Kids like to play a lot. When they are playing outdoors, the parents’ main concern is their kids’ safety as maximum injuries the kid suffers are because of accidents in Playgrounds. It is quite natural for kids to forget to follow safety rules while playing. The end result is injuries, sometimes minor, sometimes major. However you can avoid serious injuries by enhancing playground safety and adding safe playground equipments in the kids’ play areas.
Rubber mulch plays very important role in playground safety. Rubber mulch is made from recycled rubber. It can be used for covering the kids’ play area. Main advantage of placing rubber mulch on the playgrounds is that even if the kids fall down from any playground equipments, they will not get severe injuries. Rubber mulch acts as cushion and protects kids from getting injuries.
Getting dirty while playing is part and parcel of outdoor games specifically when the playground is covered with grass and dirt. However, if the play area is covered with rubber mulch your kids can enjoy their play time without spoiling their cloths or getting serious injuries.
Rubber mulch is durable. It cannot be washed away in heavy rains nor can it blow away in the storm. Another benefit of rubber mulch is that it does not catch dust. It will be a perfect protection for your kids while they are in the play area.
Rubber mulch comes in different colors. You can cover your backyard with your kids’ favorite color.
A great upscale addition in the playground safety surfacing called rubber bond that is an upgraded and enhanced addition to the rubber mulch family.
Raising the Bar in Playground Surfacing:
Rubber Bond has raised the bar in unitary playarea surfaces. Although similar in appearance to conventional poured rubber surfaces, Rubber Bond is actually a patent pending breakthrough concept in solid play surfaces.
Rubber Bond surfaces are created by spreading a thick layer of loose Rubberecycle Rubber Mulch and then applying an additional layer of rubber combined with a high quality polyurethane bond.
The surface thus has all the shock absorbency of Playsafer Rubber Mulch, plus an additional layer of protection. Rubber Bond’s unitary surface provides a neat look with minimal maintenance while offering unrivaled safety performance.
Rubber bond safety surface is great for public playgrounds including school play area, community and public housing playgrounds.
We all agree that playground time can be just as vital as classroom time to a child’s social, emotional and educational development.
Due to school budget cuts and an increased focus on academic standards, millions of American schoolchildren may miss out on unstructured play with their peers including hopscotch, tag, kickball or jump rope.
Recess also functions successfully as an established school-based activity and should be carefully considered as part of any school health and wellness policy.
Despite mounting evidence that kids need an outlet to blow off steam, learn to interact with others and get the exercise they need, nearly 40 percent of American elementary schools have either eliminated or are considering eliminating recess.
On the other hand we need to make sure to follow all the playgrounds safety tips as mentioned by CPSC safety tips. Use this simple checklist to help make sure your local community or school playground is a safe place to play.
Playground surfaces can contain recovered rubber and PVC materials that are often more desirable than wood chips, sand, or asphalt, because they can provide more cushioning and thereby may be safer for children. You can find playground surfaces made with recovered materials at schools, military bases, and housing developments.
In the Playgrounds News from London, England. As you will read on what it means a 2010 playground for kids, and yes it is important for kids to have all writes and capability to play and enjoy playgrounds with safety.
Read on: Watford playgrounds set for £350,000 refurbishment
Three playgrounds in Watford will receive makeovers costing more than £350,000.
Play areas at Callowland Recreation Ground, Leavesden Green Recreation Ground and Woodside Playing Fields will all receive new playgrounds equipment and safety surfacing.
Watford Borough Council will contribute approximately £215,000 to the cost of the works, while an additional £156,000 will come from the Department for Children, Schools and Families Playbuilder fund managed by Hertfordshire County Council.
Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “In the regular surveys we carry out, parks and playgrounds always feature as a priority for residents. It is always good news when we can get additional funding to do even more work on our playgrounds.”
Wicksteed will carry out the works for Callowland, while Proludic has been awarded the contract for Leavesden Green. Work is set to be completed by the end of March this year.
Woodside playground will be refurbished by the end of March 2011.
