Safety
It is a great way for kids to have fun and enjoy the outdoors while getting great exercise. There are a few simple steps families should take to ensure that kids are safe while using home playground equipment.
First, children should always be supervised when using it. Children should be taught certain basic safety rules for using the equipment, including no fighting, pushing, or shoving. Children should also be shown certain safety hazards, such as walking in front of a moving swing or swinging empty swings at each other.
The surface under your home playground equipment should be energy absorbent. This includes mats which have been tested for safety or some kind of loose fill material. Examples of loose fill material include shredded rubber, wood chips, mulch, or sand. This material should be maintained at a depth of at least nine inches.
When assembling it make sure that you carefully follow the directions and that the equipment is properly assembled. Some safety concerns to be on the lookout for include protruding bolts, sharp edges, and screws and bolts that are not properly capped. Your equipment should be firmly anchored to the ground and on a level surface. Any platforms or ramp should include a railing to prevent a child from falling. It is also good to check the spaces between railings or ladder rungs to ensure that child cannot get stuck. These openings should always be either greater than nine inches or less than three and a half inches.
To avoid strangulation hazards never attach, or allow children to attach, any type of rope, pet leash, clothesline, or jump rope to the home playground equipment. It is a good idea to periodically inspect it to ensure that it is still in good condition and does not have any hazards around it.