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Contents
Play and Playground Magazine | Volume 17 No. 4 | Winter 2017
8
Features
Play & Public Housing
8
A Win-Win for Cities & Kids by KaBOOM!
Residential Sensory Spaces
12
By Mara Kaplan
Promoting Inclusive Playgrounds and Communities for Residential Complexes
16
By Robbin Miller
12
Arithmetic and Geometry in the Playground
18
By Ya'ara Bashan Haham
22
Let’s Move Away From Aggressive Sports By Reeve Brenner
24
Indoor Winter Delights for One and All By Pat Rumbaugh
26
Comparing Backyard Playsets By ConsumerAffairs
28
18
How Clean Are Your Children’s Playgrounds? By Dr. Nancy White and Butch DeFillippo
DEPARTMENTS 5 6
Happening Today In Play / CPSI Course Schedule Editor's Notes
Cover photo courtesy of holbox/Shutterstock.com
4 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
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Happening Today
CPSI Course Calendar
in play
January
Training Courses - Annual Events - Conferences - More National Mentoring Month January
Shape America 2018 Central District Conference Join us at the 2018 Central District Conference to learn from top speakers and connect with health and physical education colleagues from throughout the region.
More Information: https://goo.gl/6eoYqg
January 28-30
Sanford Sports Complex
301.352.7203
7-9
Meridian, ID
208.442.9350
7-9
Hulbert, OK
214.538.3344
21-23
Shelbyville, TN
615.790.0041
March
2210 W. Pentagon Place, Sioux Falls, SD 57107#
Shape America 2018 Eastern District Conference More than 100 sessions for all teaching levels and disciplines PLUS, popular conference events will be back for 2018.
More Information: https://goo.gl/8DJkDs
Landover, MD
February
National Mentoring Month is a campaign held each January to promote youth mentoring in the United States. A highlight of the campaign is Thank Your Mentor Day, in which Americans thank and honor their mentors.
More Information: https://goo.gl/ShdYKY
January 25-27
10-12
1-3
Louisville, KY
859.619.1723
6-8
Shawnee, KS
785.235.6533
7-9
Newport News, VA
804.730.9447
13-15
Bismarck, ND
701.355.4458
14-16
Plymouth, MN
763.571.1305
21-23
Boston, MA
413.568.8356
27-29
Wheeling, IL
708.588.2280
27-29
St. Charles, MI
573-636-3828
3-5
East Hartford, CT
860-721-0384
9-11
Ashland, NE
www.nerpa.us
Sheraton Burlington Hotel
870 Williston Road, Burlington, VT 05403#
National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month February
Every February, the school-based health care community celebrates National School-Based Health Care Awareness Month—an opportunity to recognize our success and raise awareness about how school-based health centers (SBHCs) are revolutionizing the way children and adolescents access health care services.
More Information: https://goo.gl/fN65D5
February 3-8
Association of Aquatic Professionals Annual Conference and Expo The 7th AOAP Conference and Exposition has become the premier gathering for aquatic professionals to showcase their success stories, network, develop organizational partnerships and hear from speakers.
More Information: https://goo.gl/p65hG4
National Nutrition Month March
Trade Winds Island Resort St Petersburg, FL
The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
April
More Information: https://goo.gl/feXPAF
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WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 5
Magazine Publisher
Message From the Editor
Sara Bowersox
Design | Webmaster Jake Amen
Editor | Advertising Director Sara Bowersox
Accounting Nancy Bergman
Contributing Authors Reeve Brenner ConsumerAffairs Butch DeFillippo Ya'ara Bashan Haham KaBOOM Mara Kaplan Robbin Miller Pat Rumbaugh Dr. Nancy White
Copyright, 2017 published by Playground Professionals, LLC, 4 issues per year, sub rates, back copies, foreign, reproduction prohibitions, all rights reserved, not responsible for content of ads and submitted materials, mail permits.
CORPORATE OFFICE Playground Professionals LLC P.O. Box 595 Ashton, Idaho 83420
www.playgroundprofessionals.com
Happy Holidays!
I know that phrase gets a bad rap, but I have used it for 30 years. When I was in college, I worked with an international group. Around the world, this is a time of year for many varied celebrations. Even Christmas has different names in different countries. I didn’t think about it in these terms at the time, but that job taught me a lot about diversity and inclusion. When we look at the world through only our personal lens, we miss so much. Being exposed to professional people from all corners of the world in my early 20s really broadened my perspective. That in itself is a good thing to celebrate! Here at Play and Playground Magazine, we are celebrating the change of the seasons, the holidays, and the coming of the new year. We are located in Idaho, and we do get to experience all four seasons. This fall was a bit rainy, and now we are looking forward to the snow and all the winter activities it brings. We are excited about 2018 because we have great things planned for this magazine and our website www.playgroundprofessionals.com. In particular, we are close to having all of our past magazines archived and available on the website. If you would like to receive the Play and Playground Magazine archive newsletter, please sign up at https://goo.gl/GrCQ3x. This winter issue theme is “residential play structures.” What a challenging theme that has proven to be!! Most of us simply think of backyards
6 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
as do-it-yourself places. Even families creating their own spaces can benefit from the guidance of professionals. We have offered some tips for both physical spaces and sensory spaces. We have articles in this issue that will make you think about fun learning experiences on the playground and things to do indoors. I particularly like Ya'ara Bashan Haham’s article about math and geometry on the playground. It speaks to my STEM background. I plan to try some of her experiments with my granddaughters. This issue also includes articles on health & safety and parenting. You might even say “ick” a time or two. At this time of year, and in this year especially, we are offering some thoughts on how play, playgrounds, and parks can lay the foundation for communities. Encouraging complementary play rather than competition might be very much needed to counter the growth of an “us versus them” culture. We continue to grow in 2018, in both readership and coverage. If you want to showcase your company in our Professional Spotlight, please sign up at https://goo.gl/wC1f9Q or visit https://goo.gl/in6U6X if you would like to advertise more formally. We are always looking for contributors to our magazine and web. You will find our upcoming themes https://goo.gl/FjLQzU. As we all spend time this holiday season with our family and loved ones, let’s learn and grow with a playful attitude.
