Playground Design: Safety

Playground Design: Safety

TOM: Backyard playground design: safety is fun, but they can also be dangerous if safety is missing from their design. Hi, I’m Tom Kraeutler.

LESLIE: And I’m Leslie Segrete with today’s Money Pit home improvement minute.

TOM: Lets talk about playground design: safety. Every year, more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger get treated for playground-related injuries. Many happen in backyard playgrounds, so it’s important to make sure your space is safe for neighborhood kids.

LESLIE: That’s right. Most injuries result from falls onto hard surfaces. So if your playground equipment is up to seven feet high, soften the ground underneath with at least nine inches of wood chips, mulch, or shredded rubber.

TOM: If you use sand or peat gravel, you’ll need nine inches for equipment just five feet high and taller. Mats made of safety-tested rubber are also a great option underfoot.

LESLIE: Make sure that your ground cover extends six feet in all directions from the perimeter of the play equipment. That way, kids will have a soft landing whether they’re stepping off a ladder or launching from a rope swing. I’m Leslie Segrete.