Keeping Children Safe at a Park or Playground

Children love to play at a park or playground. However, children can get hurt or kidnapped at a park or playground if the parents or adults do not keep an eye on them. Here are just a few safety tips for keeping your child from harm at the park or on a playground.

First and foremost, keep you eyes on you children at all times. Let me repeat that. Keep your eyes on your children at all times. Never ever take your eyes off of them. I guess you see that I am trying to say that this is the most important part. Know where they are, what they are doing, what they are playing on, and who they are playing with at all times.

Second, make sure the child knows and understands that the same rules apply here as anywhere. They should never talk to a stranger or go with a stranger. Even if they are in your sight they should still never talk to anyone they do not know. Never accept gifts of any kind from anyone they do not know. Make sure your child knows to not even let a stranger push them on the swings or any other play equipment.

Third, make sure that you are around equipment that is appropriate for your child's age. In other words do not let a two year old climb on monkey bars or slide down very high slides. If your child is four and under stay right with them at all times even if they are playing in a sand box. If they are five they are usually old enough to play on their own without you having to stand right there with them. This does not get you out of making sure you know where they are at all times.

Fourth, always keep a first aid kit with you when going to the park or playground. Make sure it contains, band-aids, gauze, antibiotic ointment, first aid cleanser, tweezers, scissors, medical tape, an anti-itch ointment, and some kind of antihistamine (in case of a sting or bite...the best bet is to keep a liquid antihistamine handy). If your child is allergic to bee stings, make sure to keep some sort of medication (get the pediatrician to write a prescription) with you at all times.

Fifth, keep children off any equipment that does not look safe or has some sort of default in it. If a swing has a crack in the seat or the swing set does not seem stable (legs coming out of ground when swinging), do not let children on it. If the teeter-totter (see-saw) is cracked in anyway or is wobbly et cetera, do not let children on it. Never let children stand up or jump out of swings. Never let them swing to excess heights.

And finally, if your child plays in a sandbox, make sure to make them wash their hands and apply a hand sanitizer. Then the first thing you should do when you get home is to put them in the bath tub and make sure they wash very well.

Children do love to play at the park or playground. It is completely up to you to make sure they stay safe. Hope these tips will help.

Source:

Personal experience of having my child play at a park since he was two (now five)