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Most children enjoy trips to the playground. The slides, monkey bars, swings, and climbing walls keep kids entertained for hours, and many meet new friends when exploring public playgrounds. Parents enjoy letting their children burn their energy with a bit of physical activity. Unfortunately, playgrounds also send more than 200K children to the ER each year with injuries ranging from fractures and lacerations to concussions.
Summer, fall, and early spring are ideal for young children to venture out to public parks and playgrounds. Before letting children run free on playground equipment, keep these playground safety tips in mind to help minimize the risk of injuries.
Table of Contents:
National Program for Playground Safety
The Playground Safety Checklist for Parents
Common Playground Injuries
Playground Deaths Per Year
Sprains, Fractures, and Concussions
Learn the Concussion Symptoms in Children
Types of Bone Fractures
When Stitches Are Necessary for an Abrasion
Never Hesitate to Call 911
Key Takeaways:
Hundreds of thousands of children sustain injuries on playgrounds each year. Proper supervision, an understanding of appropriate playground equipment for a child’s age and abilities, and adequate protective ground surface materials all help reduce the incidence of abrasions, fractures, sprains, and other injuries.
About the National Program for Playground Safety
Based out of the University of Northern Iowa, the National Program for Playground Safety was founded in 1995 and funded in part via a grant from the Centers for Disease Control. The program serves as the premier resource on playground safety and provides parents, caregivers, and schools with information about playground safety training and offers information for finding a playground safety inspector.
The program provides educational materials about playground surfaces, proper playground maintenance, and determining the best (and safest) equipment. Parents, public parks personnel, and schools also have access to information about ADA-compliant playgrounds (or inclusive equipment) and advice on emergency planning.
NPPS also manages certification and training for playground inspectors. Students may select from two certification options: Early Childhood Outdoor Play Inspector or School and Community Outdoor Play Inspector.
The Playground Safety Checklist for Parents
Playground injuries happen for numerous reasons. Lack of supervision, inappropriate equipment for age (or ability), and surfacing materials all play a role in playground safety. Not all equipment suits all ages; some surfaces are not designed to cushion a fall.
Parents are responsible when bringing their children to a public playground. Public playgrounds do not have recess monitors or teachers who oversee the activities. Parents must understand their child’s physical abilities and direct them to the appropriate equipment.
Many public playgrounds offer larger equipment for older children and a smaller playground for toddlers and younger children. Parents should supervise their children and ensure they are playing on age-appropriate equipment. In addition, parents should keep these safety rules in mind:
Do not let children play on wet playground equipment. If stairs and ladders are wet, save the playground adventure for another day. Slips lead to falls and injuries.
Always dress children in appropriate clothing, and choose shoes with a good grip. Crocs are fine for water play but are not designed for climbing.
Children should slide down a slide feet first. Sliding head first can lead to a head injury, including a concussion.
Assess the surface material beneath the equipment. The best materials for playgrounds cushion a fall. Most public playgrounds install rubber material. Ditch playgrounds are installed over plain grass, asphalt, or cement. The NPPS recommends pea gravel, sand, crumb rubber, rubber tiles, etc.
Beware of metal slides. The metal surface becomes dangerously hot, leading to burns and injury.
Keep merry-go-round speed manageable if this equipment is still found on a playground. However, old school equipment like merry-go-rounds are no longer installed on newer playgrounds. These playground activities pose a safety hazard, as children can slide off during the fast rotation (leading to serious injuries). Sports Illustrated wrote an homage to the nostalgic playground ride.
Common Playground Injuries
More than 200,000 children take a trip to a local emergency room because of a playground injury. What are the most common injuries treated? According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, broken bones, sprains, lacerations, and bruises account for most reported injuries. However, the hospital explains that falling results in most injuries.
Playground Deaths Per Year
Yes, children die from playground injuries. Nationwide Children’s Hospital reports that playground deaths are attributed largely to accidental strangulation from clothes, strings, or ropes.
To minimize this risk, parents should be mindful about clothing choices. Choose clothing without ties and strings that can get tangled on equipment. Beware of rope features at public playgrounds.
Sprains, Fractures, and Concussions
Fractures are the most common playground injury, accounting for 36 percent of reported injuries (2001-2008). Contusions/abrasions account for 20 percent of injuries, and lacerations account for 17 percent. Minor injuries like strains and sprains account for 12 percent of injuries. In addition, playground injuries also lead to internal organ damage (5 percent).
Learn the Concussion Symptoms in Children
Concussions only account for around 3 percent of playground injuries, per ABC. However, this injury is serious, and some playground features may increase the risk of falls that lead to a concussion—according to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children, monkey bars, swings, and climbing structures contributed to the majority of traumatic brain injuries (including concussions).
Many children enjoy swinging high and jumping from the swing. Unfortunately, this activity never guarantees a safe landing, and children could fall and jolt their heads. Jumping from monkey bars or climbing structures (or falling) also increases the risk. Parents should supervise their children to ensure that all equipment is used properly.
Concussion symptoms do not appear as Hollywood portrays them. Children with a concussion may have the following symptoms:
Confusion (unable to remember events before their fall or accident)
Dizziness/nausea/vomiting
Poor motor coordination
Double vision
Sleep issues (including feeling overly tired)
Mood or personality changes
Types of Bone Fractures
Broken arms are a common injury among children. John Hopkins reports that fractured forearms, wrists, or above-the-elbow fractures are the most common. These injuries can happen while playing on the playground, in PE class, or during sports.
Parents cannot always prevent these injuries. However, climbing equipment or inappropriate playground equipment use may increase the fracture risk.
When Stitches Are Necessary for an Abrasion
Sharp areas on playgrounds or falls onto sharp rocks or materials can lead to an abrasion. Does the cut need stitches? Parents should never hesitate to call 911 when they are concerned about a wound. Here are a few warning signs that indicate a trip to the ER is necessary:
Bleeding that doesn’t stop after 10 minutes
Deep wounds that reveal tissue
Long wounds
Any wound in the eye or throat (do not remove items piercing the area)
It is accompanied by other concerning symptoms (fast breathing, dizziness, etc.)
Never Hesitate to Call 911
Meramec Ambulance District crews respond to playground emergencies in the area. Parents should not hesitate to dial 911 if their child suffers a major fall or injury. We urge parents always to supervise children on all public playgrounds. When emergencies happen, do not delay treatment or emergency outreach. Our crews offer care and advice on next steps for treatment, and, in the event of more serious injuries, Meramec provides rapid response and transportation to the closest ER for proper treatment and care.
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