Keith just bought a lot next to his school, where he wants to build an outdoor playground. Unfortunately, he is uninformed about safety issues. What things would you tell him to keep in mind to make sure his playground equipment is safe?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Equipment should be securely anchored to the ground and in good repair, with no sharp edges, broken or splintered elements, or loose nuts and bolts. There should be no openings that could trap a child’s head, fingers, hands, or feet. Swing seats should be made of a lightweight material. Safety is also fostered when equipment is of appropriate size; climbing heights should not exceed the reaching height of the children. The surfacing material under swings and climbing structures must also be considered to ensure that children are somewhat cushioned if they fall. In some parts of the country, spiders and other insects like to nest in dark parts of play equipment; for instance, inside tires. Thus, frequent safety checks should be carried out and appropriate measures taken in such cases. If there is frequent rain, tires can also trap water, which then stagnates and attracts mosquitoes; drilling drainage holes into the bottoms of tires can avoid this problem.