Every parent knows the struggle of trying to fill the seemingly never ending holidays with fun, engaging activities. Trips out are a lot of fun but the costs can mount up and they are also tiring for everybody involved. To make sure the kids are having fun whilst also keeping you sane, the playground is an ideal activity. However, accidents can happen and ensuring the playground in question is a safe environment is a top priority.
Most playgrounds are specially designed to be safe spaces for children but the nature of the climbing and activity on playgrounds mean accidents can take place. There are a few things to look out for to make sure the playground you’re going to is the safest it can be.
Safe playgrounds
An important factor for safety is to ensure the playground you go to is aimed at the right age to suit your kids. There are often separate, safer play areas for under 5 year-olds. So, if you have children of this age, try and restrict them to the appropriate playground.
When you arrive, even if it is a playground you are familiar with, have a look at all the equipment to ensure there are no obvious defects. Things to look for include rusted equipment, cracks in plastic or defects in the surfacing. If you observe any such issues, then highlight them to the local council (or whoever runs the playground) so that they can hopefully resolve the problem before your next visit.
Even if you do notice any problems like these, it doesn’t have to mean the outing is over. Explain they can no longer use that particular piece of equipment and why (if you don’t think this will encourage your child to play on it more!) but keep a watchful eye out.
Another thing to consider is the surfacing beneath and around the play equipment. There are plenty of options that will help absorb impact in case of falls. Look for products such as sand, pea gravel, wood chips, mulch and shredded rubber, which will be safer for your kids. Other safe options include rubber mats, synthetic turf and other artificial materials which will also require less maintenance.
Ideally, these surfaces should spread at least 6 feet out from the equipment. Higher play equipment may need the safe surface to extend even further. For swings, surfacing should extend at least twice the height of the set, i.e. a ten feet high swing should be placed on a surface radiating twenty feet from the equipment. It is best to avoid any playgrounds surfaced with non-impact absorbing products. Flooring such as grass, concrete, dirt, gravel or tarmac could be dangerous if a child lands on it.
Supervising holiday activities for kids
In any holiday activities for kids but especially at a playground, it is important to supervise your children. This is the thing most likely to keep them safe and prevent accidents. Most children will, of course, be clamouring for your attention and calling out ‘Watch this’, ‘Look at me’ so this shouldn’t be too difficult to achieve!
It is also vital to teach your children the appropriate way to behave at playgrounds. Explain how pushing or shoving is not OK and can even be dangerous if done on high platforms on the playground. Ensure your children are dressed appropriately for the playground – be aware that necklaces, scarves or drawstrings can be hazards. There is potential for items such as these to get caught on equipment.
Of course, there is an increasing number of indoor play areas, such as soft play or specially designed adventure play areas. These may tick more boxes in terms of safety with fun holiday activities for kids if this is a particular concern for you. They also have the added advantage of providing a space for different fun holiday activities for kids whatever the weather!
We’ve all been caught out getting soaked on what should be a fun day out. Soft play areas can be suitable for a wide range of ages, with sections specially designed for babies and toddlers. There are also indoor adventure playgrounds, which provide an exciting but safe environment for older children to try some more physically demanding activities. Whatever you opt for, a safe space for your children to get active and have fun is perfect for the holidays!
