Special Report: Swing, Slide, Seesaw Safety

Three of the most popular playground equipment devices sold today are swings, slides, and seesaws. All of these can be used and enjoyed by children as long as few safety issues are addressed.

Swing Safety: Many experts agree that swings are the most frequent cause of injuries to children.

Whenever possible, swings should be constructed of soft materials. This might include rubber or plastic. Avoid using swings that are made of wood or metal.

Ensure that your child always sits in the swing. Do not allow him or her to stand or kneel in the swing. This is often a major cause of accidents.

Another causer of accidents is when children on the ground walk into children who are swinging.

Parents should inspect the moving parts of the swing to make sure that there are no pinch points and that all of the nuts and bolts are tightened.

Swings should also be secured properly to the ground. In many cases, this requires setting footings for the legs of the swing set. Make sure that you follow all of the manufacturer's instructions when setting your footings.

Slide Safety: Slides are normally very safe for children, but there are a couple of issues for parents to be mindful of.

Ladder safety is important. More children are injured while using the ladder than at any other while using this playground device.

Children be instructed to take one step at a time and told to hold on to the handrail when using the ladder.

While it is nearly impossible to actually achieve, children should be told to only slide feet first.

Explain to your child to always check that the bottom of the slide is clear before he or she slides down.

Parents should routinely check the nuts and bolts or other fastening devices on the slide and the ladder. These fasteners tend to loosen up with time and use.

Seesaw Safety: Accidents on seesaws normally occur when children who are too young to be using the device use the device. Seesaws require cooperation between children, and sometimes younger children do not understand that concept.

For younger children, it is recommended that parents purchase a spring-centering device which can prevent abrupt contact with the ground should one child hop off the device.

Parents can help prevent accidents by telling their children to not double-up on one end of the seesaw. There should be only one child on each end of the seesaw. If your child is too light to seesaw with a partner, try to find a different partner and avoid the temptation to add another child to the same side of the seesaw.

Instruct your children to always sit facing one another, not turned around.

Children should also be instructed to hold on with both hands and to never reach under the seesaw or to place their hands or feet under the center portion of the device.

Another important tip is to make sure that other children do not get too close to the seesaw when it is in use. This can lead to serious injury should a child on the ground be struck with the board.

Swings, slides, and seesaws are fun and they do not have to be dangerous as long as a few safety precautions are taken. Make it a habit to inspect your playground equipment and do the maintenance that is needed on them. This will help ensure that your child is kept healthy and safe.