Teaching Your Kids about Playground Safety

Our Monday blog discussed playground safety in light of Playground Safety Awareness Week. As summer approaches, your kids will likely be heading off to the playground without your supervision. However, there are some things you can teach them that will help keep them safe while they play.

Remind them to never push other kids or roughhouse on the equipment. Some of the equipment is elevated off the ground and roughhousing can lead to falls and head injuries. Children should never stand on swings or swing to dangerous heights. If your kids ride their bicycles to the playground, tell them to park them away from the equipment so they are not a tripping hazard. Your kids should wear a safety helmet while they bike, but they should remove the helmet at the playground. The helmet straps can entangle in the equipment and cause strangulation or neck injuries.

Tell your kids to avoid the playground equipment immediately after it rains. Wet surfaces are slippery and create more fall hazards. By contrast, be careful of equipment on extremely hot days. Children can suffer contact burns by touching extremely hot handrails and slides.

Teaching your kids the above tips can ensure they will have a safe and fun time at your neighborhood playground.

Harrell & Nowak, L.L.C. – New Orleans injury lawyers