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Playground Safety Week 2022: 10 Playground Safety Tips From the Experts (with Infographic)

April 26-30, 2022 is National Playground Safety Week in the United States. As warmer weather and more outside playtime begin, now is a great time to review playground safety and prepare playgrounds and our kids for summer fun!

We asked experts from various organizations for their best playground safety tip. We narrowed down their recommendations to this top 10 list:

Top 10 Playground Safety Tips from Experts

1. Inspect Your Playground

Safety on Playrgounds | adventureTURF Playground Surface Installers

Many common playground injuries can be prevented by first checking the equipment, as well as reporting any hazardous materials in the area. A quick but thorough sweep of the area before daily use could prevent unnecessary accidents.

The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) recommends:

“If you see anything dangerous on the playground such as broken glass or unsafe equipment, make sure to tell an adult [or the person in charge] right away so they can help, and you can get back to playing!

2. Dress for Safety

It is very easy to overheat during physical activity, and then quickly cool down to an uncomfortably cool temperature in brisker weather. Therefore, it is important to ensure your children are dressed appropriately. If they choose to dress lighter because they know they will warm up, have warm clothes or a sweater on hand in cooler weather, and vice versa.

The Playground Professionals suggest:

“Dress appropriately for the weather and prepare for it to change by bringing an extra jacket, blanket or umbrella. Do not let your children wear clothing which can get caught in the playground equipment. Avoid dresses or hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings. These could cause strangulation or other injuries.”

3. Actively SuperviseSafety on Playgrounds | adventureTURF Playground Surfacing

Supervision is not only essential for young children, but for children of all ages. Make certain that not only you, but those you entrust with your children’s care, are properly prepared to supervise and intercede, should a dangerous situation or injury arise.

Peaceful Playgrounds offers this suggestion:

“Train playground supervisors or teachers responsible for keeping kids safe on the playground [in proper playground safety]. As an expert witness in cases involving playground injuries I often find that playground supervisors report receiving little or no training on how to properly supervise the playground.”

4. Maintain Your Playground

Kids enjoy running around, and climbing and having fun. It’s just the way they are. Unfortunately, this also means they occasionally fall. The possibility of injury from falling can be greatly reduced from properly installed surfaces under and around equipment, as well as ensuring that equipment stays up-to-code.

Safe Kids Wisconsin offers this advice:

“When playgrounds are maintained with appropriate surfacing under them, the likelihood of injury decreases when a child falls.”

5. Use the Playground Safety Report CardThree children sitting on playground equipment

With many things running through the minds of parents and guardians as their children play, it is often easy to forget a few seemingly minor safety recommendations. A hard copy checklist is a very helpful way to ensure the playground being utilized is in a safe and well-supervised condition, and can help to prevent many avoidable mistakes.

The National Program for Playground Safety recommends their own checklist version to help with this task:

“This year, we are encouraging parents and grandparents to help keep playgrounds safe by using the Playground Safety Report Card. The report card can be downloaded here.”

6. Check for Safe Playground Surfacing

Some playgrounds, although they may look very fun, may be poorly maintained, or with inadequate surfaces for safe play. No matter how enticing the equipment may be, or how convenient the location, it is always best to avoid these types of playgrounds, due to the unnecessary hazards they could create. Playgrounds with woodchip or concrete surfaces are prime examples of playground surface hazards.

The International Play Association (IPA) recommends:

“Avoid playgrounds with non-impact absorbing surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete, grass, dirt or gravel. Ensure that it is safe, ADA accessible surfacing beneath and surrounding playground equipment.”

The IPA also kindly provided a longer list of tips, which can be found here.

7. Avoid Ropes

You may have fond memories of playing with ropes as a child, whether it be rope swings over lakes, rope ladders to treehouses, or rope bridges. As fun as these times may have been, ropes are also inherently dangerous. Ropes often can look stronger than they appear, and a perfectly strong-looking rope can easily fail under excess tension. Factor in the risk of strangulation or cutoff of circulation, and they pose a risk that is not worth taking.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission suggests:

“Never attach ropes, jump ropes, pet leashes or strings to playground equipment; children can strangle on these.”

8. Have the Children Use Age-Appropriate EquipmentPlayground Safety Surface Installers | adventureTURF

Know your children and look out for their well-being. Not every child develops at the same rate—especially when it comes to motor skills and muscle strength. Some children will be ready for different play equipment and different times. Be sure to supervise them and encourage them to stay on appropriate equipment, and be there to help them when they are ready to use equipment new to them.

