my+outline

Topic:Keeping Playgrounds Safe Thesis:Three ways to keep playground safe are:(1) have studentst play safe games; (2) teach students how to play safe on the playground; and (3) teachers and parents keep on the lookout for kids who are younger. l. Introduction ll. have studentst play safe games lll. teach students how to play safe on the playground IV. teachers and parents keep on the lookout for kids who are younger V. Conclusion

__Introduction (tell the reader why it's important to keep playgrounds safe)__ According to the website, [], each year, an astounding 205,860 preschool and elementary children receive emergency department care for injuries sustained from, or on, playground equipment. Did you know that each year about 211,000 children in the United States aged 14 and under will receive emergency department treatment for injuries sustained on playground equipment? Of those children, 20 youngsters die each year from their injuries. Read on to see how parents can help to insure that their children are playing in areas that are safely structured and adequately maintained.
 * Twenty-three percent of the above injuries occurred on //home// playground equipment. The National Program for Playground Safety breaks these numbers down even further. Of all the injuries that involved public equipment:
 * Forty-five percent occurred in schools
 * Thirty-one percent in commercial childcare centers.
 * Three percent of the injuries took place
 * || According to the website,http://www.alegent.com/15174.cfm

Statistics show that lack of adult supervision is a factor in 40% of playground injuries. Regardless of age, all children require some form of adult supervision when using playground equipment. Preschool age children require more attentive supervision than older children do. Adults need to be on the lookout for potential hazards, oversee child to child interactions, and be available in case of injury.

Because children at age 2 are developmentally different from children at age 8, the same type of playground equipment is not appropriate for all children. Preschool children ages 2 to 5 and school aged children ages 5 to 12 need separate areas to play on equipment that is appropriately designed for each group. Do not allow or encourage younger children to try to master equipment that has not been designed for them. Likewise, do not allow older children to overrule the youngsters and play hazardously on equipment that has not been designed for use by older children.

Before allowing your children to use playground equipment, perform a quick overall visual inspection of the area. Is all equipment properly anchored into the ground? Do you see any exposed sharp edges or corners that could harm your children? Are nuts and bolts covered and are all S-hooks closed? Are climbing ropes anchored at both ends? Is there anything on the ground, for example, broken glass, rocks, litter, or large tree roots that could injure a child? More than 70% of playground injuries result from a fall to the surface. Falls are responsible for the most severe playground injuries that result in head injuries and fractures. The surface that is in place under and around the playground equipment is a major contributing factor in determining the degree of injury that may occur with any fall. Hard surface materials like asphalt and concrete are not suitable for use under or around playground equipment. Likewise, grass and turf are not recommended because of their poor shock absorbing capabilities. Some examples of recommended surfacing materials include: wood chips, double shredded bark mulch, fine sand, shredded tires, engineered wood fibers and fine gravel. Usually a depth of between six and twelve inches of surfacing material is recommended.

According to the National Safety Council (NSC), more than 200,000 children visit hospital emergency rooms because of playground injuries each year – and approximately 15 will die. But there are things parents can do to keep kids safe at the park.

Read more at Suite101: [|How to Keep Kids Safe at the Park: Prevent Playground Related Injuries to Children] []