Consultations were held with local school children, children’s centres and children with disabilities to find out what they wanted for the playgrounds.
New equipment at Callowland includes toddler swings, a cable runway, basket swing, climbing units, dish roundabout, toddler roundabout, mizzenmast (rope climber) and natural play features such as boulders, mounds and logs which make up an adventure trail.
Leavesden Green’s refurbished playground will include toddler swings, junior swings, a small cable runway, sandpit, basket swing, spinning dish roundabout, an Altima climbing mast, rodeo board, trampoline and natural play features.
I hope money will be spent wisely, like buying right playground equipment and playground safety surfacingas you would find, the USA President Obama choose for the first family White House playground.
Rubber mulches are manufactured from tires through a series of process. It proves to be the ideal material to use in playground surfacing. It acts as a shock proof material which reduces the rate of injuries. The athletes and kids need not be worried about injuries and can concentrate on the games. They are available at affordable cost. The cost might vary from $4.20 – $4.35 per square foot and they are 100% safe and metal free. They ensure a play safe surfacing area and drain rain water quickly. They cushion the impact of severe falls and shield the players from injuries. They are easy to maintain and have a strong physical bonding. It can be applied to any kind of weather conditions.
v The surfacing material can be chosen from a wide spectrum of colors.
v They are highly recommended by various organizations that minimizes the environmental damages.
v They are clean and easy to maintain. They are odor free and reduce mud and dirt in the play area.
v They do not decompose and never give out the rotten smell.
v Rubberecycle mulch is non toxic and non-staining.
We here in the USA are well aware of the importance of playgrounds for our children. It represents a safe haven where they can let their imaginations take them into their own private world. In addition, we adults know how beneficial it is for their physical and emotional health; an opportunity to run around and get vital exercise, while at the same time releasing any built-up tensions. It is interesting to note that even in Afghanistan, they are well aware of the importance of playgrounds for kids. Here is an article that appeared in Playground Magazine.
Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force – Afghanistan Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – For a war-torn nation, the concept of childhood and innocent play was thought to be all but forgotten. The trash littered roads and dilapidated housing are a common site in the Panjwayee District.
Barefoot and scantily clothed, the poverty stricken children in Kandahar province find entertainment with sticks and abandoned trash and too often, become the victims of roadside accidents. While the construction of school houses is becoming more frequent throughout southern Afghanistan, the children are all too often left to their own devices. But for one small village, the recent completion of a fenced playground offers a safe place to reinvent the custom of play.
High-pitched screams and excited laughter are heard as nearly thirty children scramble to the newly completed playground a mere one hundred meters from the village housing. Located between a bazaar and abandoned Russian barracks now used as apartments, the playground is easily accessible for all the local children. As the sun settles, light reflects off the aluminum slide as children mingle with the shadows, reluctant to abandon their newly acquired play space. Children of all ages appear night after night, when chores are complete, to escape into a world of imagination. This area is theirs alone; a place free of broken glass, insurgents and bombs.
“We built this playground to promote security for the children,” explains a civil affairs captain overseeing the project. “The village has a school but lacked a safe environment for children to play and socialize. The children need this area for developmental progression. The advent of a playground provides one of the most effective methods to enhance their standard of living while simultaneously decreasing their association with insurgents or insurgent activity.”
“The village elders closely monitor the playground and the local Afghan national army routinely patrols the area,” remarks the captain. “The ANA also ensure the safety of the children by inspecting the playground before the children are released from school for the day. This prevents the emplacement of explosive devices.”
The playground, consisting of swing sets, monkey bars, a seesaw and a slide, will one day also attract older villagers. Special Forces have planted fifty trees and will soon deliver multiple wooden benches. Upon completion, the playground will have evolved into a park, offering shelter from the piercing sun and a safe haven for all ages.