Safe Kids Worldwide offers this advice:

“Ensure that your children use appropriate playground equipment based on their age and development level. Every child develops differently, so if they want to try the “big kid” swing, the monkey bars or a more challenging piece of equipment and you feel like they’re ready, go for it. Just make sure you’re within arm’s reach to teach and support them, especially until they get the hang of how to use it on their own.”

9. Check Playground Equipment Temperatures

We all remember that scene from A Christmas Story when Flick gets his tongue stuck to a flagpole. Some equipment, particularly metal playground equipment, is easily susceptible to changing temperatures, and can be equally dangerous in hot and cold weather. Check the temperature of this playground equipment during warmer or cooler seasons to be certain they are not posing an unnecessary risk to your children.

The National Safety Council recommends:

“An adult should test the temperature of playground equipment before letting little ones loose. Equipment can quickly become too hot for tiny hands in the hot summer sun.”

10. Practice Safe Falls

While no one likes to think about falls, they are a common occurrence in children of all ages, and can lead to serious injuries. It is important to practice safe falling techniques, such as tuck and roll, or breaking falls with knees and elbows, to help alleviate potential long-term injuries or even concussion.

The International Playground Safety Institute recommends:

“Ask someone like your teacher or physical education teacher to show you how to fall safely. We all need to learn how to land as safely as possible even on a very hard surface. Practicing the tuck and roll techniques in gym class on a padded surface can make the difference from a scrap or bruise to a broken arm or leg to a really serious bump on the head”

Playground Safety Week Bonus Tip: Have Fun!Playground Safety Surface | adventureTURF | National Playground Safety Week

Playground Safety Week isn’t the only time we should learn and practice safe tips. Safety on and around the playground is very important for our kids. Equally as important we want their childhood play to be safe, healthy, and happy. Encourage your kids to get outside and explore your yard, neighborhood, and local playground. Let them enjoy the outdoors, their friends, and your company and attention. Summer is just around the corner, let’s all play have some FUN!

Playground Safety Tips Infographic

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Playground Safety Tips Infographic
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Pros & Cons: Wood Chips for Playground Surfacing

Playground with Wood Chips
Wood chips are not a good surface for playgrounds… Click here to see why »

Picture the playgrounds you went to the most as a kid. They were covered in wood chip mulch, right? And you hated the splinters and sharp edges that it caused. Mulch (also known as “landscape mulch”) and wood chips have ruled the playground world for decades — but those responsible for playground upkeep (such as elementary school administrators, daycare directors, park maintenance crews, church managers, etc) have to deal with constant maintenance just to give the kiddos a place to play.

Wood Chips Are Popular, But Are They The Best Option for Playground Flooring?

Let’s take a closer look at using wood chips for playgrounds to see how they measure up to their competition in terms of safety, cost, and quality.


Safety of Wood Chips on Playground Surfaces

Pros:

  • Wood chips have a degree of shock absorbency. A 9-inch layer of wood chips will allow a child to safely land from a 10-foot fall, according to American Standard Testing Methods (ASTM), the institution that sets industry safety standards such as this critical fall height requirement.

Cons:

  • The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that CCA wood mulch is an “inappropriate surfacing” type for playgrounds. So make sure your wood mulch is not CCA-treated.
  • They can obscure hazards, like broken glass from glass beverage containers.
  • They can develop insect or mold problems.
  • They can be choked on or swallowed by young children.
  • While wood chips meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for playgrounds that require surfacing that lessens the impact of falls, they do not meet ADA requirements for surfaces that allow for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. So if you’re looking to build an accessible playground, wood chips aren’t your best option.

A further note on shock absorbency: One reason rubber playground surfacing has risen in popularity is because of the drastic difference in critical fall height requirements. Just 4.5 inches of poured-in-place rubber surfacing provides a surface on which a child can safely land from a 10-foot fall, compared to 9 inches for wood chips.

Wood Chips Playground Flooring
A layout of wood chips can vary in level and density across a playground surface area.

Cost of Wood Chips as Playground Flooring

Pros:

  • Wood chips are one of the cheapest playground covering options, above only pea gravel and sand in terms of cost. You can generally expect to pay around $3 per square foot, installed.

Cons:

  • Wood chips lose their color and texture over time.
  • They require regular upkeep, such as raking for hazards and to maintain an even surface level. You will need to occasionally add new material to continue to meet safety standards and maintain the playground’s appearance, as the wood chips are gradually kicked out of the playground, lost in storm drainage, etc.

