Playground Safety

Teaching kids basic safety rules helps keep them safe, healthy, and happy. Although the playground is a place for play, there are several basics your child needs to know so that she and the other kids on the playground stay safe. Two of the primary playground safety issues are physical safety and stranger danger.

Stranger Danger

Young children should never go to a playground without an adult to keep an eye on them. Unfortunately, playgrounds are hot spots for crimes such as kidnapping, sexual abuse, and more. Make sure that your child is safe and protected from people who might want to hurt her. Teach your child how to react to strangers. We encourage our kids to be friendly and respectful of adults, but we need to balance that by teaching them how to prevent becoming a victim. Whether the perpetrator is an adult or an older child, teach your children how to yell for help, and how to seek the assistance of a safe stranger like a police officer or teacher.

Bullies and Bullying

Bullies are everywhere. Your child is likely to encounter bullies rather regularly. Teaching her how to diffuse a volatile situation and how to avoid being bullied can help her stay safe on the playground. Sometimes the best way to avoid a bully is to leave the area. Make sure that your child understands that she should never be the victim of a bully or someone who bullies.

Playground Physical Safety

Although most playgrounds are designed so that kids can run and play as safely as possible, there are still some inherent dangers. Kids can fall off slides and other playground toys, get hit by swings, and run into other kids. To avoid common playground injuries, teach your kids how to play around other kids. Remember to let them know that pushing, shoving, hitting, and running without paying attention to where they're going are not acceptable playground behavior. Although minor bumps and bruises are common during play, teaching your kids basic playground safety can keep them and other kids from more serious injuries like broken bones and head injuries. You should also talk to your kids about how to avoid becoming a victim of a crime or bullying while at the playground whether you plan to be there with her or not.