My daughter is now 17 months old and suddenly, quite the little toddler, literally. So recently we've been thinking about getting some play things for our backyard like swings, a playhouse or a sandbox. This definitely got me thinking about and researching backyard playground safety. Here are a few tips I found that I thought were extremely important.

Tips for Background Playground Safety

1. Plan Ahead. One of the best ways to stay safe is to start with some careful planning. Think about the space where you'll place the play equipment, your child's age, even where the sun will be shining. An article on the naturalhandyman.com suggests, "Make sure toddler swing sets are at least 2 feet above ground (so kids can't use it on their own), at least 6 feet away from any building or fences, and in a shaded area, so that surfaces won't get too hot to the touch."
2. Avoid Pressure Treated Wood. Never construct or buy playground equipment made with pressure-treated wood containing chromated copper arsenate, also known as CCA. Why? The Consumer Product Safety Commission explains why CCA is dangerous here. You'll know pressure treated wood by its greenish tint. There are other chemicals that can be used to treat wood, but they are still rare and more expensive, so CCA has been the principal chemical used to pressure treat wood. Generally, if the play equipment has not been constructed with redwood or cedar, then most likely it is CCA pressure treated wood. Good alternatives include untreated woods like cedar or redwood, and non-wood alternatives such as plastics, metal, and composite materials (like Trex).
3. Inspect Your Equipment. Always check the play equipment for any sharp points or edges (screws that stick out, rough wood etc.). Check the equipment often as conditions can change. Make sure equipment is firmly anchored in the ground.
4. Bigger is not always better. While we may be dreaming of a large play-scape to really wow our kids, remember the higher the equipment the harder the fall. Research shows equipment taller than 6 feet doubles the possibility of injury.
   
5. Avoid Dangerous Sand. OK, I had never heard this before, but apparently, not all play sand is safe. In fact, the soft, fine sand that is marketed as "play sand," is one some say we should avoid. According to safemama.com, many times, play sand is made of crushed rock instead of beach or river sand. This crushed rock or crystalline silica is already a known carcinogen according to the EPA and OSHA. Some brands of sand even contain asbestos tremloite which can put you and kids at risk of lung cancer. Now I'm sure exposure levels have to be super high, but just knowing this, now I can't in good conscience use it. So avoid play sand that creates airborne dust that can be easily breathed by kids. Read up on Sandtasktic or SafeSand as possible alternatives (I'm still researching myself), but they seem to be the only brands that are silica and quartz-free.
6. Create a Cushion. Falls account for more than 70 percent of playground injuries. During my research, again and again I was told the importance of the right ground cover for under play equipment to prevent this. The recommendation each time? Sand, pea gravel, rubber, or wood chips. Donna Thompson, Ph.D., and Director of the National Program for Playground Safety cautioned though that the cushion needs to be 9–12 inches deep in order to be effective. “Many people use the right materials, but not enough to truly cushion a fall,” she says.
7. Practice Basic Safety. Children under 3 should be in toddler swings with support on all sides and safety straps and children under 6 should never play unattended (those older should be checked on frequently).

Playground Rules To Teach Your Children
From: swingsetsource.com

• Never stand or kneel in the swing, and hold tightly with both hands.
• Always stop swinging before getting off the swing.
• Only one person should be in one swing at a time.
• Do not push anyone else in the swing or let others push you (that's a job for grown-ups).
• Don't swing empty swings, and never twist swing chains.

More Resources from the National Program for Playground Safety
http://www.playgroundsafety.org/safety/index.htm
CPSC Handbook for Outdoor Home Playground Safety