When you think of the word "playground," you probably think of children, schools, swings, slides, or fun. You probably do not think of safety procedures or guidelines. However, it is very important to realize that there are specific guidelines that should be followed when designing and building playgrounds. These guidelines are designed for the safety of the children who will be using the playground. Playgrounds should be a safe haven for children. They are a fundamental part of childhood. I think I can speak for many, if not all, of us when I say that many childhood memories involve playing on a playground. Until recently, I had not really thought about the guidelines that are to be followed when designing a playground. I have learned a lot about the condition that playgrounds should be in for the safety of children.
There is a checklist in the Handbook for Public Playground Safety that can be used when determining the condition of a playground. There are many things to consider, including surfacing, general hazards, deterioration of the equipment, security of hardware, drainage, and leaded paint. With this checklist in mind, I went with a small group to investigate a nearby school playground. This playground was the Augustine School Playground located in Jackson, Tennessee. We found the playground to be in overall good condition. One improvement we would suggest would be the surfacing. The surfacing at the playground was small rocks and pebbles. This kind of surface can be dangerous to children. I have recently learned more about tire surfacing, and think that it is a wonderful idea! There are two kinds of tire surfacing: carpet and the pieces of tire. I think that both of these are great because they are soft and provide a better cushioning for children if they fall. The only downside to tire surfacing is the cost. It is much more expensive than other kinds of surfacing. However, I think that it would be worth it for the safety of the children who will be playing on the playground. Another concern we had with the playground was the leaded paint. The paint had been chipped and peeled off on some of the pieces of equipment. While this is not a safety issue, it did make the playground look more "run-down" than it actually was.
According to the Handbook, there are more than 200,000 children treated in hospital emergencies each year for injuries occurring on playground equipment. This alarming statistic just includes the United States. Many of these injuries occur when children fall from the equipment to the ground. Also, many of these injuries could be prevented. This is why it is so important to consider the guidelines when building playgrounds. We need to work together to provide a safe place for children to play. As teachers, we also need to make sure that we are carefully supervising children as they play on the playground. We need to make sure we are walking around and watching the children. This can prevent injuries. There are many important things to consider when designing playgrounds. Let’s keep these in mind for the safety of children.
There is a checklist in the Handbook for Public Playground Safety that can be used when determining the condition of a playground. There are many things to consider, including surfacing, general hazards, deterioration of the equipment, security of hardware, drainage, and leaded paint. With this checklist in mind, I went with a small group to investigate a nearby school playground. This playground was the Augustine School Playground located in Jackson, Tennessee. We found the playground to be in overall good condition. One improvement we would suggest would be the surfacing. The surfacing at the playground was small rocks and pebbles. This kind of surface can be dangerous to children. I have recently learned more about tire surfacing, and think that it is a wonderful idea! There are two kinds of tire surfacing: carpet and the pieces of tire. I think that both of these are great because they are soft and provide a better cushioning for children if they fall. The only downside to tire surfacing is the cost. It is much more expensive than other kinds of surfacing. However, I think that it would be worth it for the safety of the children who will be playing on the playground. Another concern we had with the playground was the leaded paint. The paint had been chipped and peeled off on some of the pieces of equipment. While this is not a safety issue, it did make the playground look more "run-down" than it actually was.
According to the Handbook, there are more than 200,000 children treated in hospital emergencies each year for injuries occurring on playground equipment. This alarming statistic just includes the United States. Many of these injuries occur when children fall from the equipment to the ground. Also, many of these injuries could be prevented. This is why it is so important to consider the guidelines when building playgrounds. We need to work together to provide a safe place for children to play. As teachers, we also need to make sure that we are carefully supervising children as they play on the playground. We need to make sure we are walking around and watching the children. This can prevent injuries. There are many important things to consider when designing playgrounds. Let’s keep these in mind for the safety of children.
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