Having your own playground in your backyard is a perfect idea because it will not only allow your children to play and get creative, but you will also be able to easily supervise them. Moreover, a backyard playground encourages children to spend more time outdoors. For these reasons, many homeowners have purchased a playground for kids and installed them in their
backyards.

Once you have installed your playground in your backyard, you must prioritize the safety of your children. You must ensure your children are always safe when playing on the playground. So, how can you achieve that maximum safety? You are probably asking yourself that question. Keep on reading this blog as we discuss safety tops for a backyard playground. Let’s delve into them.

1. Purchase age-appropriate playground equipment.

One of the most effective ways to ensure the safety of your children when playing on playground equipment is to ensure that you purchase age-appropriate playground equipment. Allowing your child to play on equipment that’s too large or too small can potentially cause injuries. It might seem quite economical to purchase equipment your child will grow in, but this is not advisable because oversized playground equipment can be risky for younger children as it can injure them. Playgrounds are generally made for children in three categories: infants and toddlers, children ages 2-5, and children ages 5-12. So, when purchasing playground equipment, ensure it fits your child’s current age group.

2. Include a proper fall surface.

Another important tip to help you enhance the safety of your playground for kids is to include a fall surface around and under your playground. This helps to lessen the force of the fall. It’s worth mentioning that a fall surface will not avoid or eliminate the chance of falling, but it can reduce the soreness or bruising that results from a fall.

Statistics show that 70% of all playground injuries are related to falls. That’s why you must eliminate these chances of injuries. And the best way to achieve that is to include a fall surface. There are so many fall surfaces you can choose from. Some of the popular choices include rubber mulch, wood chips, sand, rubber mats, pea gravel, etc. These materials are great and promote safety. So your choice will depend on your taste, preferences, and budget.

3. Establish safety rules for the children.

Of course, teaching your children proper playground rules will keep them safe and even other children. You can write these rules on a piece of paper and stick it in an area where the children can clearly see it. Some of these rules you should establish include:

• Do not jump off high equipment
• Keep other play items, such as bicycles and backpacks, away from the playground.
• Wet playground equipment can be slippery and should be avoided.
• Do not stand or kneel on the swing
• Do not jump from the swing in mid-air
• Hang on to a swing set with both hands
• Use both hands when climbing

4. Install the equipment properly

Another incredible way to ensure the safety of your children when playing on playground equipment is to ensure that the equipment is installed correctly. Remember that equipment should be at least six feet away from walls, trees, fences, and any other obstacle that could potentially injure a child if he or she falls or jumps.

5. Inspect your backyard for any possible hazards.

Before your kids go to play, you need to survey your yard and pick any items that could pose a danger, such as hoses, ladders, garden tools, etc. Put these items in a safe place that your children cannot access. In addition, you need to inspect your backyard for natural hazards such as thorns, low tree climbs, fire ant mounds, and holes.

6. Pay attention to the temperature.

Another essential safety tip that most people tend to overlook is how comfortable the temperature is. Before your children go out to play at the backyard playground for kids, make sure that the temperature of the playground equipment is very comfortable. Metal and plastic slides can really become extremely hot during summer, and they could cause burns. That’s why you must pay attention to the temperature.

7. Make sure that your children are properly dressed.

Keeping your children safe when playing at the playground also entails ensuring that they are properly dressed. Of course, you want to ensure they are comfortable and can move around freely. Make sure that the children are not wearing any jewelry pieces when playing. They should also not pull out drawstrings from clothing. Dressing your children in long pants and long-sleeved shirts is best as it can prevent scrapes and bug bites. They should also wear closed-toe shoes. This prevents gravel, rocks, and other items from getting stuck in the shoes and causing injuries.

8. Make sure that the playground is properly maintained

It is no secret that poorly maintained or broken playgrounds can increase injury chances. Double-check the playground before you allow the children to start playing. Look for objects that could scrape the skin or even cause entanglement. When inspecting the playground, pay attention to things such as

• Sharp edges and points
• Damaged or missing protective covering
• Exposed pipes
• Broken or missing moving parts
• Loose or missing screws
• Rusty equipment

9. Supervise children at all times

Finally, if you want to ensure your children’s safety when playing on the playground, you must always supervise them. This is especially important when it comes to toddlers because they rarely recognize potentially dangerous situations. If an accident occurs, the adult supervising the kids can respond to the injured child as fast as possible.

Final thoughts

Implementing these tips can help you make your backyard playground for kids safer for the kids and create a fun environment in which your child will enjoy playing. You will also be at peace knowing that you have done everything you can to ensure the safety of your children. Check out more blogs such as “top factors to consider when purchasing commercial playground equipment” or “swing set safety measures to keep your child safe.”