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Mothers of Preschoolers

Active Living

Can my child get hurt in a playground?

Children are hurt in playgrounds mainly because the equipment is too high, guardrails are not where they should be, metal and not plastic was used to construct the equipment, and playground surfaces are made of pavement or hard-packed sand instead of loose sand or rubber matting.2

 

Most children injured in playgrounds are aged 5 to 9 years, and most injuries are due to falling from some height onto a hard surface. Playground equipment that is more than two metres high makes it more likely a child will be injured. If a child falls from a piece of equipment that is 10 feet tall (three metres), it is the same as falling from a two-storey building. Watch your children carefully at playgrounds and ensure that they are not wearing a helmet with a loose chin strap, clothing with drawstrings, loose belts, ties, straps, or scarves that could get caught in play equipment.

 

The best way for you to ensure your child's safety at the playground is to play with them. To learn more about keeping your children safe on the playground, visit these websites:

             

 

2 Ontario Trauma Registry 2003-2003, Canadian Institute for Health Information.