Tuesday tips: National Playground Safety Week

For those of us with children, an afternoon at the local park is a real joy. During National Playground Safety, April 26-30, we take a few days to focus on children’s outdoor play environments. As parents, we take a look at our judgment when kids are playing. I recently discovered that 200,000 children are injured on America’s playgrounds annually. And there’s no nationally coordinated effort to help kids stay safer–it’s usually left up to local communities and schools.

As the National Program for Playground Safety points out, playgrounds don’t become safer all by themselves. They’re advocating for that national program to:

1. Provide proper supervision of children on playgrounds
2. Design age-appropriate playgrounds
3. Provide proper surfacing under and around playgrounds
4. Properly maintain playgrounds.

How you can help (from NPPS)

* Design and distribute surveys to discover favorite and least favorite equipment, as well as recurring playground problems and injuries.
* Send letters to your state governor encouraging them to proclaim National Playground Safety Week.
* Create and hang posters in schools and community areas outlining S.A.F.E. playground practices.
* Complete playground equipment safety checks and evaluations.
* Challenge your school to an injury-free week on the playground.
* Check out your local playgrounds. If there is hard surfacing, such as asphalt, concrete, dirt, or grass underneath play equipment, call the owner and politely voice your concern. Ask if there is anything you can do to help.
* Write to the editor of your hometown newspaper commenting on any playground safety issues in your local community. Give credit to those facilities with safe playgrounds as well.
* With children, make a maximum of five playground rules that they can remember and follow.
* Check for safety using NPPS Lesson Plans. To order, call 800-554-PLAY (7529).