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Archive for the ‘Health/Safety’ Category

5 Steps To a Successful Playground Design

Are you in search of more playground design tips? Is it time to make changes on your playground? Design for Fun recommends the following design ideas for a fun and successful outdoor experience:

  1. Themes
  2. Developmental Differences
  3. accessibility
  4. Sense of Community
  5. Fun Ways to Get There

I reviewed all five of the design tips and I am ready to incorporate all five of the suggested design tips on the playground at my childcare center. Moreover, I want to share the design tips with you.

Incorporate a Theme

 Having a theme on your playground enhances outdoor play.  Furthermore, it promotes pretend play, social interactions and cooperative play outdoors. I also believe that parents would love the fact that their children are able to have access to this level of play. Theme ideas include:: under water, beach scene, sports, fairy tale or fantasy themes,etc.

Consider the Developmental Differences

The average childcare facility cares for children ages 6wks-12 years of age and that is a wide range of developmental needs. Infants need equipment that is designed for early walkers and equipment that provides crawl space for exploration. Toddlers and preschooler love to exercise walk, balance, crawl over and under;  crawl over, under and hide.

Good accessibility

According to Design for Fun, “Good accessible playground design provides participation, variety, physical comfort, and safety for all its users by incorporating rather than segregating differences.” The next time that the children are outdoors look for accessibility. If you do not see it, it’s time to work on good accessibility.

Meeting Place

Does your playground have a meeting place? A meeting place is simply a central gathering place for the children to stop and talk with one another or simply rest from play. Many centers want staff moving around, however, it is a good idea to have a meeting place for adults as well. This would be a great way to inspire parents to visit your playground.

Exploring Fun Ways to Get There

“Children are far more interested in HOW they get somewhere than in where it is they are going”

Looking at the photo above has inspired me to add a place where children can climb or walk across ropes. I remember walking across a path similar to this a Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri and it was an awesome experience. I can only imagine what a child feels when her or she walks across a roped bridge.

I hope that you have been inspired to create a successful design on your playground and most of all, enhance the play on your playground!

This blog post was inspired by, “Designed for Fun.”

Shiketa Morgan

Email me at childcarenews@aol.com

Category:

Desgning Saces, Health/Safety, Playground

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Playground Recalls and Clothing Safety

 playground

As I researched playground equipment recalls, I was quite surprised at the number of  recalls on playground equipment. Some of the playground equipment recalls included below:

  • Equipment with Pressure treated wood
  • Playground equipment with chipping paint (could pose lead risk)
  • Swing safety, slides, see-saws and gliders
  • Recall on Draw string shirts and jackets, due to playground injury

If you have any of the above equipment on your playground, be sure to check out the US Consumer product safety commission recall list. Moreover, if you find that any of your playground equipment is on the recall list, it is in your best interest and for the safety of the children in your care to  remove the equipment as soon as possible.

Your playground may not have recalled items, however, you must be aware of the public playground recalls in the event you want to take the children on a field trip to a local park. Many of the equipment dangers were found at public playgrounds.

Before taking the children on the playground, please remove drawstring from hooded shirts or jackets, to prevent injuries.  Over the past 20 years there has been 23 deaths due to draw strings becoming entangled on playground equipment. Read more about it.

I encourage you to take some time to review the recall list above and require that parents do not send children in clothing with drawstring.

Feel free to share your comments about this blog post.

With Child Safety in Mind!

Shiketa Morgan

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Category:

Child Care Center, Family Child Care, Health/Safety, Playground

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