Playground and Trampoline Safety for Children

An independent educational resource prepared by Mark M. Simonian, MD, FAAP

Sources checked: August 10, 2026     |     Medical review completed: August 10, 2026

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare

2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611     |     559-538-3070

Play supports movement, confidence, and social development. Most injuries can be prevented by choosing age-appropriate equipment, checking the surface and surroundings, supervising actively, and knowing when a fall may be more serious than it first appears.

Urgent Warning Signs - Check This First

After a fall or collision, first check breathing, alertness, bleeding, the head and neck, and whether the child can move normally. When in doubt about a serious injury, call 911.

CALL 911 NOW

  • Not breathing, blue or gray color, unconsciousness, a seizure, severe bleeding, or another life-threatening emergency

  • Suspected serious head, neck, spine, chest, or abdominal injury; weakness or paralysis; or a child who cannot be moved safely

  • A child is trapped, strangled, or entangled in playground equipment, a rope, clothing, or a cord

GET EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE NOW

  • After a head injury: repeated vomiting, worsening headache, confusion, unusual sleepiness, behavior change, seizure, loss of consciousness, weakness, trouble walking, or neck pain

  • An open fracture, obvious deformity, severe pain, a limb that looks pale or blue, inability to use an arm or bear weight, or a deep or contaminated wound

  • A fall from substantial height, a severe trampoline injury, a collision with another child or object at speed, or a hot-surface burn with blistering or significant pain

CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL TODAY

  • A possible concussion: headache, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, trouble concentrating, irritability, or sleep changes after a fall or collision

  • Persistent pain, swelling, limp, reduced use of an arm or leg, or wrist, elbow, ankle, or knee pain that is worse the next day

  • ·A scrape, cut, puncture, or burn that may need cleaning, closure, tetanus review, infection prevention, or individual care advice

Choose the Right Playground

  • Choose equipment that matches the child's age, size, coordination, and abilities. Younger children need different equipment and closer supervision than older children.

  • Look for impact-absorbing surfacing under and around equipment: maintained wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or safety-tested rubber-like mats. Concrete, asphalt, packed dirt, and grass do not adequately cushion a fall.

  • Check for sharp edges, protruding bolts, damaged or rusted equipment, open hooks, loose hardware, broken glass, exposed concrete, rocks, and other tripping hazards.

  • Avoid equipment with openings where a child's head or body could become trapped. Report dangerous equipment to the school, park, property owner, or local agency.

Active Supervision and Safer Play

  • Stay close enough to see and hear young children, and give attention to heights, swings, climbing equipment, water, hot surfaces, and other children moving nearby.

  • Teach children to take turns, use equipment as designed, avoid pushing or crowding, and wait until the landing area of a slide is clear.

  • Teach children to go down slides feet first and never ride down a slide on an adult's lap; a child's leg can catch and be injured.

  • Keep children away from the front and back of moving swings. Discourage jumping from swings or climbing on the outside of guardrails.

  • Remove bike or scooter helmets before children climb or play on playground equipment. Helmets and clothing with drawstrings, necklaces, jump ropes, or pet leashes can create an entanglement or strangulation risk.

Hot Weather and Outdoor Equipment

  • Check slides, swing seats, rails, artificial turf, and pavement with your hand before a child uses them. Metal and plastic can become hot enough to burn in direct sun.

  • Choose shade, bring water, use sun protection, and take heat breaks. See the Heat Illness and Sun Safety guides for more information.

Home Playgrounds

  • Choose home equipment labeled as meeting current safety standards. Follow assembly instructions, place equipment on level ground, and anchor it as directed.

  • Use energy-absorbing surfacing and extend it well beyond the equipment, especially around swings and slides. Check hardware, anchors, ropes, nets, and surfaces regularly.

  • Do not attach ropes, jump ropes, clotheslines, pet leashes, or other cords to play equipment. Keep gates and fences away from climbing structures when possible.

Trampolines: Know the Risk

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children avoid recreational trampoline use because injuries can include fractures, concussions, head and neck injuries, and spinal injury. Safety nets and adult supervision reduce some risks but do not prevent many injuries, which often happen on the mat.

  • Children younger than 6 should never use a full-size trampoline. If an older child uses a trampoline despite the risks, allow only one jumper at a time and provide close adult supervision.

  • No flips, somersaults, double-bouncing, jumping from roofs or furniture, or jumping with larger children. Keep ladders removed when the trampoline is not in use.

  • Keep safety pads and enclosure netting in good condition, place the trampoline away from trees, walls, fences, buildings, and other play areas, and stop use when there is wind or damaged equipment.

  • Trampoline parks also have a substantial injury risk. If a family chooses to go, avoid crowded times, supervise closely, follow park rules, and keep smaller children away from larger jumpers.

After a Fall

  • Stop the activity after a suspected concussion or significant injury. Do not return to play until the child has been assessed and has followed medical guidance.

  • For a minor scrape, rinse with clean running water, remove visible dirt if it is easily removed, cover it, and watch for infection. Seek care for deep, gaping, contaminated, bite-related, or puncture wounds.

  • If a child has ongoing pain, swelling, limp, limited motion, or an injury that is not improving, arrange medical evaluation.

Related Guides

  • Head Injuries and Concussion: When to Seek Care

  • First Aid for Common Injuries: When to Seek Care

  • Burns and Scalds in Children: First Aid and When to Seek Care

  • Heat Illness in Children: Prevention and When to Seek Care

  • Sun Safety and Sunburn in Children: When to Seek Care

Sources and Medical Review