I will be the first to admit that I’m a little bit old school when it comes to playgrounds—so brace yourself. I think that playgrounds should have swing sets. (I still love to swing!) To be honest, I’m pretty okay with those old merry-go-rounds too. And they should bring back the playgrounds made from old pressure-treated lumber. What’s a little arsenic? No, no—I kid! I’m definitely against mingling arsenic and playtime. But here’s a playground danger that I never really focus on. When I did an Internet search for “dangerous playgrounds,” I saw several fairly horrifying images of children who had been injured due to hot surfaces.
When I think about it, it’s not surprising. I remember going down a hot metal slide during the summer, and it could certainly bake the backs of your legs if you’re wearing shorts. But plastic can be just as dangerous! I read one report of a child receiving second-degree burns from using a plastic slide. (The temperature of the slide was recorded at 163 degrees.) Swing sets and monkey bars can also reach extremely high temperatures.
For those of you teaching or with your own children this summer, check out the temperature of the playground equipment before you let youngsters play. I see lots of reminders to make sure children are wearing shoes on playgrounds, but isn’t that just common sense? Apparently not.
And speaking of common sense, should warning signs be posted on playgrounds regarding the temperature of the surfaces, or is that right up there with the warnings on coffee cups explaining that the contents are hot?
How does one check the temperature of a slide?
Put your hand on it. If it feels hot, don’t send your kid down it.
Signs signs everywhere signs. I dont know where I learned to check the temp by laying my hand on the slide but I have done it for years.