Outdoor Safety in Early Childhood Setting Questions with
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over
200,000 children
Ans: visit hospital emergency rooms each year in the United States because
of playground injuries.
Over 20,000 children are
Ans: treated in emergency rooms for traumatic brain injury, including
concussions.
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Falls
Ans: Most playground injuries are due to
Most falls occur when children
Ans: drop to the ground from a piece of equipment.
Deaths are relatively uncommon as a result of
Ans: playground injuries (approximately 15 per year). Over half of such
deaths are a result of strangulation.
Four significant factors influence physical playground safety:
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Ans: Surface
Design
Maintenance
Security
Well-designed playgrounds include a variety of surfaces:
Ans: Concrete
Grass
Other protective surfaces (e.g., wood chips)
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Children must wear
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Ans: helmets when riding bicycles, tricycles, or scooters on concrete or any
other surface.
Often, state regulations require centers to either
Ans: disinfect helmets after every use or provide disposable liners, or
provide a helmet for every child.
Grassy areas should be:
Ans: Mowed frequently.
Free from debris (broken limbs).
Landscaped for proper drainage.
Monitored for poisonous and hazardous plants.
Protective surface
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Ans: ground cover is vital in areas beneath and around playground
equipment where children are most likely to fall and sustain injuries. These
areas are referred to as fall zones.
Particular attention should be paid to the amount of ground cover or
protective surface provided in
Ans: Fall zones
Child care licensing regulations often require a minimum of
Ans: 8 inches of shock-absorbing material present in fall zones. Make
regular checks to ensure that there is enough ground cover.
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Acceptable forms of protective surfacing in fall zones include:
Ans: Wood/bark mulch
Rubber mulch
Fine sand
Fine gravel
Rubber matting
Unacceptable forms of protective surfacing in fall zones include:
Ans: Asphalt and concrete: they provide no shock absorbency.
Grass and turf: they can become very hard or wear away.
Equipment should be located so that
Ans: distinct activity areas, which will reduce injuries caused by children
running into equipment or each other.