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
PLAYGROUND MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN TRAINING The two-day Playground Maintenance Technician Training focuses on practical playground maintenance activities, inspection principles and best practices in making repairs. This program does not focus on play theory or memorizing standards.
Participant Benefits • Learn about materials! Learn how to maintain playground equipment made of metal, plastic, wood and concrete • Learn about safety! Understand how to take damaged equipment out of service safely, keep proper records, and identify potential legal issues related to playground maintenance • Learn about surfaces! Learn how best to maintain unitary and loose-fill surfaces as well as fasteners and connectors • Cost effective! Train front-line maintenance staff at an affordable price • Ensure your equipment lasts through its useful life! Improve playground user safety and prolong the useful life of equipment
Upcoming Playground Maintenance Technician Programs • March 7-8, 2018 - Northbrook Park District, Northbrook, IL • April 4-5, 2018 - City of Burnsville Parks Department Burnsville, MN
Want to host a PMT program in your area? Contact the Program Coordinator at the Eppley Institute pmt@eppley.org Find out more at
www.playgroundmaintenance.org
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WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 7
Play & Public Housing A Win-Win for Cities & Kids
by KaBOOM!
8 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
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The well-being of our communities begins with the well-being of children. KaBOOM! believes that play is a critical part of childhood, and key to a child’s ability to thrive. This is especially true for kids growing up in under-resourced urban communities. And, like many urban housing agencies, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City(HABC) prioritizes decent, safe, and sanitary housing for its residents. This should include playspaces for its youngest residents, but HABC’s federal resources are constrained by decreasing funding allocations, and they have no dedicated funding source for playspace creation and maintenance.
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So, earlier this year, KaBOOM! began working with the HABC to ensure that every kid growing up in Baltimore Housing has an opportunity to play. Through this unique public-private partnership, KaBOOM! brings its expertise in play, a deep understanding of community engagement and private resources to support well-deserving communities. HABC brings its interest in resident safety, community assets, and public funding to the table. Together, they are working to bring first-rate, innovative playgrounds and playspaces to kids who need it most in order to have a positive impact on Baltimore’s youngest residents, their families, and the community as a whole.
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 9
We know that access to balanced and active play can contribute to healthy development, support growing bodies and minds, and provide vital opportunities for kids to solve problems together. If it is not safe for kids to seek out places to play in their surrounding neighborhoods, then we must bring play to where kids are. Unlike other kids, research shows that kids growing up in low-income neighborhoods often do not have the bandwidth or ability to stop by the local playground (or, worse, one may not exist in close proximity to their school or home). This is why ensuring that these kids have access to play in their own communities is particularly important. By building playspaces in residential developments, KaBOOM! and HABC are removing barriers to
play and making it easier for kids to get outside, all within eyesight and earshot of parents and other trusted adults. Last summer, the kids at “Magnificent” McCulloh Homes, an HABC site, got their chance to think big –designing their “dream playground” to be built right outside their windows. Just a few short weeks later, more than 200 volunteers came together to build that playground, from the ground up, on the empty lot in the McCulloh Homes housing complex. Why is this such a groundbreaking accomplishment? McCulloh Homes is a multi-family development in West Baltimore that houses more than 500 families, including several hundred children. HABC residents are important members of the cultural and economic fabric of Baltimore City, and everyone in Baltimore is connected to HABC, even if they don’t think of it that way. They are working hard to provide their kids and families with a bright future –and a part of this is access to places to play. But prior to the playground being built at McCulloh, kids who live in the community had no options for play, other than a flat grassy area at the center of their complex. Neighborhood school playgrounds are
10 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
closed after school hours and there are no other affordable, after-school activities available nearby. Crime is prevalent in the area and parents did not feel safe sending their kids to other play areas in surrounding neighborhoods. In an effort to build community pride and bring play to all kids living in the neighborhood, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City partnered with the residents of McCulloh Homes and KaBOOM! to turn an empty space into a fun, engaging, and safe place to play. We know that perceptions of safety can be a major barrier to kids getting the play they need in low-resource, urban areas. There’s evidence that if parents believe their communities are unsafe, then kids are less likely to play outside. Community‑built playgrounds become social hubs for families to gather, socialize and take care of the playground. With this increased community cohesion, more eyes on the street, and positive activation, there can be a direct impact on the reduction of crime. There is a lot of hope for the new McCulloh Homes playground. Playspaces are not only essential for kids’ healthy development but also critical to creating safe, connected communities. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Social cohesion within a neighborhood, combined with residents’ willingness to intervene on behalf of the common good, accounts for more than 70 percent of the variation among neighborhoods in levels of violence. Research has shown that strong social networks correspond with significantly lower rates of homicide and alcohol and drug abuse. When people know and interact positively with their neighbors, they foster mutual trust and reciprocity, leading to development of social norms that make community violence unacceptable and reinforce parents’ efforts to teach young kids nonviolent behavior. KaBOOM! playspaces foster these very types of interactions, building social cohesion and increasing safety. KaBOOM! and HABC are already working to create more opportunities for kids living in Baltimore Housing –including playgrounds –in the years ahead. Because when kids play, the whole community wins.
www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 11
Residential Sensory Spaces
Children with autism may need a calm and quite place where they can be free to play without distraction.
by Mara Kaplan EVERY CHILD WITH A DISABILITY is different. They have different strengths, abilities, interests, and challenges. This is why it can be difficult to meet the needs of every child in a public playground. But if you are creating your own “playground” in your backyard or basement, you have the ability to customize it for your child’s needs.
