Problem: One of the main reasons for elbow fractures in children is from falls from playground monkey bars.

Solution: Do not allow your child to use monkey bars if they have concrete or asphalt under them. Grass, soil and packed earth surfaces are not much better for cushioning falls and should be avoided too. Make sure the playgrounds your family does use has a soft thick surface to cushion a child’s fall under the monkey bars. Rubber mats and wood chips about 12 inches deep are the most ideal surfaces.

Problem: Children may be injured on playground slides by crashing into each other. This happens when a child comes down the slide too soon after the child in front of them.

Solution: Make sure that your child becomes aware of the child sliding in front of them. Tell them not to go down until the previous child is off the slide completely.

Playgrounds are often associated with accidental injuries. The next several posts will address some of the more common playground injuries and how to prevent them.

Problem: Kids can receive leg fractures on slides. When a parent goes down a slide with a child, sometimes a child’s foot can get stuck on the slide while the parent continues to slide down behind the child with a downward force that can break the small leg. According to a study, 14% of leg fractures among kids at a Long Island hospital in an 11-month period occurred from kids riding down slides with their parents.

Solution: Parents should never ride down slides with their kids at the same time.