Let’s Move! has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.
Playing outdoors is a major component in fighting childhood obesity, and significantly contributes to the mental and physical health and wellbeing of young people,” said Barbara Tulipane, CEO of NRPA. It is the responsibility of every community to provide children with safe and challenging play environments.”
Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.
When playing outdoors!
1. Don’t forget what’s below your feet! Grass is not an acceptable surfacing for playgrounds. One of the leading causes of injury on playgrounds is falling from playground equipment. To minimize the frequency and severity of injury from playground falls, it is crucial to have certified playground surfacing, such as rubber mulch surfacing installed under and around the equipment on any public playground. This surfacing is certified to have sufficient depth or thickness to minimize impact injuries from falls. Like you would find that when the white house had a playground installed, they chose recycled Playsafer Rubber Mulch and Rubber Curbs from Rubberecycle.com of Lakewood New Jersey.
2. Be an advocate for safety standards. Playground equipment and surfacing have been carefully evaluated by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The standards set by these organizations help ensure that playground equipment and surfacing is age appropriate and designed with the measurement of children’s physical dimensions, skills and abilities in mind. IPEMA runs an industry-leading certification program to test and validate playground equipment and surfacing to meet ASTM standards.
3. Proper installation is key to safety! Playground equipment should be installed by individuals experienced in assembly directions and knowledgeable about the environment surrounding the playground, including soil, drainage and the use of other construction materials, tools, equipment and machinery. The manufacturers of specific pieces of equipment can provide certified installers, or the International Playground Contractors Association can provide assistance.
Playground safety is a major concern for any parent or caregiver. It has to be noted that even minor injuries at play can lead to fatal situations. Over the years rubber mulch has gained much popularity owing to its safety benefits. It is a proven fact that a playground with rubber mulch has more shock absorbing power than a playground with sand.
There are certain safety guidelines to be followed regarding the depth of the mulch. It has to be placed at 9 inches deep. Since it can get compressed with the passage of time, it is advisable to be laid at an initial depth of 12 inches. It should be remembered not to lay down rubber mulch over asphalt or concrete. It is good to start with a layer of gravel and a geo textile fabric on top of it. Protective mats can be used if needed under slides or swings before the mulch is laid down. Regular check has to be done to avoid shifting and displacement of the mulch.
Rubber mulch is a favorite choice of playground in day cares and homes. Their smooth surface and cushions minimize playground impacts which can be dangerous. They are highly durable and come in vibrant colors enhancing the beauty of the playground.
With the announcement of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative to battle childhood obesity, The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) is reminding parents of the importance of providing an hour of free play outdoors in a safe play environment.
Let’s Move! has an ambitious but important goal: to solve the epidemic of childhood obesity within a generation.
Let’s Move will give parents the support they need, provide healthier food in schools, help our kids to be more physically active, and make healthy, affordable food available in every part of our country.
Join First Lady Michelle Obama, community leaders, teachers, doctors, nurses, moms and dads in a nationwide campaign to tackle the challenge of childhood obesity.
5 Playground Safety Tips from IPEMA.com
1. Don’t forget what’s below your feet! Grass is not an acceptable surfacing for playgrounds. One of the leading causes of injury on playgrounds is falling from playground equipment. To minimize the frequency and severity of injury from playground falls, it is crucial to have certified playground surfacing, such as rubber mulch surfacing installed under and around the equipment on any public playground. This surfacing is certified to have sufficient depth or thickness to minimize impact injuries from falls. Like you would find that when the white house had a playground installed, they chose recycled Playsafer Rubber Mulch and Rubber Curbs from Rubberecycle.com of Lakewood New Jersey.
2. Be an advocate for safety standards. Playground equipment and surfacing have been carefully evaluated by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). The standards set by these organizations help ensure that playground equipment and surfacing is age appropriate and designed with the measurement of children’s physical dimensions, skills and abilities in mind. IPEMA runs an industry-leading certification program to test and validate playground equipment and surfacing to meet ASTM standards.
3. Proper installation is key to safety! Playground equipment should be installed by individuals experienced in assembly directions and knowledgeable about the environment surrounding the playground, including soil, drainage and the use of other construction materials, tools, equipment and machinery. The manufacturers of specific pieces of equipment can provide certified installers, or the International Playground Contractors Association can provide assistance.
4. Check, re-check and then check again. Once the equipment and surfacing are installed have a post-installation safety audit performed by a person certified in playground safety prior to use. This audit will determine if any equipment or surfacing is non-compliant and will help prioritize any issues that should be corrected before the playing begins. Proper installation also includes posting signage about the age-appropriateness of specific equipment.
