Playgrounds can provide a stimulating environment for a healthy, active living, and can be a contributing factor in your child's development. Most playground injuries such as cuts, bruises, and sprains, are minor, but some can be quite serious. Falls account for almost ? of all playground injuries, and in Manitoba, are the leading cause of hospitalization in children aged 5 to 14. Here are some things parents and caregivers can do, to enhance the safety of their child at the playground:
- Encourage your child to wear protective and reflective equipment when walking, biking, or inline skating. This includes helmets for wheeled activities on the road and sidewalk, and wrist guards for inline skating
- Supervise your child closely
- Ensure that your child knows how to use the playground equipment safely. If your child needs help to get onto it, it is probably meant for older children.
- Teach your child the basic playground safety rules, such as, waiting for their turn, and sharing the playground appropriately with other children, and so on
- Parents can check the playground equipment to make sure it has sturdy handrails, barriers, and railings
- Teach your child to check for any sharp equipment or objects that could cause injuries, before they begin playing
More information on how to keep your children safe at the playground:
