Sidebar
Old enough to play
How old is too young to play? Test your knowledge about age-appropriate playground safety.
How high is too high for a child 5 years old or younger?
Safe Kids Canada says, “Five feet is about as high as most adults can easily reach. Do not let your young child go any higher than that.”
How old is old enough to use overhead rings or horizontal ladders?
The United States Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) reports, “Four-year-olds are generally the youngest children capable of using upper body devices such as these.”
What’s the proper slope on a slide?
-
50 degrees
-
40 degrees
-
30 degrees
The CPSC states, “It is recommended that the average incline on a slide chute be no more than 30 degrees.”
What is a common cause of playground injury?
-
Hot surfaces
-
Bug bites
-
Lack of supervision
Some equipment materials may absorb sunlight heat, but Safe Kids Canada notes, “Many playground injuries happen when children are not watched closely enough. Stay close to your child and teach him or her how to play safely.”
Does pea gravel offer a safe playground surface for young children?
According to the New Zealand Ministry of Education, “… with children under 2, pea gravel is not acceptable as an impact attenuation surface due to the choking hazard.”
“With the Americans with Disabilities Act, the surfacing industry evolved again, as the (playground surface) product now needed to provide a firm, stable, and slip resistant footing for mobility devices to wheel across, which neither sand nor gravel would provide,” states the US CPSC, which recommends reviewing the American Society for Testing and Materials for playground equipment and surfacing standards.
|
