Are Playgrounds a Threat to Our Children’s Safety
Active play is an essential element for a growing mind and body and playgrounds ensure that our kids get enough healthy activity. However, the less-than-fitting playground and play structures in our community parks are not exactly the safest places on earth for children. In this post, we will explore the escalating issue that is: whether the playgrounds are danger to our kids’ safety.
Before we go any further, let’s first understand the myriad dangers that our children face when they step out in the playground.
Dangers on the Playground
There are a lot of things that can go wrong on a playground. Here is a list of things that are a permanent hazard to a child’s safety:
- Blades and needles
- Poisonous insects
- Arsenic found in old school playground equipment
- Animal feces
- Garbage
- Sharp objects on the ground
- Lead on the play equipment
- Equipment hazards
- Bee nests and dangers of bee sting
- Poisonous flowers and plants
- Second hand smoke
Blades and needles are not commonly observed on playgrounds or near commercial playground equipment. However, some studies report that they have been one of the common causes of injury on the playgrounds. Animal feces and garbage can be commonly seen in blue-collar communities. The small communities usually suffer more when it comes to playground equipment safety and park hygiene.
Equipment hazards include sharp ends, pinch points and arsenic on the playground equipment. Lack of maintenance usually contributes towards the above-mentioned equipment hazards. Most modern playground equipment is designed with technologically advanced play material that eliminates the risk of the various risks associated with equipment. However, there is still no guarantee that children will not get hurt.
The biggest risk that the children face on the playgrounds is undoubtedly the risk of poisonous insects and plants that can sometimes turn into a life threatening situation. Most children have a habit of putting everything in their mouth, which is the main reason children get infected at the playgrounds. In addition, lack of supervision can also lead to injuries and other hazards.
There are various other risks that children face on the playgrounds, but the crown goes to the germs and bacteria that adorn the playground equipment. And, since children put their hands in their mouth all the time, there is a huge possibility that they can get sick at the playgrounds.
So should you let your Kids Out?
Outdoor playground equipment and modern play structures can add a variety to your child’s everyday outdoor activity. Regardless of the various dangers, the outdoor play areas are still one of the most effective ways to increase a child’s association with nature and peers. In addition, research shows that risks and dangers are a good way to teach kids about the complexities of the life. When children learn to handle the simple complexities of a playground, they learn how to handle conflict and a difficult situation.
As Robin Sutcliffe and Adrian Voce in ‘Managing Risk in Play Provision’ has said “Wrapping children in cotton wool is having a negative impact on children’s play opportunities and their more general freedom to explore and encounter the world.”