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One of the objectives of playground safety audits is to recognize very serious hazards. Generally speaking a "Class ·1 Hazard" has been defined as one that could cause an injury which would result in death, brain damage, permanent paralysis, loss of …

Park and School planners are adjusting to developing and designing play areas that follow guidelines and rules. Of course, when the Consumer Product Safety Guidelines for Public Playgrounds were first developed, there was much mumbling and confusion about …

Students at the J. Erik Jonsson Community School in Dallas peer out a window as volunteer workers install a new playground on their behalf. It took hundreds of hands and half as many backs to provide the J. Erik Jonsson Community School in Dallas with a …

Although the big numbers are impressive-1 million bike helmets distributed, 500,000 car seats provided 100,000 smoke alarms given out- it's the little number that is most important. "To this date, we have 41 reported lives saved," proclaims Stephenie …

This bridge was made for walking, but today it's serving a higher purpose as a heat source. With North Carolina currently caught in a cold snap, 3-year-old Chloe Gurgel and 2-year-old Alexandria MacDonald have discovered that the black belt bridge at the …

Theme play is one of Soft Play's latest ventures in soft-contained play equipment.  It may sound like something a thrill-seeking snowboarder would brag about, but Soft Play, L.L.C. is quite proud of its "ability to go vertical." "For our customers, space …

The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) has now specifically defined loose-fill materials for playground use (fall) zones as an "architectural barrier" to a playground, that relating to all products which have not …

Welcome to the world of playground safety where there are so many issues and varieties of interest that it cannot be covered in one article. Here, we will look at some basic ideas on how to get your playground up to speed with tips and suggestions, while …

The philosophy is simple. Take the thrill and exhilaration that children receive by running  through a sprinkler on a hot summer day and turn it into a full-fledged water playground- or 'sprayground'-where anything goes. It's the refreshing idea growing …

Money is often an issue for people looking to purchase playground equipment. Concerned adults in communities around America are working to make playgrounds safer for children. Many times, this means replacing old, outdated and unsafe equipment or …

Hadley Kramm gets a hand in cutting the ribbon at the grand opening of the second park. “Sometime in our childhood, we all sat and daydreamed about what it would be like to be somewhere exciting. To be someone exciting. To do something magical or go …

Confined to a wheelchair by cerebral palsy, Karly Woodall of Meridian, Idaho, is unable to enjoy most playgrounds because of a lack of accessibility. Peggy Greenwell of the U.S. Access Board in Washington, D.C., spearheaded the drive for the release of …

With all due respect to ESPN sports anchor Dan Patrick, “Nothing but the bottom of the net!” doesn’t get you very far in this game. Like its elder cousin basketball, the object of Bankshot is still to get the ball through the rim, but unlike in Dr James …

It’s true that today’s playgrounds aren’t built like they used to be. Gone are most of the blacktop surfaces, as well as many of the tall, imposing metal jungle gyms and hard, plastic, animal swing that used to pose major impact hazards. Not gone, …

There have been two inquires that regularly appear in my e-mail from people around the country who are concerned about playground development and management. These, simply stated, are “what is the best playground we can build?” and “how can we provide the …

There’s a big difference between the joy that can be found in a winter wonderland and at a winter playground, especially in Idaho. In need of a cover photograph for this, the inaugural issue of Today’s Playground, resident photographer Kort Duce and I …