Play zones are areas where kids have fun and participate in activities with other children their age. They are usually kids that are aged 0-10 years old. Play areas are traditionally in outdoor areas where activities are done impromptu by children exercising their imagination and creativity. There are now, however, plenty of indoor play zones that serves the same purpose. Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children in these locations and check for possible faulty equipment or improper surfaces that can cause any accidents. It may be a scary thing for parents, especially new parents, to allow their children to play on their own anywhere; therefore, it raises the question of whether the play zone for kids are actually safe. Here are a few things to note to help us understand the concern towards play zones better:

Play zone and standard guidelines

We would think that play zones are generally safe and it is understandable to think that. The structures and equipment used in play zones are carefully researched by a professional architect. There are a lot of technicalities that go into planning, constructing and building a play zone for kids and these are restricted by guidelines enforced by companies. Any company or association with proper management would know to, first and foremost, set health and safety guidelines to any project they want to establish. This is an ethical rule to all business, organizations, associations and groups. We all want an environment that is safe especially when it involves children. Smart business owners would know this is a must to avoid any complications or legal action from concerned parties.

Rules of the play zone

Safety is not subjective and should be taken as a crucial concern. Besides the authorities that plan and build these play zones, parents and their children, also have a role to play by being cautious and following the rules at the play zone for kids. A lot of parents actually neglect these rules and, most of the time; their children are too young to actually understand what these rules mean. Without the guidance of their parents or guardians, rules that may seem like ‘common sense’ won’t be implemented at all, which will put more people in possible danger. Safety is not warranted if precautions from all parties is not observed.

Play zone structures

As mentioned previously, play zones are set with guidelines even before it is constructed. It should be literally made in a way that will not inflict injury to the children using it. This means that there should be no sharp edges; equipment must be stable especially for swings, slides or any equipment that will bear the weight of children running around. The area or floor where they may fall should also be made soft and smooth. The details for the play zone’s layout, built, materials used and features are all decided by the architect which is more knowledgeable in these aspects. To help us get an idea of how carefully planning to build a play zone is done, here are a few points they consider before building it:

1. The features of the play zone for kids should be separated by age groups to avoid clashing between small and older kids.

2. Areas for children and supervising adult should have a clear space in between to avoid blocking other kids and cause other disturbances.

3. Making sure that the entrance and exits are all secured and conveniently placed in points that do not
block any other establishments in the area.

4. All areas of the playground should be open and can be seen in viewing areas where parents and guardians will wait. There should not be any ‘blind spots’ that may be prone to accidents.

5. Hazardous locations should not be near the play zone. Some examples of hazardous locations are electrical boxes, heat and ventilation mechanics, light equipment and other areas like rooftops and void
spaces.

6. Make sure that the play zone for kids has proper lighting.

7. Cleaning and maintenance should be contracted and all the areas of the play zone should be accessible for cleaning and maintenance.

8. Materials and furniture provided for the play zone should not have any rough and sharp surface.

9. Maximum height restrictions are in place and clearly identifiable.

Play zone etiquette

Along with rules to follow in play zones, there are also unwritten ones that should already be known by parents. Common courtesy or manners as it is called should be observed by both the child and his/her parents. Here are some examples of play zone for kids etiquette that parents and guardians should keep in mind:

• Let the children take turns when playing with equipment that are limited such as swings and slides.
• Although your child may want to join the play zone, it is best to avoid using it when it is crowded.
• Maintain proper voice volume by not shouting so as not to cause any disturbance to other families.
• Do not litter as this may cause floor accidents.