Safe Playgrounds Research Articles

Poor Neighborhoods: Safe Playgrounds

Although unstructured physical play is helpful to child development and physical activity is important to obesity prevention, up-to-date information about playgrounds and playground hazards in urban areas is limited. Local data are needed to identify problems and target interventions. The aim of this study was to describe the hazards in playgrounds located in low-income (median dollars 28,728-38,915) and very low-income (median dollars 18,266-18,955) Chicago neighborhoods. Using a standardized on-site survey (National Program for Playground Safety), two investigators reviewed seventy-eight public playgrounds for hazards related to playground design, safe surfaces, supervision, and equipment design and maintenance. The design of 56 playgrounds (72%) posed no hazards. One playground lacked protection from motor vehicles, and 21 had minor flaws. One playground had an asphalt surface; all others had protective surfaces, usually wood chips. The chips were too thin in many places, and in 15 playgrounds (19%), at least one concrete footing was exposed. Trash was a common surface hazard (68%). Although most equipment was safe (swings of soft materials and appropriate platform barriers), many pieces needed repairs. Equipment maintenance hazards included gaps (44%) and missing (38%) or broken parts (35%). In 13 of 39 playgrounds (33%) where children were observed playing, one or more were unsupervised. Playgrounds in very low-income neighborhoods more often had trash in the fall zone and exposed footings (P<.01 for each); there were no differences between low and very low-income neighborhoods in playground design or equipment maintenance. We conclude that playgrounds in low-income Chicago neighborhoods are of good design and have appropriate surfaces. Needed improvements include attention to wood chip depth, the removal of trash from the fall zone, and equipment repairs. Greater adult supervision is warranted.

Safety First

Children, Youth and Environments Vol. 15 No. 1 (2005) ISSN: 1546-2250 Safety First Webber, Rebecca (2004). Compass Point Books; 24 pages. $19.93. ISBN 0756506263. According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, “every day more than 39,000 children are injured seriously enough to require medical treatment” (2004). Unintentional injuries are “the leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United States” (NSKC 2004). While motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injury to school-age occupants ages 5-14, many other injuries are caused by pedestrian and bicycle accidents, fires, falls, poisoning and sports to mention a few. These injuries can happen at home, in the neighborhood, at friends’ homes, on bicycles, skateboards, roller blades and at playgrounds. Not all accidents are related to play. Some are the result of just being curious. Much has been written for parents and other trusted adults who oversee the lives of their children. Two recent books on safety were written for easy reading by children. The first book is Safety First by Rebecca Weber. Ms. Weber has woven eye-catching graphics with simple yet effective safety messages. I found the book to be thorough in that she included safety messages for many locations and situations where children spend time. A young reviewer, Katie, age eight, liked the pictures and thought the book would be perfect for first and second graders. As adult readers we thought the book would be great for kindergartners as well. 440 The broad nature of the material covered makes this a very good resource book to develop and promote safe behavior around the house. The chapter “Safe at Home” focuses on the areas that can be the most dangerous to young curious children. The book provides ways to constructively address these behaviors, instead of just saying “NO!” to a child. Finally, this book can provide insight to young readers so they can have some control over the places in their lives. Whether at home, at school, or on the playground, children should be aware of what is going on around them. The second book, Playground Safety by Peggy Pancella, focuses more specifically on playgrounds. It provides more detail and covers safety issues surrounding various pieces of playground equipment. The colorful graphics feature children at play on a variety of equipment. The author provides simple-to-follow tips and guidelines for swings, slides, and climbing equipment, among others. A young reviewer, Peter, age five, thought the pictures were colorful and that the book told him what not to do on the playground. Peter found this book a little longer to read than Safety First. As adult readers we believe Playground Safety can easily be read by second and third graders. A comprehensive playground safety program includes four important points: (1) standards and specifications for new equipment and playground surfacing; (2) a program for maintenance of the equipment and playground surface; (3) guidelines and procedures for playground supervisors; and finally, (4) information directly for the students on safe playground behavior. Playground Safety nicely fits the bill for point four. This book should be available in elementary schools for teachers and aides to use to introduce and reinforce expected behavior on the playground. In the event that a school does not have districtwide playground safety guidelines, Playground Safety can be used. Both Safety First and Playground Safety are appropriate for elementary school libraries. These books could be a focus for PTA fundraising efforts. In addition, the books could be made available for sale at school book fairs. 441 Parents and teachers alike can use both of these books to introduce and reinforce safe behavior. Children can read the books for themselves and be reminded of what they have heard and read about safe behavior. This is another way that parent and teacher “safety rules” can be accepted as first-hand information by children. Both of us spend a portion of our time developing and promoting safety programs for elementary school children. We are concerned with teaching children appropriate behaviors on our playgrounds. These books will be helpful in our goal to provide meaningful yet easy to use material for our teachers and teacher aides in...

