Play Safe and Have Fun
By equipping your child with these safety tips, you can help ensure they stay safe while enjoying their playground time, an essential part of childhood that offers exercise, social interaction and fun.
