School is nearly out for the summer, and that means getting kids outside for fun, fresh air, and exercise. A popular summer activity, visits to the playground can be fun and engaging, however every year there are thousands of visits to Ontario’s emergency rooms because of injuries sustained on playgrounds*. There are a few things to keep in mind to make sure kids stay safe on the playground and can make the most out of their summer. Some of these may be obvious, but it never hurts to have a reminder.

First, and most importantly, kids should always be supervised by an adult while using playground equipment. Often, kids can’t foresee dangerous circumstances or they may want to test their limits. Adults should keep an eye out for any activities that might be dangerous and intervene to prevent any potential injuries.

Even before kids hit the jungle gym, take a look around when you arrive at the playground. Make sure to walk on and around the play structure and take note of anything that might be dangerous. If you see things like lots of trash, broken glass, or broken equipment, don’t play there. Call your municipality who can send someone to clean up or fix the playground.

Equipment like swings, slides, and seesaws can be really fun, but also unsafe if not used correctly. Talk to kids about how to properly use these and why using them in other ways might be dangerous. Also, make sure kids use equipment that is appropriate for their age.

Finally, if your community is building a new playground this summer, there are a lot of considerations and safety standards to abide by. Make sure whoever is designing and building the playground abides by the Canadian Standards Association’s Children’s Playspaces and Equipment Standard. This standard covers everything from equipment to playground surfacing. KaBOOM has some great tips to follow if community members are participating in the building of the playground.

There are some great online resources for more information on playground safety. Check out this Playground Safety List from the Canadian Paediatric Society. KidsHealth.org is a great place for kids to read up on playground safety themselves.

Have any other tips for keeping the playground a fun, safe place? Let us know in the comments below.

*Canadian Institute for Health Information. 23 children visit an Ontario ER daily due to playground injuries. Ottawa: CIHI, 18 Jul. 2007.