Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
Home
  • Playground
  • Surfacing
  • Parks
  • Athletics
  • Aquatics
  • Play
  • The Evolution of Playground Surfacing
  • Playground Supervision: How Much Is Too Much?
  • Girard Street Park Playground Goes Year Round
  • Designing A Great Skatepark
  • Is The Use of PVC in Playground Equipment Safe?
  • Super Size your Supervision

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Playground
  3. Supersize Your Supervision

Supersize Your Supervision

Safety
March 01, 2007
Profile picture for user Playground Magazine
By Playground Magazine on
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print
161
Parents supervising on playground
Super Size your Supervision
Super Size your Supervision

Instead of Your Fences 

Give this some thought. There are probably some out there who think the only supervision a child on a playground needs is a high enough fence. Hopefully, you're scratching your head right now wondering how a fence is going to watch children at play. It doesn't compute if you think about the statistics for injuries on the playground. Supervision is a must, whether it is school, public parks, child care facility, home, or wherever the playground is situated. My children went to a certain childcare facility for a short period of time. When I found out that I should probably be writing the check to the backyard fence for watching my children as they played on the structures so the child care provider could do what she needed to in the house, I have to say I was less than pleased. That is not to say that this is what is happening at all childcare facilities, but we switched facialities soon after.

According to the International Playground Safety Institute (IPSI), most injuries on playgrounds are due to falls, not children wandering away from the equipment; although fences can help out by slowing a wandering child from leaving the designated play area. The following fact remains: Children of all ages need to be watched on the playground.

Part of supervision is making sure that children play in areas that are suitable for their age and physical ability. Children in the age range of 2 to 5 years old aren't likely to have the physical ability to play on structures intended for children 5 to 12 years old. Fall heights are different, and equipment requires more upper body strength needed to navigate structures designed for ages 5 to 12. For instance, a two-year-old shouldn't be left hanging on a horizontal ladder. A supervisor can keep this from happening and lessen the chance of injury at play.

The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) notes that nearly 40 percent of all playground-related injuries have a correlation to inadequate supervision. The suggested child-to-supervisor ratio of supervision for the playground is that of the ratio for the kind of indoor classroom. In studies conducted by NPPS, the largest found was 125 to one supervisor, while the most common was one supervisor to 50 students. NPPS suggests that PTAs work with schools to set up a schedule of volunteers, but that they also provide training for supervisors so they know their role and responsibilities and also the rules of the playground. This includes having supervisors perform a daily check of equipment for broken components, depth of loose-fill sure facing as well as check for other hazards.

There are several programs out there dedicated to educating supervisors and children about safety. Adults should talk with children about hazards and teach them about appropriate behavior. NPPS has a S.A.F.E. Playground Supervision kit available through its website. you log on to www.playgroundsafety.org, and you'll also find information about National Playground Safety Week, which is scheduled for the last week in April each year. You can log on to the website to find out all the things you can do to get your state involved.

The bottom line is that we have plenty of resources out there to help with education for safety and supervision, so take advantage of them and help to reduce playground injuries. 

Profile picture for user Playground Magazine
Playground Magazine
Published 15 years ago
Last updated 1 month ago
161
2
min read
A- A+
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • envelope
  • print

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter

More About

boy climbing on clean playground equipment
Jan 19, 2021
Safety

The First Antimicrobial Coating for Commercial Playgrounds

Todd Brinker
Kids Safe While Playing In A Playground
Feb 25, 2020
Safety

Tips To Keep You and Your Kids Safe While Playing In A Playground

Jessica Edgerly
Climbing a slide - unintended use - Shutterstock 102166951
Jul 22, 2015
Safety

Hazard Based Approach to Standards Development: The time is now - Part 1

Kenneth Kutska
The National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI)
Sep 01, 2003
Safety

The National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI)

Playground Magazine
Study Should Redirect Focus
Sep 01, 2001
Safety

Study Should Redirect Focus

Monty Christiansen
Kids excited to ride a zip line.
May 31, 2018
Safety

Don’t Play Games with Playground Safety

Alan Crowe
Too Much Playground Supervision
May 01, 2009
Safety

Playground Supervision: How Much Is Too Much?

David Spease
Safety is Everyone's Responsibility
Jan 01, 2003
Safety

Safety is Everyone's Responsibility

Playground Magazine
Playground Safety Signs & Labels
Oct 01, 2012
Safety

Playground Safety Signs & Labels

Scott Burton
Are playgrounds really safe?
Sep 19, 2014
Safety

Are Our Playgrounds (and Industry-Related Fall Safety Standards) Really Safe?

Michael Baldwin1
Mar 01, 2006
Safety

Rungs in the Fall Zone

Playground Magazine
National Playground Safety Week
Mar 01, 2006
Safety

National Playground Safety Week

Playground Magazine

Safety Professionals

Playground Safety Services, Inc.
Playground Safety Services, Inc.
Services
More
ADA.gov
ADA.gov
Organization
More
Slyde the Playground Hound
Slyde the Playground Hound
Organization
More
International Playground Safety Institute
International Playground Safety Institute
Organization
More
ASTM International
ASTM International
Organization
More
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
United States Consumer Product Safety Commission
Organization
More
Safety Play, Inc.
Safety Play, Inc.
Services
More
National Program for Playground Safety
National Program for Playground Safety
Organization
More
Home

Follow Us

Play and playground news and information since 2001

  • instagram
  • facebook-f
  • twitter
  • pinterest
  • linkedin

Company

  • Playground Magazine
  • Contributors
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Copyright © 2001 - 2023 Playground Professionals, LLC

Footer menu

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms and conditions