Environment and Safety of Playgrounds at Child Care Centers supervised by Local Administrative Organizations and Primary Schools, Thabo District, Nongkhai Province

Abstract

This descriptive study investigated safety conditions of children’s playgrounds and
children’s playing behavior. The aim of this study was to identify health risks for
children playing at the sites. The investigation was conducted at child care centers
being under the supervision of the respective local administrative organization and
primary schools within the Thabo District. Twenty‐two playgrounds were selected
for the study. Teachers and nurse maids of the child care centers and primary
schools were interviewed and the playgrounds were examined, including the
equipment and playing tools of the places. Children’s playing behavior was also
observed. The study was conducted from October to November 2010. The main
health hazard found was that in general the placement of the different playing tools
was too close to each other. There was not enough space between the tools.
Children falling from one tool were at risk to hit the tool nearby. This problem was
observed at 95.5% of all playgrounds investigated. Another major finding was that
the design of the playing tools were not adjusted to the children’s physical
development, in that arch climbers were installed too high for the children at the
child care center’s and this also did apply to the overhead horizontal ladders and
overhead hanging rings. These shortcomings had been found for 22.2% of child
care centers. The greatest risk for injuries was the dangerously hardened surfaces
of the playgrounds covered by small red‐stones or concrete floors which was found
for 95.5% of all playgrounds studied. Also the sand which covered the surfaces were
not according to safety standards because they didn’t provide the necessary
adequately thick cushion in case of falls. The installation of rope swings, overhead
horizontal ladders and dome climbers were unsafe in that they were not fixed to the
ground properly and were swinging when in use. The problem existed for 13.6% of
the playgrounds. Inappropriate height of equipments and tools were observed for
9.1% of playgrounds. The design of 4.5% tools carried the danger that the feet of the
children were trapped. At 22.7% of the sites tools were designed in a way that
children could place their head into same space but could not retrieve it again. The
design of 18.2% of ladders was dangerous because the ladder rungs were too far
apart. The way the children were playing was also troublesome in that they
compete in climbing up at various tools without being careful at all and also not
being stopped to do so by the supervising person. The playgrounds of some primary
schools were not supervised adequately by teachers especially in the morning and
during the noon recess. However the nursemaid teachers of the child care centers
were closely watching over the playing children all the time. Therefore, all
concerned should participate in improving the safety conditions of children’s
playgrounds. The teachers should suggest not too play too wild and closely watch
over the children playing at the playgrounds.