It’s summertime and kids are out of school, so there’s plenty of time for a variety of outdoor and indoor activities. These seemingly endless opportunities do bear some risks, important to keep them safe during play, whether you’re in a local park or enjoying amenities at a luxuriously equipped indoor playground. Any type of playing field can be a lot of fun for children, but they can be potentially challenging or even risky, especially at a younger age.
Read on to learn some tips for keeping your child safe:
Your supervision is necessary
Be aware and attentive at all times while your child plays. There are some findings that show that a significant number of accidents that can happen around a playground can be quite serious. You should set some rules and ensure that kids are using the equipment properly, without risk of injury or damage to the equipment.
If you cannot be there around at all times, make sure to delegate the task to another trusted adult, a fellow parent, a teacher or a professional playground supervisor. As your kid gets older, it wouldn’t need as much supervision, but the ground rules you have set at the beginning should be enough to prevent anything unwanted from happening.
Check the safety of the playground
If you’re supervising a group of kids, make sure an adult is on each side of the trampoline or another play structure, to avoid falling off the edge. Watch out for damaged equipment – sharp edges, holes, broken wood, a loose bolt or any other signs of damage are a clear sign you should move to another area of the playground.
One option is to find a well-equipped trampoline park in your neighborhood in Chandler where you can be sure that the amenities are always checked for safety. Typically, such facilities also take good care to provide a healthy environment for the whole family, giving your child the opportunity to reach important motor, spatial, social and other milestones.
Teach your child playground safety
Each child has to be taught how to play at a playground. For instance, no one should go down the slide head first even as they get older. Also, you should teach your child to not interrupt other children or to coordinate with them when using equipment.
They should cooperate, rather than push around or get pushed around. If you’re dealing with toddlers, make sure to give them some clues and simple instructions on what to do and what to avoid.
Check if the playground area is age-appropriate
Don’t let small children play near slides or swings without being watched by adults or their older siblings. If the play area contains any equipment that is unsafe for use, such as big see-saws or high climbing walls, pick another spot that would better suit the motor and spatial skills of your child.
If you have kids of different ages this could be tricky. Try to coordinate with your spouse to split your attention to each of them, or manage the time. Toddlers will typically have a lot of energy, but will also need time to go to nap, so timing is everything.
Make sure to react immediately
If anything happens, whether it’s an accident or a fight between kids, make sure to act quickly and without panic. If you have already set up some ground rules around the playground, you and the children should know how to act if anything goes wrong. Make room, calm down and address the situation properly.
After you have done this, use the opportunity to talk to your kids about what they have learned from the situation and how to prevent it from happening in the future. After all, even if small accidents happen, you can still have a wonderful rest of the holidays with your whole family.