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Just because she's pint-sized doesn't mean your baby or toddler is too little for the playground! In fact, you’ll be helping to develop your child’s gross motor skills as she explores the swings, sandbox and slide. And a visit to the playground can mean you both might make some new friends, too. 

But beyond practicing coordination, building muscles and honing social skills, your child’s safety should be your top priority. Always supervise your baby or toddler and check each play area for safety before your child uses it. For safety tips by the ages, here’s how to cruise the grounds with your little cruiser.

Unfortunately, more than 200,000 kids are injured on playgrounds each year, in part because of a lack of supervision by parents as well as falls from equipment and other gear-related hazards. Safety on the playground is vital for kids as not every apparatus is designed for all age ranges and some items may have hidden dangers, including broken or worn out pieces that make them unsafe. 

All kids also need to be taught the ground rules (taking turns, no pushing) when they’re on swings or climbing a jungle gym. And because playing is hard work, proper footwear like sneakers or other sporty shoes is a must. Be sure to skip hooded sweatshirts with strings, scarves and necklaces that may snag on play gear.

Be mindful of playground surfaces and avoid concrete or asphalt. Instead, choose safe substances underfoot like wood chips, sand, pea gravel, synthetic turf or rubber mats. Soft materials should be 12 inches deep and all types should extend six feet around in-ground equipment. For swings, safe surfaces should stretch to double the height of the set’s top.

While your baby may not be walking or even crawling yet, it's still important to keep safety in mind at the playground. Keep an eagle eye on her at all times and bear these safety tips in mind: Continue Reading Below Read This Next How to Prevent Cavities in Baby Teeth Video: Where Should Baby Sleep? Making Bathtime Fun for Babies and Toddlers How to Prevent Cavities in Baby Teeth Video: Where Should Baby Sleep? Making Bathtime Fun for Babies and Toddlers

Older tots can do a lot more on the playground, but they still require supervision from you and some safety reminders (or a helping hand) when they use the equipment.

It’s not too early to point out some playground safety rules to your baby or toddler, like waiting for other kids to get off before you take a turn on a piece of equipment and never shoving or rushing someone on the slide or swings. Always explain the right way to use an apparatus, which means sitting down to swing, never climbing up the slide and staying inside the railings at the top of a slide or jungle gym. 

It’s also smart to show your child how to test the surfaces of jungle gym bars, swings and slides, as contact burns from hot metal or plastic are possible. And avoid wet equipment and play surfaces, which may be slippery and could cause falls. Bikes and backpacks should be kept away from equipment to prevent tripping.

Kids love to jump, as you’re quickly learning, so warn your child to make sure no one is in the way if they’re going to leap off the slide bottom or jump the last step of a climbing structure. For the safest landing, have her end up on both feet with knees bent. And don’t forget to apply sunscreen and dress your baby or toddler in a hat — even on cloudy days — to prevent sunburn.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. © 2022 Everyday Health, Inc