It is more than all the fun and games when opting to buy for kid’s playground equipment. Other than that, you will also need to assess and ensure that safety considerations that you have to keep in mind, this also includes the liability concerns for when neighbors and friends nearby come by to play in your area. This article will give you a few of the things that you will have to list down to assure a safe place for playing.
#1: Select equipment that is age-appropriate. Keep in mind to buy playground equipment that is only allowed for kid’s age range. Hence, many injuries happen because children are being allowed to play on equipment that does not suit their age or might be too advanced for their age group. There are three main categories to choose from for the equipment’s age range – ages 2 and under, ages 2 to 5, and ages 5 to 12. Choosing the right equipment for your children will prevent them from having unnecessary injuries.
#2: Pay close attention to the surfaces underneath and around. There is playground equipment that comes along with surfaces that need to get installed underneath or around the equipment itself. These surfaces have to be thick and soft to provide your kids with suitable padding when (not if), your children ever happen to fall while playing. This adds extra safety measures to the playground equipment. Putting these surfaces would work best with rubber mats, as well as sand and wood chips.
#3. Beware of wood construction/foundation. Nobody knows for instance, although there are concerns about the pressure-treated wood used in many structures, hence including playground equipment. The chemicals that were being used to preserve the woods used for the equipment may contain toxins to you and especially, your kids. Make sure that you are wary about these concerns, avoid buying the playground equipment that is being constructed from wood until the medical professionals know what long-term health effects may cause this.
#4: Install equipment barriers. If the playground equipment you bought has any elevated part, then you must consider installing a barrier to prevent your kids from falling off. The risk of the accident that may cause unexpected injuries is high, regardless of the age, that having these barriers and guard rails is not a necessary option. Determine the height and distance that these rails of barriers must get installed so that young children will not get their heads stuck between them.
#5: Space swings apart. Your kids will have the tendency to collide intp one another, thus, resulting to injuries if the swings are being installed too close. The right measure for safe spacing must be at least 24 inches apart from each other. When measuring, measure it from the outside of one swing to the outside of the other swing. Hence, the swings must be facing, measure must be 2 inner chains. Also, check and measure the distance between the swings and the frame at least 30 inches apart.
When buying a playground equipment, you must always consider the safety measure above anything else. Hence, always channel the detective in you when doing the work.