OUTDOOR PLAY AREA RULES

OUTDOOR PLAY AREA RULES

Outdoor play should be a time when children can run, jump, climb, use loud voices, and play freely. This is a wonderful way for children to develop their motor coordination and social skills. As much as you want to allow the children to freely express themselves and have fun outdoors, it is your responsibility to keep them safe from harm.

To keep the children safe, develop rules for outdoor equipment. It helps the children to understand the reasons for the rules if you include them in the rule making process. Let them help you make a chart or poster listing the rules. Go over the rules often.

Here are some safety rules:

SWINGS

• Only one child on a swing at a time

• Sit in the center of the swing

• Use both hands to hold on

• Stay on the swing until it stops

SLIDES

• Use both hands when climbing up the slide

• Stay one arm’s length behind the child in front of you

• Wait until the person in front of you has gone down the slide and moved out of the way before you slide down.

• Slide down feet first and sitting up. Never slide down head-first.

• Move out of the way of the slide as soon as you get to the bottom.

SEESAWS

• Hang on with both hands

• Keep feet from going under the board as it comes down

• Stop before the board hits the ground

• Tell your partner when you are getting off

JUNGLE GYMS

• Use both hands to hold on

• No more than 4 or 5 children on the jungle gym a one time

• Look down to see that you are not stepping on another child’s hands when climbing.

When developing the rules and communicating them to the children, use simple, short language that makes it easier for the children to remember them.

Resources

Working With Young Children, Judy Herr