Why is playground safety an important issue?
Play is essential for the healthy development of children. We build playgrounds as special places where children can stretch their bodies, take risks, expend their amazing energy, and learn social skills. We naturally expect that these special places are safe for our children. But playground injuries are surprisingly common, often serious, and even fatal. An estimated 20,000 to 30,000 children are treated in Canadian emergency rooms for playground injuries each year. More than 1,700 of these children will be hospitalized, usually for fractures or head injuries. Whether at school, at home, or in a community park, these injuries need not be considered a natural consequence of play. Many of these injuries can be prevented by improving playground equipment or the surface under equipment, as well as by actively supervising young children at play. Research into the nature and causes of playground injuries is now extensive, both in Canada and worldwide. Playground operators (such as school bo
