According to an expert in playground safety – over 200,000 children are injured on America’s playgrounds each year. Although some action has been taken to address the growing problems associated with playground safety, more attention needs to be devoted. In recognition of this need, the National Program for Playground Safety was created in October 1995 to help communities across the nation examine the critical issues surrounding playground safety.
The NPPS serves as the national clearinghouse for playground safety information. It’s the largest compilation of playground-related publications and documents in the nation – and the group shares its information with communities, child care centers, park departments, parent groups, government officials, children’s organizations, schools and other educators.
NPPS has a packet of information that is designed to help you understand how to apply the best safety concepts into your playgrounds.
The group charges $5.00, and then provides you information about supervision, age appropriate design, surfacing, maintenance, planning, accessibility, and fundraising. In addition, there are several checklists that you can use to assess your playground. The information is designed to be used by adults who care about children. The NPPS believes parents, teachers, recreation and park personnel, caretakers of children, and other concerned adults all have a role in providing safe play environments.