Outdoor Safety for Children

Here are some tips for keeping your children safe while playing outdoors:

Play areas should be fenced with no access to roads or bodies of water.

Play areas should not have places where children can become trapped, such as old refrigerators, cars or under buildings.

Play areas should not have piles of firewood, debris or anything that attracts snakes, bugs or other vermin.

Play areas should be void of electrical equipment, such as air conditioners, and lawn equipment, such as mowers.

Play areas should be checked for poisonous plants.

Play equipment, such as swings, should be checked for sharp edges or bolts sticking out and should not have any V-shaped bars, which might trap a child by the foot or neck. S-hooks on the equipment should be completely closed. Distance between fences and the front and back of swings, slides or other playground equipment should be far enough that the child will not be injured when jumping off.

Keep pets and trash out of sandboxes, and keep them covered to avoid heat buildup.

Never leave a small child unattended.