Playground Safety

Playgrounds help kids learn, socialize, and burn energy. They are also a common source of emergency visits: falls and misuse of equipment drive many unintentional injuries. Three factors matter most for prevention:

Surfacing

Play areas should have at least 9–12 inches of proper protective surfacing—such as engineered wood fiber, rubber mulch, sand, or pea gravel—under and around equipment. Surfacing should extend at least six feet in all directions from the structure. Refill worn spots under swings and slides where material gets kicked away.

Age-appropriate equipment

Most playgrounds are designed for two bands, commonly ages 2–5 and 5–12. Put children on structures built for their size and skills—bar spacing, deck heights, and activities differ on purpose.

Supervision

Stay close enough to help and to see risky “creative” uses of equipment (climbing on top of rails, jumping from heights, wrapping ropes around the neck). Playgrounds work best when adults model safe play and set clear rules.

For falls at home and in other settings, see fall safety.

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