Kid safety organization releases playground tips

Washington – According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 200,000 playground injuries are treated in emergency rooms every year.

In recognition of National Playground Safety Week, which takes place in April, Safe Kids USA offered the following tips to ensure your child’s playground experience is as safe as possible:

• Playground surfacing materials should be 12 inches deep and extend 6 feet in all directions around equipment.
• Choose playgrounds with shredded rubber, mulch, wood chips or sand surfaces rather than grass and soil.
• Make sure equipment is inspected frequently and kept in good repair.
• Remove hoods and neck drawstrings from children’s clothing, and do not allow kids to wear helmets, necklaces, scarves or purses on the playground.
• Do not allow your child to engage in pushing, shoving or crowding around playground equipment.
• Keep toddlers in a separate play area, away from equipment designed for older children.
• Always actively supervise kids on the playground – simply being in the same area is not good enough.