Quality of Wood Chips as Playground Surfacing

Pros:

  • Those who choose wood chips as a playground covering often cite their visual appeal. Wood chips are a step up from traditional mulch, complement most landscaping, and are available in a range of colors.

Cons:

  • One thing to watch out for in terms of color is whether or not the manufacturer uses dyes to enhance the color of the wood. Some of the dyes made for wood chips are known to cause reactions in people with certain medical conditions.
  • Dust gets in eyes, on clothes, and causes a mess.
  • Kids easily get splinters in it.
  • Weeds can grow in it.

Those who choose poured-in-place rubber surfacing over options like wood chips often cite that they appreciate that we use only premium rubber made from natural materials: EPDM rubber (which helps the surface resist cracks due to severe temperatures and weather), and SBR rubber (which helps the surface stay flat and supple).

Installation of Wood Chips for Playgrounds

Pros:

  • Wood chips are easy to install; professionals can usually complete the job in about one day.

Cons:

  • Installers need to clean the area and make sure the perimeter is outlined with some type of edging to keep the wood chips in place. Some playground surfacing options (such as poured rubber or rubber tiles) don’t require edging – the material naturally stays in place.
  • Installation isn’t a once-and-done type of thing. Wood chips needs regular maintenance (including adding more material) in order to maintain their critical fall hall requirement. If you do not maintain the specific installation depth on a playground, children who fall are at risk of serious injury.

Next Steps

Engineered Wood Fiber (EWF) Chips Mulch Playground
This rubber playground flooring area (lighter section at the playground itself) is surrounded by wood mulch, but blends in nicely.

Now that you’ve learned more about the basics of wood chip surfacing, you probably want to consider other, safer playground flooring options.

We might be biased, but we strongly recommend considering poured rubber and rubber tile playground surfaces. The reason we only install those options is because we honestly believe they’re some of the best surfacing options for your playground.

You probably still have questions — please feel free to contact us for answers. Again, we don’t offer to install wood chip playground surfacing (because we don’t think it’s good for kids). If you’re ready to take the next steps to choosing the right type of playground surfacing for your situation, reach out to us to request a free quote (for poured rubber or rubber tile playground surfacing). We’d love to help you create a place for adventure!

With so many different qualities and characteristics to consider, choosing a playground surface can be bewildering. That’s why we’ve created an ultimate guide of all the pros and cons of 11 of the most popular playground surfaces, from wood chips to recycled rubber mulch.

FAQ

Yes. Wood chips are one of the cheapest playground covering options, above only pea gravel and sand in terms of cost. They do, however, require regular upkeep, such as raking for hazards and maintaining an even surface level.

Learn More

Woodchips do not meet ADA requirements for surfaces that allow for wheelchairs and other mobility devices. So if you’re looking to build an accessible playground, wood chips aren’t your best option.

Learn More

They can be. A 9-inch layer of wood chips will allow a child to safely land from a 10-foot fall, according to American Standard Testing Methods (ASTM), the institution that sets industry safety standards such as this critical fall height requirement.

Learn More

Pros & Cons: Poured Rubber Surfacing for Playgrounds

Poured Rubber Playground Flooring
Poured rubber playground flooring is soft, spongy, and durable.

Being tasked with choosing the materials for a playground surface that will experience millions of footsteps (particularly those of children) is harrowing – especially if you don’t have a construction background! If you’re in charge of selecting a flooring surface for a playground – we often talk to daycare directors, early childhood center administrators, church administrators, and city managers, for example – you have a lot of options and information to sift through. So what’s the deal with poured rubber surfacing for playgrounds? Also called “wet pour rubber” or “poured-in-place (PIP) rubber”.

Is Poured-in-Place Rubber the Best Option for Playground Flooring?

Researching playground surfacing means you’re going to learn about poured rubber, also commonly called pour-in-place (PIP) rubber or poured playground surface. For this post, we aim to answer the most important questions you’ll be asking: how does poured rubber measure up against other playground surfacing options in terms of safety, cost, and quality?


Safety of Poured Rubber Playground Flooring

When you’re discussing the surface for a playground, of course, the most important consideration is safety. This is where pour-in-place rubber (also called PIP rubber surfacing) can’t be topped.

Poured rubber playground soft spongy surface
Poured rubber surfacing is specifically designed to be extremely shock-absorbent.

