The Dangers of Playgrounds Without Adequate Shade Protection

 All kids love to go to the playground on a hot, summer day. And what better way for parents to get to relax a bit, while their young ones are running, sliding and climbing? Unfortunately, there are dangers to be found on the playground, and not just from the too-high monkey bars. Areas without shade protection can be hazardous to children who only want to play. Playgrounds that are directly in the middle of a field, with no protection from structures or even a few trees, can heat up fast when the weather warms up.

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The playground is a great place to take the kids when they want to play. But during the hours of 10am to 4 pm, the sun is at its hottest. Many playground structures are made of metal, such as the swing seats, slides and climbing structures. The heat from the sun, especially when it is directly overhead, can quickly heat up the metal structures. If the playground is set in an area where there is no playground shade, then the equipment can be hot all day long.

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Children can easily get burned when they slide down a metal slide that does not have adequate protection. They may burn their legs, feet and hands, and even other parts of the body. Ditto for kids trying to sit on the swings or those climbing the structures around the playground. The best way to prevent this is to look for playgrounds that protect adequate shade for young children and babies.

Permanent shade structures that offer park shade are very important when building a playground structure. Structures offer more protection than simply trees. While the sun can easily penetrate the trees' leaves and branches, it won't be able to get through a solid structure. Also, the leaves of trees in many areas are missing in the fall and spring, yet the sun can still warm up the playground equipment intensely. For the best protection for our children, shade found under permanent shade structures is the best way to go.

Public playgrounds may be built in areas where there is little vegetation, or even near streets were the sun can bounce off the hot payment around the park. This simply adds to the heat of the equipment, posing more of a risk of burns to young children. Shade for playgrounds should be a top priority for any new playground structure being built. If one is already there, an addition of a structure should be the goal.

Shade structures can actually be used in a few different ways. Shade structures are great for having a picnic or birthday party at a playground, to provide protection for all the kids. Shade structures are a great option for keeping all kids safe and sound when they play at the playground. A child's safety is number priority, so keeping the harmful rays of the sun from reaching the playground equipment is very important.