Risk Factor Four: Equipment and Surfacing Maintenance on Safe Playgrounds

(2000). Risk Factor Four: Equipment and Surfacing Maintenance on Safe Playgrounds. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 71, No. 4, pp. 20-24.

Risk Factor Three: Fall Surfacing on Safe Playgrounds

The following two articles conclude a two-part feature on playground safety. In the March issue, after an introduction by feature editors Susan Hudson and Donna Thompson, Lawrence and Lorna Bruya described the various strategies that constitute adequate playground supervision, while Louis Bowers and Carl Gabbard offered advice on constructing age-appropriate play environments for two-to-five-year-olds and five-to-12-year-olds.

Risk Factor One: Supervision on a Safe Playground

(2000). Risk Factor One: Supervision on a Safe Playground. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 20-22.

Risk Factor Two: Age-Appropriate Design of Safe Playgrounds

(2000). Risk Factor Two: Age-Appropriate Design of Safe Playgrounds. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 71, No. 3, pp. 23-25.

A nursing intervention to ensure a safe playground environment

Unintentional injuries sustained on school playgrounds are a continual problem not only for children but also for the school nurses who are concerned with their safety. A group of school nurses organized by the local health department's pediatric nurse practitioner responded proactively to this problem by enlisting both school officials and studients to accept joint responsibility for a safe play environment. The school nurses assisted the staff in providing a safe play environment and encouraged the students to behave in a safe and acceptable manner on the playground. The nurses developed (a) a Playground Safety Assessment Guide for the school staff to establish and maintain a safe play environment, (b) an in-service session for playground monitors to learn how to supervise children at recess, and (c) a student-oriented program for the children to improve behavior on the playground based on a program conceived by Utah State University ( Daug & Fukui, 1988). School nurses and pediatric nurse practitioners can use this program as a model for other schools to improve the physical play environment and behavior of the children at recess.

The playground of psychoanalytic therapy

Building on the foundations of the independent tradition of British object relations theory and modern infancy research, Sanville proffers a new understanding of the role of play in the clinical situation. She attends especially to the therapeutic situation as a safe playground, the therapist's playful engagement of the patient, and the patient's emergent ability to embrace playfully the liberating possibilities of psychoanalytic therapy.

Safe Playground Surfaces: What Should be Used under Playground Equipment?

Abstract Children deserve a safe environment in which they can explore and take risks with limited consequences. Providing appropriate playground surfaces is a good beginning.

Playground Injuries and Voluntary Product Standards for Home and Public Playgrounds

Accidents on home and public playgrounds account for more than 150,000 injuries per year. The Division of Hazard Identification and Analysis in the Bureau of Epidemiology has studied playground injuries. Swings, climbing apparatus, gliders, slides, and seesaws were listed as apparatuses associated with the highest percentages of injuries. Falls to the surface also accounted for a large percentage of injuries. Absorbent surfaces other than concrete or asphalt were recommended to reduce the severity of injuries. In addition to making recommendations on playground surfaces, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has developed voluntary product safety standards for home and public playgrounds. Guidelines for safe playgrounds are discussed as well as suggestions concerning people to contact at local, state, and national levels for advice on playground design and safety.

Fifty Checkpoints for a Safe Playground

Fifty Checkpoints for a Safe Playground