Approximately 1 in 68 children has been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from the CDC. Autism is characterized by difficulties in social interactions, communications, repetitive behaviors, and sensory processing issues. A majority of people with autism also have sensory processing disorder (SPD). Sensory processing disorder is a condition that exists when sensory
12 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
signals don't get organized into appropriate responses. It is like a neurological "traffic jam" that prevents certain parts of the brain from receiving the information needed to interpret sensory information correctly. People with SPD often find ordinary stimuli such as lights, sounds, smells, tastes, and movement painful, unpleasant or confusing. One of the ways that we help chilwww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Tactile System
The tactile system is encountered by touch. Touch falls into many different categories: hard, soft, rough, smooth, wet, goopy, sticky, etc. In an outdoor setting, you can provide touch experiences: Through water or sand tables. Different types of materials can be added to a sand table including Playdough, kinetic sand, cloud dough, moon dough, slime, dirt. You can purchase these materials or create them yourself. By creating a tactile path where a child steps on different textures. Again this can be purchased or you can create your own. This can be done by putting different things in plastic containers and have the child step into each one. Items could include dirt, sand, beans, feathers, cotton balls, water. In an indoor setting, the walls provide a perfect place to explore different textures by purchasing or creating a tactile board. By using the walls, you leave the floor space available for more active play.
Auditory System
Hearing is the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations, changes in the pressure of the surrounding medium through time, through an organ such as the ear. Musical instruments, wind chimes, talking tubes, auditory processing games, music, toys that make different sounds are all ways to add sound and talking to a play environment. The opposite of sound is quiet. Children often need places to retreat to where it is calm and quiet. Adding a tent or a playhouse, not only are you putting in a cozy space, but you are inviting imaginative play.
Olfactory System
dren with SPD is by creating sensory environments for them to explore their senses. People have seven sensory systems; we look to include six of them in play environments (we exclude taste.) As you create a residential sensory environment for your family, you can pick and choose the type of activities you like the most, fit into your budget and space, and meet the needs of your children. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
The olfactory system is all about smell. Outdoors it is easy to create a sensory garden or herb garden that is filled with color, tastes, and smells. For children who use a wheelchair, there are all sorts of raised beds that can be created or purchased to facilitate access and participation.
Visual System
With the visual system, we talk about working on skills such as matching, directionality, spatial relations, visual attending, memory and discriminaWINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 13
tion, scanning and tracking, sequencing, organization, classification, visual planning, and critical thinking. Plenty of games, blocks and art activities help children work on these skills, and are also tons of fun.
Vestibular System
The vestibular system is about balance and motion. The best way to add opportunities to work the vestibular system is to add a swing, which come in many variations. Some swings go back and forth, some sway or spin. Some swings you sit on, lay on, or stand on. You can find challenging swings and those that offer full body support. You can play by yourself or with your friends. For indoors you can purchase doorway support bars or ceiling beam support systems. For outdoors, you can add a swing seat to a typical swing set or purchase a special frame. You can also go as simple as a hammock.
Proprioceptive System
Proprioception is the sense of the relative position of neighboring parts of the body and strength of effort being employed in movement. This sense is very important as it lets us know exactly where our body parts are, how we are positioned in space and to plan our movements. We work on the proprioceptive system by climbing, jumping, crawling, and hanging. Creating proprioceptive activities outside can be fairly easy. Many climbing structures are available for residential outdoor play. You can supplement this with jumping balls, scooters, and sensory balls. Many families who have a child with autism have trampolines. Trampolines are wonderful for proprioceptive input. However, they can be dangerous. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) suggests trampolines should never be used unless athletes are being supervised in training for a sport like diving or gymnastics. One of the ways to get the benefit of a trampoline and make it safer is to use a mini trampoline with a handle. Creating a proprioceptive play area inside is more difficult and requires space. But families have gotten very inventive with slides and climbing structures. Indoor climbing structures are available as well as ways to turn your walls into climbing walls. 14 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
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T H I N K I N G T O DAY
Putting it all together
You can purchase kits that will enable you to create the basis of your play environment and then purchase or make other items to add to it. You do not necessarily need to purchase “special needs” items. Many of the items mentioned in this article are designed for everyone; then you can purchase the few special pieces from the special needs catalogs. You can also start from scratch, determining what your budget and space requirements are and what is the most important feature(s) for your child. You can find dozens of DIY videos on YouTube that will help you create tactile boards, swings, playhouses and more. You can get hundreds of more items from looking on Pinterest. Resources
• Safety is important. Always make sure there is a soft surface underneath any climbing structure. • You can purchase the different types of equipment, games, and toys that are mentioned above from Amazon or special needs websites such as: • Fun and Function www.funandfunction.com • Pocket Full of Therapy www.pfot.org
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Playground Pumps for parks, splash pads, schools and more! Call Today 800-339-2601 or Visit www.BisonPumps.com
• Flaghouse www.flaghouse.com • Green Circle Garden www.greencirclegarden.com • Photos courtesy of Fun and Function
MARA KAPLAN The driving force behind Let Kids Play, a consulting firm working to ensure that all children have excellent play opportunities. She is an educator, a parent of a child with disabilities, and a season advocate for inclusive play. Mara is the editor of accessibleplayground.net and one of the authors of the Inclusive Play Design Guide. She founded an indoor playspace for children with and without disabilities and was its executive director for over 13 years. Mara has an elementary education degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. She received her MBA, with a concentration in nonprofit management, from Boston University.
