How to Make a Playground Safe
When you design a playground, you naturally want to create a space that’s both fun and safe for the kids. Everyone should be able to come and play without worrying about any unwelcome accidents. Fortunately, with a little bit of careful planning at the start of your project, you can come away with a finished product that keeps the little ones out of harm’s way. Here’s how to make a playground safe.
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Start with Surfacing
The surfacing for your playground will be one of the first points you consider in the planning and design process. There’s nothing you can do to prevent kids from falling on the playground—those falls are going to happen from time to time no matter how the playground is designed. But you can make it a safer space by using the right kind of surfacing.
As you might imagine, you should not use a hard surface such as concrete, as it would not be forgiving for a fall. Grass is also not a great choice, as it’s hard to maintain and can be rather hard during dry weather.
You’ll have a few suitable surfacing materials to choose from in your final design. For instance, wood chips are popular and affordable, although they need to be replenished from time to time. Likewise, sand and pea gravel can work nicely as natural materials. Alternatively, there are rubber products on the market that are designed as playground surfacing. These may be more expensive up front, but could last longer and require less maintenance.
Eliminate Tripping Hazards
This is another point that relates to potential falls. You’ll want to cut out as many tripping hazards as possible to reduce the number of falls that occur on the playground. One common type of tripping hazard is tree roots that are partially exposed. In the design process, make sure the busy areas of the playground won’t be dotted with tree roots that could lead to trip-and-fall problems.
Spacing is Important
A fun playground usually has at least one or two structures for climbing and exploring. These are great, but they need to be far enough apart to avoid any attempted jumping from one structure to the next. Spacing the structures nine feet apart at minimum is a good starting point when laying out where each piece of playground equipment will rest.
Ongoing Maintenance
Any easy point to overlook when it comes to playground safety is the need for consistent maintenance. Even a perfectly designed playground is going to need regular maintenance to make sure all of the equipment remains in proper working order. It will also be necessary to monitor the status of your surfacing to repair or replenish it, as needed.
One way to get off to a great start with playground safety is to order your equipment from a respected supplier. At American Swing, we are serious about safety and stand behind all of the products we sell to our customers.
Shop American Swing Today!
It’s important to know how to make a playground safe. If you’re ready to begin designing your playground, American Swing has everything you need to create a durable, sturdy, and safe place to play for your kiddos. Feel free to explore our site for playground equipment, and contact us if you have any questions along the way. We look forward to serving you!
