When you are young, imagination is a wonderful thing. Slides aren’t simply slides, they are mountains to be scaled or to rappel; swings are not just swings, they are planes that fly you to the sky so that you can parachute down to earth. Even the parents of the tamest kids will eventually find them scaling the outside of the playground equipment. It’s inevitable. But as the mind dreams up these wonderful adventures, sometimes the body is unable to carry them out and pays the price. So as parents, what can we do to keep our kids safe on their playground adventures?
The Blue Max website says that on average, more than 200,000 children are treated in US Emergency Rooms for playground injuries. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we should stop kids from playing. With childhood obesity rates on the rise in the United States, it is more important than ever to get our kids outside and away from “screen time”. However something as simple as mulch can do much to help prevent and reduce injuries incurred from falls from playground equipment.
While most public parks and playgrounds have equipment installed over some sort of mulch, the majority of residential backyard playgrounds are installed over grass and dirt. There are a variety of playground surface options available. Anything from sand to mulch to rubber products all provide some level of protection from critical falls. We recommend and install Tumblesafe Playground Mulch. This is an engineered wood fiber that is 100% natural. It is cut at an angle to prevent sharp points and helps absorb the impact from a fall from playground equipment. We feel it is the best value for the money. It meets and exceeds the head impact criteria set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and is the product that state regulated daycares use.
While Tumblesafe Playground Mulch holds up well, any type of mulch can become a casualty of spring and summer storms. If you have already installed mulch under your backyard playground, make sure the wind and rain we’ve had recently have not washed it away. We recommend a minimum of 4-6 inches installed. If you have not installed mulch, it is something you should consider. My neighborhood has already seen two broken bones from playground accidents this season. Here’s to an imaginative, but safe summer.
Thanks,
The AA Tex Lawn Team