Read more by Mara Kaplan at
playgroundprofessionals.com www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 15
Promoting Inclusive Playgrounds and Communities for Residential Complexes by Robbin Miller ACCORDING TO PLAYCORE publication (2010) titled, 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design, approximately 85 out of 1,000 children between the ages of 3 and 21 years old will have a disability. Here is the breakdown of children with disabilities: • 41.5 Cognitive • 17 Communication • 11 Social-Emotional • 2 Multiple Disabilities • 1.5 Sensory Before the ADA (Americans with Disabilities) Act in 1990, a movement began for persons with disabilities to promote barrier-free accessible design for government entities and facilities by Architectural Barrier Act of 1968. Subsequently, the momentum for Universal Design is reflected in further legislative acts for special education for children
in public schools in 1978 under IDEA (The Education of all Handicapped Children Act) and in 1989 for equal access for recreational opportunities. When the ADA Act was passed, it set in motion increased interest in building accessible and inclusive playgrounds. Furthermore, in 2000, the US Access Board issues accessibility guidelines for new public playgrounds which were implemented in 2010 by the Department of Justice as “Playground Standards.” In 2008, Playcore and the Center for Persons with Disabilities, “Beyond Access Program,” created the EveryBODY Plays! Program, which later became Me2. Working together, their determination harnessed Universal Design to create the 7 Principles of Inclusive Playground Design. Their philosophy and method promote the “understanding of and
16 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
expectations for the importance of accessibility and inclusion in playgrounds where children with disabilities may fully participate in play.” (P.13). Current research states the following benefits of inclusive play for children with all abilities: Engaging in active independent play for children with disabilities are significant in developing self-determination and are very pertinent to the experiences of the child with disabilities (Woolley, et al.2006). Play helps children with trauma and unpleasant situations that be may due to the result of disabling or chronic health situations (Garvey, 1990; Hilderbrand, 1994; and Barrett, 1984). The concept of a “sensory diet” suggests that a child needs to receive an appropriate amount and type of sensory stimulation for development (Kinnealey, Oliver, Wilbarger, 1995). www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
Play is an important mechanism whereby children begin to understand that other children have feelings and emotions as well, which can lead to a person using more positive social behaviors (Berger, 2000), “contributing to greater instances of positive reciprocal relationships between children with and without disabilities and thereby greater emotional well-being”. (Playcore, 2016, p.17). 2PlayTogether®(2010), in partnership with PlayCore and Lekotek, attempts to make positive differences in promoting inclusive play by developing communities that care through character education. In other words, Inclusive Communities provide opportunities for children to learn strategies on how “to play, communicate and engage with each other” (p. 2). Inclusive Communities promote three main principles in creating inclusion for all children with abilities: • Create Awareness • Break Down Barriers • Foster Friendship Residential communities and apartment complexes can also develop inclusive playgrounds which will promote a sense of belonging, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learnings for all children with or without disabilities. (2PlayTogether, 2010). One of the ways to design an inclusive space suggested by Helene Liedtke, Awardee of the Alan Crocker Fellowship 2015/2016, is to use a maze as an example. The maze approach can develop to grow and to create a play and community space for children with all abilities due to its flexibility in size and according to the budget needs of the residential entities. Developing a community play space from a maze prospective can create an inclusive and accessible playground for children with mobility impairments. Furthermore, parents with baby strollers and/or with mobility impairments can also benefit from this type of design. Marie Saldi conducted a study of playgrounds across Massachusetts. Unfortunately, to her dismay, she found only a few playgrounds that either had inclusive ramps throughout the whole structure or ramps that go throughout the playground. Under the auspices of the Massachusetts Developmental Diswww.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
abilities Network through the Gopen Fellowship (2016), she developed a booklet titled, All kids have the right to play together-A Guide to All-inclusive Playgrounds in Massachusetts. (http:// www.mass.gov/anf/docs/mddc/guideto-all-inclusive-playgrounds.pdf). Specifically, below are recommendations for design features for inclusive and accessible playgrounds for children who are wheelchair users: Flooring needs to be soft rubber cushioning for the entire surface that makes it easier for children who are wheelchair users to push safely across the terrain. Five-foot-wide ramps for paths of travel make it safe for children who use wheelchairs to roll (and have easier turning space) and walk with their friends alongside each other on the playground structures. Tunnels’ diameters need to be big enough on a flat surface for all children with/out mobility impairment to go through from the front and back entranceways. Slides need to be on the accessible path of travel on the ground with a transfer station and pathways leading to it. Swings can be made accessible for a child in a wheelchair to roll in and out and/or have space for a child who is a wheelchair user to transfer in and out. Monkey Bars can be mounted under a raised structure with an accessible opening. Tables need to be provided so that children who are wheelchair users can reach loose natural parts such as sand/ gravel and rocks with their friends. Community stages can be made with spaces for children who are wheelchair users and parents with baby strollers to be either in the front and throughout various locations in every row. Resources:
• Liedtke, H. (2016). Creating inclusive play and community space: An out-of-box approach to social and emotional inclusion. Allan C. Crocker Fellow. 2015/2016. Available at: http://www. communityinclusion.org/inclusiveplayspaces/ inclusive_playspaces.pdf • Me2. (2016). 7 principles of inclusive playground design. Playcore/Utah State University. • 2PlayTogether. (2010) second edition. Playground programming to foster friendships through inclusive play. Playcore/Lekotek. • Mass. Developmental Disability Network and SpaceThrive, LLC.
ROBBIN MILLER Robbin is a mother of an active seven-yearold boy and enjoys writing story picture books for children. Her first picture book, Playgroup Time, was the first book to promote inclusion and diversity of young children from all abilities attending a structured early intervention program. The main theme of Three Best Friends is that playing with their friends does not promote inclusion and diversity for all children. Robbin promotes inclusive playgrounds for all children to play together from the positive interactions and friendships that can develop between them. Robbin is a licensed mental health professional in private practice and academic coach at a local community college for students with disabilities.
Read more by Robbin Miller at
playgroundprofessionals.com
Max can't move his wheelchair in the wood chip flooring of a new community playground. How can he find a way to join his two best friends?
BUY THE BOOK ON AMAZON
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 17
Arithmetic and Geometry in the Playground by Ya'ara Bashan Haham
IT MAY SEEM a little strange to practice arithmetic and geometry without a notebook, eraser and sharpened pencil, but it turns out that the playground is a wonderful way to learn arithmetic and geometry in a fun and experiential way and expose children to basic concepts from these worlds. Unlike the motor skills that the children develop in the playground without the help of the parent, learning arithmetic and geometry on the playground requires the active involvement and mediation of the parent.
Notebook & Pencil - Out Playground - In
and not deter them from the profession. If we look at the details of the playground, we can find many opportunities for practicing arithmetic skills, such as counting, more, less, equal, double, and more. Here are some examples of how to take inventory on the playground:
Numeration
You can number equipment or parts of equipment - how many swings are there? How many chains does each swing have? How many columns does the equipment have? How many ladders are there on the playground?
