Check Your Health- Playground Safety: Preventing Student Injuries

Playground safety

Summer is a great time for kids to play outside, which means many kids spend a lot of time on playgrounds. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) collects valuable data that provides parents with information they can use to keep their kids safe and healthy. Data show the 3 most common types of injuries kids get are fractures or breaks, cuts or lacerations, and possible concussions. Joel Johnson, communications manager for the Violence and Injury Prevention Program at DHHS, is here with some easy tips to keep your kids from getting hurt on the playground this summer.

Look at the surface materials on the ground around the playground.

Make sure the surface will give if your child were to fall, like: sand, pea gravel, wood chips, mulch, or shredded rubber. Rubber mats, synthetic turf, and other artificial materials are also safe surfaces and require less maintenance.

Avoid playgrounds with hard surfaces like asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt, or gravel. The recommendation to avoid playgrounds built on grass may sound odd at first. But the ground underneath grass is hard, and does not absorb the impact when you fall. This can result in broken bones.

Actively supervise children on age-appropriate playgrounds.

Rememberlittle kids can play differently than big kids. It’s important to have a separate play area for children under 5. It’s also important to teach kids about the dangers of pushing, shoving, or crowding. Babies who are learning to walk should have a smooth and easy surface to walk on. Make sure kids wear the right clothing—no loose clothing, wear proper shoes, avoid wearing accessories, like necklaces or bracelets.

Check the equipment.

Check playground equipment and surroundings to make sure there are no hazards and the ground is soft, absorbing with well-maintained materials. Wear protective gear for sports or activities (like helmets or knee pads). Make sure protective gear fits correctly and is worn appropriately.

Watch out for concussions.

Do not return to play if there has been a possible concussion or traumatic brain injury. See a doctor first.

Read the student Injuries in Utah 2019–2022 report to learn more.