We Even Take Our Playgrounds Seriously !

Playgrounds are a common feature at most childcare centers and schools across the country, however, if the play area is not designed and maintained with safety in mind, the playground can put children at risk and can become a place of danger and potential tragedy.

Each year approximately 206,000 pre-school and elementary school children receive Emergency Room care for injuries that occur on playgrounds - approximately 15 percent of these injuries are classified as severe, with 3 percent actually requiring hospitalization.

In a 2006 report card on playground safety, the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS), gave most playgrounds only a “C+” grade for safety. Greater improvements need to be made in areas of supervision, safe surfacing, age-appropriate design and layout, and equipment maintenance, in order to achieve higher grades, the report says.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, falls are the principal factor in 80 percent of playground injuries. It advises playgrounds should have a safe, shock-absorbing surface material to provide a cushion for children. Concrete, asphalt, blacktop, dirt, rock, and even grass surfaces should be avoided beneath playground equipment.

Here at The Goddard School, we are passionate about the care and safety of your child. Our teachers supervise all outdoor activity, just as they do with indoor activity. Our playground has separate areas designated for our different age groups. We ensure that equipment surfaces are free of splinters, whether they are made of wood, plastic or resin, or metal. Platform height on our play equipment is 24 to 48 inches, depending on the age of the children using the equipment, and protective enclosures are placed to help prevent falls. Beneath all playground equipment is a “pour-in-place” rubberized safety surface, similar to that used for athletic track events. We conduct regular safety audits of all play areas and equipment to help identify any potential hazards, to schedule preventative maintenance, and to eliminate any threat of injury.

We recognize that active outdoor play is an important part of your child’s day, so we believe outdoor space and meaningful outdoor activities are an essential part of our developmentally appropriate care. Physical play offers your child the opportunity to spend time with others, in ways that are different from their activities indoors. Outdoor time offers your child an opportunity to develop their physical skill and ability. It helps develop motor-skills and strength, and stimulates their imagination as they engage in fantasy play or interact with the scents, sounds and textures of nature.

We continually revisit our established safety measures to make sure The Goddard School is as exceptional as your child.

Feel free to visit with us, or call me at 732-363-5530, if you any questions about our playgrounds, safety standards or procedures.

Thank you for joining with us in the passion about our childcare center.

Yours in caring,
Ms. Dana Chibbaro