Counting
For example, you can count up to ten when your child hangs on the bar, swinging in the swing, you can decide to count to twenty, and when the child reaches twenty, the child will descend from the swing.
Arithmetic in the playground
In almost every area of ​​our lives, we need mathematical calculations, so it is useful to familiarize yourself with numbers, quantities and basic arithmetic operations at an early age to help children with school accounting, provide them with a basis for mathematical thinking
Many opportunities for counting on the playground exist.
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Comparisons
Comparison is the basis for understanding the concepts "greater than ..." and "smaller than ...". For example, to answer the question "How many more rungs are there on the nearest ladder compared to the far ladder?" - The first step is a comparison and one of the important comparisons in accounting is the comparison of quantities. Why are comparisons important? In everyday life, we constantly make comparisons. We decide on priorities in the actions we take, what is more urgent and more important, and what is less? What should be done first and what is next? We examine products that we want to buy by comparing different parameters - price, size, appearance. We examine ourselves in relation to others through different grades, degrees, achievements. What parent hasn't heard "why did he get more than me?" It is not surprising that this is how children speak because we also speak to them in a similar way: "Why do not you behave as well as your brother?" "Why did Sharon put more effort than you into the test?" In most cases, these comparisons do not serve us and our children and may cause frustration ("Why does he succeed and I do not?"). But in some cases, comparisons are necessary to make informed choices, so it is very worthwhile to practice the comparisons, not necessarily in the accounting context. In the playground, comparisons www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
allow children to examine different parameters by which they choose the various equipment and the activity on them. This is where we can bring to their attention the diversity of the facilities, and examine the equipment in detail. Comparisons can be expressed in different areas of the playground, whether it's color, distance, altitude, texture, temperature, speed, size, time, and more. Comparing quantities means presenting two sets of objects, and asking which group has more or fewer objects. When we compare two groups of items, in this case rungs on the ladder, we ask: Which of the two ladders has more or fewer rungs? How many more or fewer? Most children can point to the larger or smaller group. We take two ladders, one with seven rungs, and the second ladder with four rungs. In the question of how much seven is greater than four, we must create equality between seven and four. In order to create this equality, we must reduce the four-rung ladder to the four units on the second scale, ie, find each step on the four-step scale a mate on the seven-step scale, and count the remaining rungs, and then see that there are three stages that do not have a mate. Thus we will reach the result that the difference between seven and four rungs is three rungs. A child who has not yet acquired the concept of equality cannot understand concepts of inequality (greater than / less than).
Multiplication
Older children can practice multiplication in the playground. For example, if there are 4 swings and each swing has two seats, how many seats are there in total? What exercise should we do? Therefore, practicing counting games on the playground is a worthwhile venture. Ask the kids: what is more, swings or slides? How many pages does the tower have? What is the difference between the two slides?
Geometry in playground If we ask children what they see on the playground, most of them will probably answer: "Slide, swing, tower, tunnel..." We are used to seeing the playground through the names of the equipment, but if we look deeper - we can see countless shapes and geometry figures hiding in the equipment themselves and between them, and the children can be exposed to other geometric concepts beyond the forms most of which they already know.
What is a geometric shape?
A geometric form is a shape described by a closed line enclosing part of a plane. The main forms of engineering are a circle, a triangle, a square, a rectangle, a parallelogram, a trapezoid, and rhombus. If you walk along the closed line that describes the geometric shape, you get back to the starting point. Such a closed line divides the plane into two parts: the section within the line, which is the
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 19
interior of the geometric form, and the part outside the line.
Area and scope
The area within the enclosed line is the area of ​​the geometry, and the length of the line is the perimeter of the shape.
Polygon, rib, and vertex
If the line that encloses the geometry is composed only of straight segments, the geometry is called a polygon. Each straight segment of the line that encloses the polygon is called a rib, and each point where two ribs meet is called a vertex. And so, without a notebook and without a sharpened pencil, you can enrich the children's vocabulary in the playground in terms of geometry: space, circumference, rib, vertex and more. The geometric shapes are found in the playground in several degrees: the simple shapes are the surfaces or elements that the children know, such as the steering wheel, the handles in the swing, the rose leaf, the railing and the turnstile. The more complex forms are hidden shapes, that is, they need to be imagined a little because they are in the spaces between the elements or they are on a large scale that is hard to distinguish. You can play with the children "look for the triangle" and find simple and complex shapes.
Lines
So far we have seen the shapes that make up the equipment or the various elements in the equipment. Now we'll look for lines of different types hiding in the equipment. And there are many more lines in the playground, just look and see.
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How to create geometric shapes
We discovered a lot of shapes and lines in the playground, now we will learn how to create shapes. Let's take these things to the playground: a thin rope (about four millimeters thick and ten meters long) and colorful stickers for marking on the rope. For safety reasons, do not leave the rope unattended in the playground! Most of the towers in the playgrounds are built of four columns. You can move the rope around the four columns and create a square. The geometric shape is the one that is enclosed within the rope. For children, it is relatively easy to see the shapes formed on the ground. The flat forms are easy for them to absorb. You can create triangles between any three columns, or pentagon with five columns. You can point out to the child the connections between the number of columns and the number of vertices and ribs. You can compare the size of the shape ribs with your feet, or by placing the rope length of one rib on the other side and so on. Older children can make shapes up high and not just on the ground. They can also find the ratio between the diameter of the tunnel and its perimeter, and find that the perimeter is slightly more than 3 times the diameter. Older children can practice the multiplication table… So, now you can see how the playground has become a laboratory for learning arithmetic and geometry, without a notebook and pencil.
Maintaining your parks and playgrounds just got a lot easier.