5. Don’t underestimate maintenance and upkeep. Proper maintenance can be forgotten — but is one of the most important aspects of ensuring safety on a playground. Maintenance processes must be in place on both a routine and long-term basis. Equipment must be checked for signs of damage following severe weather and for signs of vandalism or any other man-made or natural catastrophe. In addition, equipment will show natural wear and tear each year and regular maintenance inspections and replacement processes should be in place to minimize hazards.
Do you want to have a secure playground
for your loved ones? If the answer is yes then you have landed on the right post. Creating a safe and secure playground is an easy task if some tips and techniques are followed.
Nowadays there are many surfacing options available in the market. A high quality and durable surface of a playground makes it secure for children. According to a recent survey done, incidents of accidents in the playground are increasing very fast and there are many people who are trying their best to reduce these incidents.
Have you ever heard of rubber mulch? It is special type of material which is made up of recycled rubber tires. This material is non- toxic and environment friendly. There are many more benefits of rubber mulch. The mulch acts as a cushion in the garden or back yard. It can effective prevent different types of accidents.
The mulch is available in different colors and qualities. You can choose the color according to your need and taste.
It is a good idea to shop online. There are many benefits of online shopping. You can compare the prices offered by various companies.
Don`t forget to plan your budget in advance. In this way you will save some time and money.
Are you planning t surface your play ground or back yard. In this article you will find various surfacing options which are available in today’s market. Top six materials which are used to surface playgrounds and yards are as follows:-
1. Pour-in Place Rubber
2. Rubber Mulch
3. Rubber Chips
4. wood strips
5. Rubber Tiles
6. Artificial glass
Every material has its own advantages and disadvantages. There are several factors which should be considered while opting a surfacing option for your playground garden or back yard. Let’s discuss them one by one.
1. The material you are using to cover your garden should be safe for children as well as adults. It should be soft and durable. The material should act as a shock absorber. These types of material will avoid several types of injuries and accidents in the playground area.
2. The material which is being used for surfacing the playground should be environment friendly. By using rubber mulch you are giving a hand in rubber recycling process. Rubber waste which is not recycled can be very harmful for the nature. Playground Mulch has been recommended one of the best surfacing options by the government authorities and officials.
A Press Release from PRWEB regarding “Cash for Clunkers” Means More Tires to Recycle into Mulch Says Rubberecycle:
The popular “Cash for Clunkers” program helped the environment, but it also created a surplus of tires that are unsafe for the road. Millions of the tires from clunkers could end up in landfills as a result. Rubberecycle wants to help further the environmental benefits by recycling tires and turning them into mulch products that can be used for playgrounds and landscaping.
Lakewood, NJ October 20, 2009 — RubbeRecycle, a company that recycles tires into mulch for playgrounds, wants to extend the environmental benefits of the popular ‘Cash for Clunkers’ program. The program means over 800,000 cars were traded in for more fuel efficient models. The problem is that there are over 3 million tires from those cars that could end up in landfills.
Used tires can be managed in an environmentally sound manner by making tires into new products and finding new uses.
“RubbeRecycle uses advanced technology to turn tires into new products like playground surfaces, rubber curbing and landscaping mulch,” said Keith Sacks, Vice President of RubbeRecycle.
Cities have been using recycled tire mulch in parks for more than a decade now. The White House recently chose to do the same. They built an environmentally-friendly playground at the nation’s capital. The surface they used is the Rubberecycle’s Mulch, which came recommended by the National Recreation and Park Association and the International Play Equipment Manufacturer’s Association.
“The products made from recycled tires have been shown to be safe for kids and playgrounds. There have been more than a hundred studies over nearly two decades. It’s recommended by the EPA and Consumer Reports has given it two thumbs up. It’s safer than wood mulch, gravel and sand products,” says Sacks.
He went on to say that besides the green aspect, playground safety is a focus: “Playsafer passed the egg test. That is, we dropped an egg from the top of a 14 ft. playground. It landed on our 6-inch cushion of Playsafer, bounced, but did not break,” said Sacks.
The company currently processes between 10,000 and 12,000 tires a day and is designed to handle 2 million scrap tires annually.
About RubbeRecycle
RubbeRecycle introduced top quality rubber surfacing products to the commercial, residential and military markets in 1998. Our playground mulch conforms to all CPSC, ASTM, and IPEMA (The International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association) safety guidelines and is ADA approved. The pioneer in the tire recycling industry, RubbeRecycle utilizes the most advanced technology and equipment to recycle tires on site.
Do you want to have a secure 
Are you planning t surface your play ground or back yard. In this article you will find various surfacing options which are available in today’s market. Top six materials which are used to surface 
