Play Safe in the Sizzlin' Heat of Summer!
By Kate Becker
 
As the Vice President of Program Management at KaBOOM! I believe I am almost as much an expert on playgrounds as I was when I was 8 and living on them in the summer!  National Playground Safety Inspector Certification aside, there is nothing like being the player' on the playground that qualifies you as an expert.  So as I do every month or so since starting at KaBOOM!, I went to a playground yesterday and hung out.  This time I focused not on child development (my passion) or play value (fun totally rules!) but on safety with respect to the recent heat wave.  The thing is, there were really not many kids playing which actually was a good thing in the oppressive extreme heat we were experiencing.

Any surface exposed to direct sunlight will get warm and even hot.  If the temperature of the day soars into the high 90's or pushes over 100, than a playground may very well be too hot to be used.  There is a misconception that plastic playground equipment shouldn't get hot, a plastic slide may not get quite as hot as its metal counterpart, but when you start comparing 165 degrees to 135, it probably doesn't make too much of a difference.  And yes, I read yesterday that a plastic playground seat registered 135 degrees when tested this past week!  The asphalt near the playground (never an acceptable surfacing for under a playground) registered 165!   It matters not what the surface is, in the extreme heat that has been experienced in our country at the end of July and early August, you just need to take precautions. 

Why be in the sun if you can be in the shade!  If your favorite neighborhood playground doesn't have shade, can that be remedied?   This may be a long-term solution.  But work with the owners on planting trees or finding other prefabricated solutions to the direct sun.  If you have limited options and the only playground available to you is not shaded, than take precautions as you choose when you go, what you wear and how you prepare for your day on the playground. 

When taking your child to the playground on an especially hot day, you would be wiser to go in the morning or late afternoon to avoid the most concentrated heat of the day. You should ensure your child is dressed in light colored clothes that protect as opposed to expose.  That means wear loose clothes but cover your child with longer sleeves, pants, and closed shoes.  Lighter color clothing is recommended.  Please avoid dangling pieces of clothing like hood strings that can be entangled and create unsafe situations.  As always, supervision of your child on the playground is critical.  Be aware of where they are playing and what they are touching.  Wear sunscreen and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!  

Here's some advice: with your hand, feel the surface that your child will be coming in contact.  Hold your hand on the swing seat and chains, the slide or the metals of the playground.  How long can you touch?  If the heat that you feel is uncomfortable, than keep your child off!  A child recently burned the souls of his feet on a manhole cover near a playground, do don't just check the obvious, be aware of any areas on which your child might be playing and supervise them.

If you are the person who can help maintain the playground you should cool it down periodically with water!  Spray your engineered wood fiber or rubber surfacing with water and cool it down.  Wood chips (engineered specifically for playground safety surfacing) are flame resistant, but that doesn't mean it cannot catch fire.  During the high heat days that many of us have been experiencing, take your hose and give your playground a good ol' soaking.  

We at KaBOOM! know the importance of playground play, but variety is great!  In the winter head to the ice rinks, in the heat of the summer head to water!  Get your local fire department to open up a corner hydrant.  Head to the local water park, favorite swimming hole, splash park, your local Six Flags or other amusement park.  

Do you have thoughts on having fun in the sizzling heat of the summer?  Do you have hints for the heat?  Let's hear from you!