Discouraging Misuse of Your School Playground

Proper Play Protects Kids and Playground Equipment

We encourage kids to run wild and use their imaginations while playing, but using a playground properly is important. Improper use could lead to injury and equipment damage. Misuse seems inevitable, but schools can put precautions and guidelines in place to ensure the playground is a safe place to be on campus. Serving the Southern California area including Los Angeles and San Diego, our commercial playground professionals have listed out suggestions on encouraging proper play to keep kids and playground equipment safe.

How to Promote Appropriate Playground Play

1. Signage

Safe play on the playground starts with following the rules. Rules can be established and displayed on signage to help remind users how to stay safe on the playground.

Some of the more common playground rules include…

• Proper clothing and shoes must be worn
• Do no use under inclement weather or wet conditions
• No food allowed
• All users must meet height restriction
• No rough physical contact
• Be courteous

Each playground will have its own set of rules, and commercial playground manufacturers will provide proper rules and guidelines to follow. Signage can also be utilized to post notices such as “No Trespassing” to deter unwanted activity that may be an issue.

2. Barriers

Fences on a school’s playground usually are in place to keep kids from running off, but fencing can play a critical role in protecting the area. By securing a school’s playground area with fencing, the area will of course be much harder to enter, which will keep trespassers away after hours; this could include animals that may cause damage to the equipment.

3. Security

Your school may already have security personnel on staff—consider having them monitor the playground to keep the area safe. Understandably, not every school will have the means to hire security personnel, but security cameras can serve as an impactful alternative to keep your property safe. Security cameras of course document an area and any activity within view. Additionally, security cameras can deter unwanted activity such as vandalism and trespassing after hours.

4. Encourage Proper Use

Teachers are incredible resources. We know about the wonderful value they bring to schools and communities, but, sticking to today’s topic, teachers can play a big role in keeping the playground safe. Any supervising adult can keep an eye out for improper playground use. Teachers can also relay the rules and establish guidelines on how children should conduct themselves on the playground. This will introduce kids to how they should behave when playing, which in turn will keep them and the playground equipment safe.

In the Market for New Playground Equipment?

Contact Zoom Recreation

Serving Southern California, including Los Angeles and San Diego, Zoom Recreation is a turnkey commercial playground equipment provider, assisting with your project from concept to creation. Our team will recommend the best products with consideration for your needs, budget, space, and other factors. To get started, give us a call at 866-234-3392 or get in touch with us by filling out our contact form.

CONTACT ZOOM RECREATION

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“Dan’s customer service was exceptional. He went above and beyond to customize the playground equipment as well as assist with the playground area design to provide an optimal play experience for our students.”

— Alissa S.