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YA'ARA BASHAN HAHAM (MSC) Ya'ara is a researcher, consultant, playground planner and author of the parent's guide book "The treasure under the swing". Ya'ara conducted the first academic research in Israel in the field of playgrounds as part of her master's in industrial design at the Technion, Israel, on the following subject: “Adapting play equipment to the needs and behavior of children”. She discovered that many playgrounds didn't meet the children's very important needs. She conducted the most comprehensive (and the only) survey in Israel (among 700 playgrounds), in order to know which playground equipment was available for the children, and if it provided a balanced "nutritional value" for them. Since 2006 she has been working to promote awareness of the importance of play, its value and its benefits for the development of children, among parents and educators in Israel. Ya'ara has developed a unique field of knowledge that focuses on playgrounds from a vision of the children's needs. She integrates knowledge in planning with understanding of children's needs and behavior, which helps her to make informed choices when planning playground. The parent's guide book she wrote, "The treasure under the swing", was written in order to provide parents with tools to develop basic skills in the playground. The book was published on December 2015 in Israel, in Hebrew (sorry for that…). Ya'ara has four grown children, and she lives in Israel.
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REEVE'S PEEVES AND OBSESSIONS
Let’s Move Away From Aggressive Sports by Reeve Brenner
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SOME TIME AGO, a social psychology experiment was conducted on 200 high school students. They were invited to play video games. Half played a war game called Mortal Combat, in which scoring is achieved by ripping off the head or disemboweling the opponent. The other half played a game called Helicopter Rescue, in which points are awarded for rescuing victims of fire, flood and other natural disasters. The two groups were awarded points for diametrically opposed behavior and attitudes. One was awarded points for saving lives, protecting and doing good for others. The second cohort was awarded points for violence and, at their game, players were encouraged to behave “war-like.” Success was measured by the killings, mayhem, and murder inflicted on others. The second stage of the experiment was translating the points scored into cash awarded to the students. The students were then given the opportunity, as they were leaving, to contribute some of the monies won “at play” to charity and good works. Of those hundred students who played Mortal Combat, 14 percent made contributions. For the students of the Helicopter Rescue game, 73 percent contributed to charity. What are we to make of the experiment? It is important to be cultivating non-aggressive play in our games and sports facilities, for reasons self-evident from such social experiments. For society’s well-being play needs to be conducive to acts of kindness and cooperation rather than fostering the defeat of rivals. In our playing fields, we need greater balance for our communities. Conventional sports – baseball, football, soccer, rugby, tennis, etc. — are all power-oriented, antagonistic and aggressive. They are all opponent based. Players seek to “defeat” their rivals and try to “beat” them soundly, mercilessly — if not “to a pulp.” Sports and play are not the only places we see this attitude. When participants play the course rather than opponents, they have not squared off against each other. They become playmates, not rivals. And feelings of friendliness and cooperation – even generosity and munificence are fostered, as has been shown. At the same time, we provide a level playing field for athletes who are physically challenged. Nonaggressive sports are multi-generational. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
They are non-contact, allowing that the sport may be played by all regardless of size, age or strength. Wellington wrote that “the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.” Those “playing fields” – where warriors prepared for battle – are the furthest thing from the meaning of the word “play” as is generally understood by educators and social psychologists. Play implies non-combat. “Play” is meant to dissipate rivalry and nourish friendliness and amicable attitudes toward one another. Yet, our playing fields offer “war-like” sports, fields of contention, where players of the winning side, as well as the losing side, are often injured and a taste for violence and blood are in evidence. Feelings and attitudes that too often are in evidence in societal venues other than at sports! Now that the 21st century is in its second decade, it is time for the paradigm to shift, so that non-aggressive sports fields are built at least as often as traditional aggressive sports fields. These sports would be inclusionary. As the paradigm shifts, skill, intelligence, and creative thinking will become as important as speed, strength, and stamina. There are numerous antagonistic and competitive sports. There are too few cooperative sports. Our communities should actively support efforts that promote cooperation and inclusion. That outcome is achieved when players play alongside each other, not against each other. Non-aggressive sports offer a sense of community, rather than a sense of hostility and warfare. The foundations for cooperative living and learning are established early on in life and what we convey and educate at play on playgrounds, play courts and playfields reflect importantly on the character of the youngsters we raise. Play and peace may appear yet in the same sentence after all.
REEVE BRENNER See more from Rabbi Reeve Brenner at www.playgroundprofessionals.com/contributors/reevebrenner
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WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 23
Indoor Winter Delights for One and All by Pat Rumbaugh
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OK, IT IS NASTY OUTSIDE; cold, rainy and a dreary weekend day, so what does a four-year-old kid or for that matter a forty-year-old kid do? You take a good look at your indoor play options and head inside to play. Eight-year-old Sarah had friends sleep over the night before. They look out the window and see that the weather outside is not great for playing, so they decide to bring out the board games: Clue and Monopoly. Then, to get a little exercise, they play Twister, too. I am willing to bet you have some games lying around the house. Pull them out and have some good old-fashioned fun with family and friends. In Takoma Park, Maryland, where I live and play, we are fortunate to have an indoor swimming pool at our local elementary school. On Sunday, January 7, 2018, my nonprofit -- www.letsplayamerica.org -- and our local recreation department are co-sponsoring an indoor splash-and-play pool party. This fun, free event is for people of all ages. To see details, go to the website and click on “upcoming events.” You may want to find the nearest aquatic center in your own local or nearby community, so an indoor play option for you may be swimming laps, playing in the pool with family and friends, or taking in a water aerobics class. Water aerobics is a relaxing way to exercise and have fun playing in the water. Some pools offer indoor kayak training, which is a wonderful way to prepare for kayaking outside at a later point when the weather is more suitable. Years ago when my children were young and we went to visit friends in England, I was taken aback by the bevy of indoor playgrounds offered for children and families. This may be an option at your own doorsteps or one you may have to travel far to get to yourself. This is where using a little technology can save you time: Look up indoor playgrounds on the Internet, and see what you can find. Children should have the opportunity to climb year-round, and an indoor playground may give your child that much-needed opportunity. Susan is one of my good friends, and she is in her mid-20’s. Recently she told me she was able to go indoor rock climbing. I could tell by her voice how excited she was, and I knew she was www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
glad she took another friend up on this invitation. I have been told people of all ages enjoy rock climbing. So, why not put rock climbing on your to-do list, and give it a try? Organized sports were a huge part of my life for many years. I am a former physical education teacher and coach of several sports. There were many years I would coach three sports at the Washington International School and also coach one sport as a volunteer in either Takoma Park or for Montgomery County. Coaching and playing do take up a big chunk of one’s time, but believe me, if you enjoy playing and coaching as much as I did, you won’t mind putting in the time. The indoor sport I coached primarily was basketball, but sometimes the team members played soccer and tennis inside because of bad weather. Parents, if your children are showing an interest in playing a sport I suggest you look in your own community first for what might be available to them. The plus of playing an organized indoor sport is that one can almost always count on it being held unless the weather is so bad you can’t travel and, in that case, the sport is usually canceled for that day. Check with your local recreation department as it may offer basketball for children in the winter months. This may be a good option for your child. Your child is able to learn a new sport, meet new friends and develop skills that can help your child excel in other sports. I highly urge children when they are young to try to play a variety of sports, not just one. Many athletes I have known played three sports growing up, engaging in the activities on a daily basis with family and friends. Later, in their teen years, they focused on one or two sports in which they were interested. Trying a variety when one is younger gives someone a chance to find out what they like and what they are good at, too! Let’s not forget indoor options like dance, martial arts, and yoga. There are so many ways to play indoors in the winter. You may even want to make a list: see mine to the right I believe playing every day is a lifestyle we should all adopt. In the winter months you may be stuck inside, so why not choose to play? What did I just hear? Oh, that’s my daughter’s dog, Baron, barking at me.