Pros:

  • Poured rubber surfacing is durable, soft, and can’t splinter. The chief complaints from parents and kids about popular playground surfaces like wood chips is that they splinter, and pieces find their way into skin, eyes, shoes, and clothes. Pavement is also likely to crumble as it ages, and doesn’t provide any cushioning from falls.
  • This type of surfacing was also specifically designed to be extremely shock-absorbent. Just 4.5 inches of poured rubber provides a surface on which a child can safely land from a 10-foot fall, according to American Standard Testing Methods (ASTM), the institution that sets industry safety standards.
  • Parents and playground administrators don’t have to worry about chemical sensitivities. adventureTURF uses only premium rubber made from natural materials, EPDM rubber (which helps the surface resist cracks due to severe temperatures and weather), and SBR rubber (which helps the surface stay flat and supple). These materials are free of metal, wood, harsh chemicals, and other compounds that may irritate sensitive skin, aggravate allergies, or cause other health issues.
  • On playgrounds near areas where animals may roam, poured rubber provides peace of mind that kids won’t encounter any “surprises” that are sometimes found buried in mulch playgrounds. The same goes for any potentially harmful items humans may have left behind (they won’t be buried in the material).
  • Poured Rubber ADA Accessible Playgrounds | Poured Rubber Inclusive Playgrounds
    Poured rubber playgrounds are wheelchair accessible and safe for those with physical disabilities.

    Poured rubber playground flooring is ADA-compliant, meaning it’s wheelchair accessible and safe for those with physical disabilities. Childcare experts agree that youngsters with special needs (and their non-disabled peers!) greatly benefit from inclusive playgrounds, and pour-in-place rubber is widely viewed as the best surfacing option to allow safe and easy play among those with physical limitations.

Cons:

  • Depending on the climate of your location (this applies particularly to dry, cold climates), PIP rubber can become hard over time. This is why experts recommend administrators check in every few years to see if the playground should be topped off with a fresh layer of rubber, which is a simple and fast process.

Cost of Poured Rubber Playground Surfacing

Pros:

  • One of the strongest cost-saving factors in poured rubber’s favor is the lack of yearly maintenance to be figured into your budget. A pour-in-place playground surface will generally last about 10 years (depending on foot traffic) before any type of upkeep is required — no need to truck in new surface filler every spring. With proper maintenance, it can last as long as 12-15 years.
  • After that, maintenance is simple. The surface can be treated with a coating to renew its wear and weather resistance, and on high-traffic playgrounds, new top layers can be poured onto the existing surface.
  • Spot-repairs can be made. Note that not every poured rubber playground requires an entirely new playground surface. Often a playground can be completely revitalized by simply adding a new color cap or wear layer to the surface. This restoration technique will actually improve the playground’s safety rating and is a budget-saver.
  • Using this type of surface also makes your playground eligible for LEED® credits and state grants, to help defray your up-front cost.
  • Learn more about the cost of poured rubber playground flooring here.

Cons:

  • The initial investment to cover a playground with PIP rubber is not the cheapest available option. However, the longevity of the material and its minimal maintenance costs render it comparatively low-cost in the long run.
Texture of Rubber Playground Flooring
Very zoomed-in/close-up view of the texture of rubber playground flooring. It comes with a wide variety of color options.

Quality of Poured Rubber Playground Surfaces

Pros:

  • The granules that make up poured rubber playground flooring provide the opportunity to cost-effectively customize the appearance of your playground. You can select the depth, color, shape, and design of the surface – meaning school colors, logos, and even games can be permanently incorporated.
  • We often hear that poured rubber surfacing makes it easier to maintain a playground that appears clean and welcoming. The surface is smooth and easy to clean, and unlike mulch or stone, it won’t get kicked out of place by busy feet. The customizable appearance means you’re able to make design selections that allow it to blend into the surrounding area, creating a more natural look than pavement.

Cons:

  • As noted above, PIP rubber doesn’t last forever (as does any playground flooring material). You can expect the surface to need more comprehensive resurfacing after about a decade.

Installation of Poured Rubber Playground Flooring

Installing Poured Rubber Playground Surfacing
Poured-in-place rubber flooring for playgrounds is mixed and hand-troweled on site.

Poured rubber playground surfacing is mixed and hand-troweled on site.

Pros:

  • It turns out that this safe and cost-conscious method of playground surfacing is also one of the easiest for professionals to install. Poured-in-place rubber safety surfacing is mixed and hand-troweled on site. You can view videos of adventureTURF’s installation process here.

Cons:

  • Installation must be done by a professional who has the right tools and experience.
  • Surface prep with a base is needed.

