As gardens start to turn green, and chilly winds turn to pleasant breezes, we look forward to spending more time outside. Warmer weather means more outdoor play—and the playground is a welcome respite after a winter of indoor activities.
Experts agree that outdoor activities are important for nurturing healthy, well-socialized kids.1 Here at Dr.STITCH, we’re all about heading outside for some fun in the sun, we just want to make sure everybody is staying safe. To help you make the most of your next trip to the park, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks for playground safety.
Slide and Swing Safely
Children can get very creative with playground equipment, but this is not the place to let their imaginations run wild—the silly new slide technique they came up with may not be safe.
TIP: Teach kids that it is important to use playground equipment as intended. That means no standing on swings, climbing up the slide the wrong way, or sliding down backwards.
Dress for Playground Success
Falls are a common cause of playground injuries. While minor bumps and bruises are an expected part of childhood, making sure that your child is dressed appropriately for play is a step you can take to prevent more serious injuries.
TIP: Make sure that clothing is well-fitted with no hanging drawstrings or too-long sleeves or pants. Ensure that shoes fit well and have good traction.
Keep it Clean
Many parents spend the winter battling colds, respiratory infections, and viruses. While you are generally safer from germs in a fresh air setting, you can still take precautions to keep your crew healthy.
TIP: Keep hand sanitizer with you and make sure the kids use it before and after play time. Also, it’s a good idea to wipe down hands, swings, and other playground equipment to minimize potential contact with germs.
Play it Sun Safe
Even on a day that is overcast, up to 70% of the sun’s rays may filter through the clouds. At the end of a long day outside, don’t be caught off guard by a sneaky sunburn. Warm weather burns aren’t terribly common, but we’ve seen enough of them to advise caution.
TIP: Keep sunscreen in your bag. A spray or stick form may be easiest to re-apply to active kids. Check out the ProBLUEMD™ protection line which features high SPF and mineral based sunscreen sprays.
Contact Dr. STITCH in Long Island and New York
Even with parental vigilance, kids can easily obtain injuries at the playground. Getting banged, bruised, cut, and hurt is part of being a kid—but life-long scars don’t have to be. If your child suffers a laceration, burn, facial trauma, or hand injury, call Dr.STITCH. One of our expert plastic surgeons can meet you at a local hospital or at one of our offices in Long Island and the surrounding area. Download our contact card to your phone and have safe fun in the sun!
1 Gabriela Bento, Gisela Dias. The importance of outdoor play for young children’s healthy development,
Porto Biomedical Journal, Volume 2, Issue 5, 2017, Pages 157-160, ISSN 2444-8664, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbj.2017.03.003.