Playground Safety and Why Your Playground Should Be Safer
As playgrounds are meant to be a place for children to unwind and socialise, the safety of a playground is an important factor to consider. Playgrounds are not immune to damage and as time passes their condition can deteriorate, making them not so child friendly and eventually may lead to closing them. No parent wants their child to play on an old and possibly unsafe playground. This poses a whole new set of troubles, as there are a number of health concerns for our children considering the digital era we live in. With not enough safe and entertaining playgrounds for families to visit, issues like obesity and mental illnesses worsen even more for children.
A safe playground is likely to attract more people, making the community area or school much more captivating, which in turn would attract more new families to live in the local area. So, what do you need to do in order to achieve an attractive, safe playground?
Here are some things to consider for a safer playground:
Always keep your playground well maintained
Even newer equipment eventually deteriorates, so having a maintenance team or service taking care of your playground will make it much safer for playing. With time, equipment can become rusty and easier to break, which can spell trouble for children and parents alike. Assessing and repairing the damage or even replacing, as soon as possible, will save you and the visiting families from any worry.
Use soft surfaces around your equipment
Children love being wild with their games, however this can sometimes raise concerns, as naturally accidents can happen when they get into games with their friends. It takes just a second for a child to trip or to fall from equipment. Softer surfaces in the play areas will surely make a fine addition for a safer playground, as they will protect children from harsh injuries.
Age-appropriate equipment and areas
Children of different ages have different capabilities and interests. Equipment for climbing activities has one of the highest injury rates, so it is better suited in areas for older children, while sandboxes are among the best for the youngest ones. This would also help to create different zones and boundaries between the activities. Small fencing between the play areas, and especially on the outer perimeter of the playground, is a safe option too.
Make use of playground markings
Supervision of children is much easier, when a playground has markings. They are interesting and colourful, making it easier for children to engage and less likely to run off the playground. They provide numerous entertaining and educational options, while also being diverse, allowing solo and multi-play alike, making them among the most cost-efficient and safe options for any playground. They too can be used to create zones for the children.
Going out with friends and playing is something all children love to do. So, it’s important to have lots of safe, quality playgrounds nowadays to support parents and teachers in keeping children off technology and motivate them to do things that could enrich their lives.
Playing outside, meeting new people and learning are just some of the many things that playgrounds provide. Lots of fun, giggles and amazing memories are made on playgrounds as those are all things that are important to children and make a fantastic childhood.
Our playground markings are child-friendly, extremely durable, anti-slip and non-toxic! If you want to take one more step towards a safer and more appealing playground, contact us to help you achieve it.
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