He wants me to chase him around the house. You should know me by now; I can’t pass up an opportunity to play. I’ve got to go chase Baron and play. Until next time, if you have a question for me, send me an email: theplaylady@gmail. com.
ABC Indoor Play Options • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Archery Bowling Climbing Dancing Easy made-up Games Fencing Games Hula Hooping Indoor Soccer Jump Rope Kickboxing Lifting Weights Martial Arts Needle Point Outside games turned inside Playing Instruments Queen of Hearts; Crazy 8’s; Old Maid Rowing Machine Stationary Bike Table Games: Bridge, Poker, Bunco Under-the-Table Games (Use a blanket and furniture to make a tent!) Visual Musical Chairs Walking inside Exercise inside: Stretches, Leg Lifts, Jumping Jacks, Sit-Ups Zoo Games: Act like an animal (Fun for kids!)
Hurray for play! - Pat, The Play Lady Have a question for the Play Lady? Email your question to Pat at theplaylady@gmail.com
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 25
Comparing Backyard Playsets Backyard swings and playsets are popular with families with children, daycare centers, churches and neighborhood associations as a great way for kids to be physically active while using their imaginations. They are made from multiple materials, come in various sizes and can be customized with a variety of accessories. Quality backyard swing and playsets can cost a lot of money depending on the size, material, and
features that can be added to each one. With so many options it is a good idea to compare these features before making a purchase. Swing and playsets have several different base options. Angled-base playsets are designed to be sturdy, height-adjustable and create the most deck space, both above and below a clubhouse. They are popular for their ample space beneath the clubhouse
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portion of the playset, which allows you to create more play space by hanging a tire swing or setting up a picnic table. You can also customize the sloped sides with rock walls, rope walls or ladders. Adjustable-base playsets are optimized for backyards that are uneven or sloped. Each base-post is adjustable to fit the terrain of your backyard so you don’t have to re-landscape your yard to make a flat, even surface. Multi-level playset designs combine different designs into one swing and playset. They have two or more features at different heights that are typically connected by features such as a slide, bridge or ladder. Multi-level designs give kids more space to customize and play. Each swing and playset is designed with one or multiple features to enhance kids’ experience while playing. Many companies offer large selections of pre-built designs that include multiple features made for that specific design. You can also find companies that have highly customizable designs, allowing you to change features as kids grow. • Slides: Slides can either be open or closed and are built in multiple styles that give kids different paths out of the playset. Be mindful of the material of the slide and try to avoid fiberglass, which can wear over time, loosening the fibers. • Swings: Different playset designs can accommodate a different number of swings, but most can be outfitted with traditional, individual swings, tire swings or bench swings. • Clubhouses: Clubhouses can stand alone as their own playset or be attached to a swing or playset at various levels above the ground. They can be outfitted with things like locking doors and doorbells, flower boxes, tables, and canopies. • Walls: Popular alternatives to ladders are various types of walls that lead up to the clubhouse. Rock walls, rope-ladder walls and solid walls with a single rope hanging down for climbing are common www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
wall styles. • Bridges: Bridges are often used to connect multi-level playsets and can come with a solid floor, rope or clatter bridge design, which is made up of plastic moving pieces to form the bridge floor. • Miscellaneous accessories: Accessories help children use their imagination to transform their playset into different objects. By adding things like a ship's wheel, telescope, and a pirate flag, a child can pretend to be on a pirate ship. Additionally, children can add things like plastic or wooden telephones, flowers, and shutters to their playsets. • Parts and hardware: Parts and hardware can be added or replaced to maintain your playset and keep it safe. Things like adding additional handrails, replacing ropes and handles and replacing brackets can all help keep your playset in safe, working order. • Swing accessories: Swing accessories help keep your swingset relevant as your child grows. From full-buckets swings for infants to regular sling swings for children and everything in between, swings can be customized and interchanged fairly easily. The total price of a swing or playset is determined by multiple factors, including materials, features, size and the number of accessories. Companies typically design multiple models of swing and playsets that vary in size and are grouped into a series. Each model in a series shares a similar style and price because they are relatively the same size. It is a good idea to check out all series when comparing prices so you can see what you get for each one. The material used in the components of a playset is a major factor in the final price. The most expensive material is vinyl due to its low maintenance and durability, followed by rot-resistant wooden and metal playsets. Additionally, companies can tack on delivery and installation fees if you do not want to assemble the playset yourself. Some companies offer to install them for you for an additional fee. As is the case with most expensive purchases, warranties are important to www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
consider when looking at swing and playsets. While the length of warranties can vary depending on the company, you should make sure the type covers the components, parts, and equipment. • Components: Make sure the components of your playset come with a warranty that includes the material of the components. A wooden playset, for example, should have a warranty protecting all wooden components from rot, decay, insect infestation and structural failure. • Parts: Most companies offer an additional warranty that covers defective parts and poor workmanship. These typically come with a shorter time frame than the company’s components warranty. • Safety: Almost all swing and play-
set companies use multiple safety testing standards and are approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Ask about the company’s testing process and the safety features used to meet playground safety standards. The ConsumerAffairs research team believes everyone deserves to make smart buying decisions, and they aim to provide readers with the most up-to-date information available about today's consumer products and services. The ConsumerAffairs Backyard Swings and Playsets guide is a good resource for anyone planning a playset purchase.
