Swing Sets
Remember when you were little and you had a swing set? Or at least when you got to play on one? The chains could sort of hurt your hands, and in the summertime, those aluminum slides were hot. Today, kids have it made when it comes to swing sets.
Safer Swing Sets
These days, slides don't get so hot because they are plastic. Swing chains have plastic covers. And when kids fall off swing sets now, they land on much softer material you did when you were young. There's cypress mulch and shredded rubber mulch now to help soften the blow. (Incidentally, the safety mulch under any swing sets should be at least nine inches deep.)
A lot of today's swing sets are made of wood. If you're installing the swing set yourself, you want to make sure that it's on a level surface, that any nails, screws or bolts sticking out are filed down so that kids don't get "snagged" on them. To ensure maximum safety, make sure any swing sets you consider are certified by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM).
The best way to ensure swing set safety is to teach your children how to play on it safely. For instance, make sure they know:
- They should not walk in front of any moving parts of the swing set
- They should not twist the chains on the swing at any time
- Not get off the equipment while it's moving
- Not to play on the swing set when it's wet
Another thing to keep in mind is that children under the age of two should not swing on a yard swing. There are specially designed swings for babies and toddlers. Use those until the child reaches the appropriate age and height requirements.
All material copyright © 2008 Outdoor Safety USA. All rights reserved.
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