Rubber mulch is organic in nature and do not pose any threat to the environment. They are safe and protective in nature. Most of the playgrounds managers prefer to use rubber mulches to enhance the Playground safety. They are made from the recycled rubber tires. They make the landscapes, play ground areas exquisite with their presence and present a firm footage area that avoids the problems of skidding. This material is mostly favored in the play areas by the administrative teams as there are bountiful numbers of benefits. The shock absorbing property plays the lead role in advocating the benefits of this mulch. It provides a cleaner surface and the players need not worry about the dirt and dust found in the usual areas.
Athletes shall have a firm area of footing during the practice sessions which will avoid them from free fall. This material does not allow the stagnation of rain water. Rubber mulches absorb the water and leave a clean surface that will allow the play to resume. The soil nutrients can be held together and the rain waters will not be allowed to wash away the nutrients. The life period expectancy is about 25 years and rubber mulches are economically viable options. Rubber mulches are preferred over other quality of mulches and are stunning in terms of quality. The play ground remains beautiful and will not lose its importance due to any factors as long as the mulches are present.If you looking for more information then it is a good idea to visit RubberRecycle.
Children love to spend much time in the playground and they forget themselves in their mirth and laughter. Every year many playgrounds related fatalities are reported to the shock of all concerned people. But by using rubber mulch for safety surfacing playground injuries can be reduced to the minimum. Thus rubber mulch and playground safety are closely associated.
Rubber mulch is a unique rubber granule made from 100% recycled scrap tires and it can protect your children to a great extent. It has the capacity to cushion the impact of dangerous falls, thereby saving the child from fatal injuries. The added advantage is that it is easy to maintain due to its strength and resilience. It is appropriate for all kinds of weather.
Playground Rubber mulch in fact adds to the aesthetic beauty of the playground since it is available in a wide range of colors. It is clean and free of odor and reduces mud, dirt and insects. The durability is very high as it does not rot or decompose. It is cost effective as it is a onetime investment. The non-toxic, non-abrasive, non-staining qualities makeit suitable for playgrounds. With the use of rubber mulch and playground safety resulting from it parents can send their children for playtime with peace of mind.
Rubber mulch has multifarious benefits that make it superior to organic mulches. It is obtained after cleaning and granulating used rubber treads. Even though there are detractors of the product who claim that is destroys the environment, many practical uses combined with durability have made it a huge success.
The material was initially used only in gardening and landscaping purposes. It prevents weeds and pests from attacking the crops and garden plants and is durable and easily maintainable. But presently, rubber mulch is increasingly used in playgrounds to act as a cushion. Playground related accidents are quite common in our country. Some accidents even result in fatal injuries to players. However, it has been observed that playgrounds having rubber mulch as ground cover reported very less number of injuries compared with those who do not have.
Rubber mulch presently comes in many colors. This adds to the aesthetic beauty of the playground. The role of the material in playground safety has to be lauded since it has brought down incidents of playground related accidents to the bare minimum. It even provides sure footing to players, which results in less number of heavy falls. It is no wonder that playground mulch has forayed into horse racing arena, military training grounds etc these days.
Playground is an essential place for the child to achieve overall development. It provides fun, fresh air and exercise. However, it can also turn out to be a threat to the safety of children. Faulty equipments, improper surfaces and careless behavior are just a few to mention. Every year many kids get hospitalized due to playground related injuries. The fact is that many of these could have been averted with proper supervision and care. At the same time it is important to teach the kids how to play safely.
It is a fact that performing equipment and surfacing maintenance upgrades can greatly contribute to playground safety. It is essential to have certified playground surfacing, like installing engineered wood fiber, rubber mulch etc beneath and around the equipments to minimize impact injuries from falls. Apart from this playground equipment should be installed properly for the safety of children.
Proper installation also includes giving signs regarding the age-appropriateness of the equipments. After installing the equipment and surfacing it is advisable to get a safety audit done by an authorized person prior to use. Above all, proper maintenance is one of the most important aspects if playground safety. Equipments and surfacing have to be checked periodically to see if there are any damages. If regular inspections and replacement processes are in place you can reduce the hazards in playground. If you are looking for more information then feel free to visit rubberrecycle.com