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WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 27
by Dr. Nancy White and Butch DeFillippo People often assume that because outdoor playground equipment is exposed to sunshine and rain, as well as other elements, it is clean. This is a misconception. Children who climb, slide, crawl, push, pull, swing and contact playground surfaces may be exposed to germs, bacteria, debris, and just
plain disgusting things at higher levels than you may expect. Traces of mucus, sweat, blood, saliva, vomit, feces, and urine left by previous users or animals also have the potential to induce illness. Germs and bacteria can live on surfaces for long periods of time. Little hands, feet or other parts that contact contaminated surfaces can spread illness. About 80% of infections are spread through hand contact. Testing was conducted between 1999-2003 by researchers at the University of Arizona on a number of environmental surfaces in public areas such as offices, daycares, stores, gymnasiums, airports, movie theaters, Hand washing before and after playing on a playground and restaurants, as well as can help to drastically reduce illness. personal items. Of the 1,061 28 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
environmental surfaces tested, the most contaminated were from children’s playground equipment and daycare centers. Tested playground equipment was contaminated with bacteria at a higher level than the public restrooms. Parents and caregivers can help with the effort to improve the cleanliness of playgrounds by enforcing hand-washing, or use of hand sanitizers, before and after use of playground equipment. Forming a regular hand washing habit will do wonders in the long run to prevent the spread of illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, handwashing can reduce the spread of respiratory and diarrheal illnesses and help you and others stay healthy. Other good hygiene habits that will help reduce harmful items such as germs and bacteria on playgrounds www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
include regular visits to restrooms (for diaper changes as well as the use of the facilities), followed by handwashing. Covering the mouth when coughing/ sneezing, and wiping/blowing noses using a tissue which is then thrown away will also help avoid the spread of disease. Avoiding touching the mouth, nose or eyes while on the playground and throwing away debris in trash containers are other personal hygiene habits that can be taught to children. These hygiene basics are tough to enforce with young children but can go a long way in reducing unhealthy germs on a playground. Owners and operators of playgrounds face the challenge of keeping playground surfaces clean without creating a hazard for users and without damaging equipment and surfacing. Posting signage to encourage handwashing before and after playground use, providing easy access to bathrooms and hand-washing facilities, as well providing hand-sanitizer stations at the entrance to a playground and trash receptacles are great ways to promote good hygiene habits. Trash receptacles should be located in close proximity to the playground and emptied on a regular basis. Trash, weeds, graffiti, debris, and animal waste need to be removed from a playground area regularly to assure health and safety of the users. Keeping playgrounds clean is an important part of a comprehensive maintenance plan. Covering sandboxes is also important, as the sand can become contaminated by animal waste, making the area unsafe for children to play in. Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing requires the use of chemicals. The playground equipment manufacturer should be contacted prior to selection of cleaning agents. The goal is to locate products that are safe for people (guests and staff), animals, and the environment. Selecting the right types of products to use will reduce the risk to everyone, and prevent damage to playground equipment and surfacing. Signage can help encourage sanitary practices that make a park more inviting for everyone. www.playgroundprofessionals.com/magazine
WINTER 2017 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE 29
Cleaning and covering a sandbox is a good idea considering their resemblance to a litter box.
Using the wrong type of cleaning product can remove paint, destroy surfaces, and cause other damage. Harsh chemicals like bleach or chlorine should not be used on plastics, to avoid damage to the equipment and to limit exposure to people. Degreaser should not be used to clean plastics, domes or windows as it can cloud and permanently alter these materials. Some paper towels can scratch the surface of a dome or window and should not be used. Look for EPA recommended products approved for use by your playground manufacturer that are nontoxic, and will clean and kill germs, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. Power washing is one method used to clean public playgrounds,
Animal and insect nests and waste create an unsanitary situation on a playground and should be removed and cleaned quickly.
which is more practical on large outdoor playgrounds than hand-wiping equipment. Sand sifting and sanitizing is a method that can be used to remove hazards and clean sand, to reduce the risk of illness and injury. Some play-
ground owners and operators may have the resources necessary to clean, sanitize and disinfect playgrounds on a regular basis on their own. Others may contract with one of many third party providers for cleaning of playground equipment and surfacing. Whether cleaning is done in-house or contracted out, it needs to be consistently completed and documented for the safety and health of users.
PlaySafe, LLC
In 1997, a group of parks and recreation, physical education, and private recreation professionals formed PlaySafe, LLC to provide resources that were not readily available to the public and private sectors. Today, PlaySafe, LLC is the largest, most respected and highly skilled playground, surfacing, bleacher, and ballfield safety auditing firm in the United States. Our staff members are experts in playground safety, athletic field testing, bleacher inspections, master plans, feasibility studies and program development. Our training and seminars are informative and will make your organization the best it can be. PlaySafe, LLC staff have over 200 years of combined experience in parks, recreation, physical education, and community health.
Courtesy of HomeAdvisor: https://www.homeadvisor.com/r/playground-germs 30 PLAY AND PLAYGROUND MAGAZINE WINTER 2017
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