Next Steps

Now that you’ve learned more about the basics of poured rubber surfacing, you’re going to want to compare it to other options and dive into the details. You can read more about rubber playground flooring from adventureTURF and find some FAQs we answered. We’ve also created a gallery where you can browse some of the awesome playground designs we’ve completed across the country.

You probably still have questions – you can contact us for answers. And if you’re ready to take the next steps, reach out to us to request a free quote. We’d love to help you create a place for adventure!

With so many different qualities and characteristics to consider, choosing a playground surface can be bewildering. That’s why we’ve created an ultimate guide to all the pros and cons of 11 of the most popular playground surfaces, from wood chips to recycled rubber mulch.

GET A FREE QUOTE »

Serving the entire USA We install poured rubber flooring for playgrounds in the entire USAContact us for more information or get a free quote.

FAQs About Poured in Place Playground Surfacing

Poured rubber is playground flooring that’s seamless and contains very small rubber granules that are stuck together. It’s not a loose material (like rubber mulch, wood chips, sand, or dirt). It’s a “solid” rubber surface for playgrounds or unitary playground surface, meaning that it’s not made up of rubber tiles.

Poured-in-place rubber is also called poured rubber, wet pour rubber, pour-in-place rubber (PIP), rubber playground turf, bonded rubber stone, or a playground foam surface. There’s both pros and cons of using it for playgrounds, as with any playground surface.

Poured rubber is a very durable playground surface. Its longevity really depends on factors such as:

  • How well it was installed
  • Quality of material used
  • How much the playground is used
  • Weather/climate

As with any playground surface, regardless of how well it was installed, poured rubber for playgrounds does eventually wear out. You can expect it to need more comprehensive resurfacing after about a decade.

Discover more about the quality of it here.

For larger “commercial” playgrounds (for parks, schools, water parks, etc), it’s typically best to leave it to those who have the right tools and experience needed to make sure it’s installed properly. As mentioned previously, if it’s not, or the quality of the material used is sub-par, you’re going to have to replace the surface much sooner. That said, you should be careful when choosing a poured rubber playground installation company.

It’s installed by mixing the materials in a very specific way (using specific tools), poured, and then hand-troweled into place.

Yes, it’s ADA-compliant, wheelchair accessible, and one of the easiest playground surface types for those with disabilities to navigate. Accessible/inclusive playgrounds, and pour-in-place rubber is widely viewed as the best surfacing option to allow safe and easy play among those with physical limitations.

Learn more about the safety of poured rubber playground surfacing.

Safe Playgrounds: What to Look For

Safe Playgrounds - What to Look For - adventureTURF Surface InstallerNot so long ago, playgrounds were fairly dangerous places for children to play. Monkey bars and climbing towers 10 feet tall, everything made of metal that gets hot in the sun not to mention its propensity to rust in the rain, and play surfaces that were made of rock hard dirt or even pavement. Safe playgrounds were not the norm. Children would often get severe burns from the metal play equipment and broken limbs or worse from falling off the tall contraptions onto hard surfaces. According to a study released by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on traumatic brain injury (TBI), falls were listed as a leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations for children 0-14 years of age. This data is from as recent as 2013.

Thankfully playgrounds are much safer than they used to be.

As parents we want keep our children safe, while also allowing them to exercise, enjoy the outdoors, make friends, and play, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has come up with a Public Playground Safety Checklist:

  1. Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel, additional padding for synthetic turf, or are mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
  2. Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.
  3.  Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least 9 feet apart.
  4. Check for dangerous hardware, like open “S” hooks or protruding bolt ends.
  5. Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
  6. Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.
  7. Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
  8. Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
  9. Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.
  10. Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they’re safe.

As playground surface installers, we pay special attention and adhere to several items on the list, however we know that the poured rubber surfacing we use is the safest surface for children to play on. We meet and/or exceed ASTM safety standards F1951 and ASTM F1292 and we are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Playground safety is our first priority and we work with each and every one of our playground surfacing clients to be sure that the surface extension is adequate for fall heights under each piece of equipment.

ABOUT ADVENTURETURF

adventureTURF is a turnkey playground and safety surfacing company that offers customers a number of surfacing options including poured in place and pre-fabricated rubber tile systems. The primary focus of the adventureTURF crew is to install the safest surface possible for both children and adults to work and play. We do this by using only the highest quality playground surfacing material available on the market today. Whether customers need rubber surfacing on a community playground, pool deck surface or rubber safety flooring, the team at adventureTURF can design and install a quality recreation area that fits a customer’s needs and their budget.

Contact us today to learn more.