INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SANITIZE AND CLEAN BOTH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR PLAYGROUND

For children, it may be one of the happiest places on earth, playgrounds are a terrific place for kids to get some exercise, have fun, and make new friends. They get to run, stretch their legs, and feel their hair fly back in the breeze as they glide down slides. Racing through tunnels and climbing up bars, their imaginations are sparked and their little legs will be tired out when the fun is over, while the top priority for children is having fun, the top priority for their parents is safety.

A safe and sound playground environment stimulates children’s minds and allows for their cognitive, physical, and social development. In fact, outdoor play areas provide children with rich opportunities to grow, learn, and develop new skills. Outdoor Playground equipment may include Swings, Slides, See-saws, Climbing-frames, Monkey bars, Towers, Play tunnels, Roundabouts, Balance beams, Sandboxes, Open grassy spaces, Artificial turf and just about any space for running and jumping. While Indoor playground at a glance includes ground level and elevated play structures such as: Ladders, stairs, steps and platforms, Tunnels and slides, Nets, ropes and webbing, Inflatables and trampolines.

For younger children and students with short attention spans, the school playground provides a much-needed break from sitting in the classroom, refreshing their minds for further learning. Recent studies highlight the importance of children’s play in addressing childhood obesity, while other studies show that a good playground allows children to:

  • Improve motor skills and gain physical strength
  • Improve balance and coordination
  • Develop social skills
  • Learn to share, communicate, and collaborate with others
  • Learn to compromise and take turns
  • Appreciate diversity in others
  • Develop empathy
  • Master new skills
  • Gain independence
  • Develop problem-solving skills
  • Take on new challenges
  • Experience success as a result of persistence and perseverance
  • Expand creativity and imagination

 

According to studies published in the American Academy of Paediatrics and Scientific American, children without access to play, are at greater risk for suffering from depression, anxiety, asthma, diabetes, and obesity. Conversely, safe indoor and outdoor playground areas foster good health and emotional well-being. Furthermore, since the amount of time children spend outdoors has significantly declined in today’s age of technology, providing students with an appealing and stimulating playground area is particularly paramount.

 

Playgrounds: How healthy are they?

Alarmingly, both indoor and outdoor playgrounds can also be a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria – some of which may have the potential to cause sickness. Some commonly touched surfaces were tested to find the number of colony-forming units (CFUs) – viable cells – per square inch. The results? Rock walls, baby swings, and seesaws were by far the germ most germ infested: All three teemed with 9 million CFU/sq. in., – which is over 52,000 times more bacteria than a typical home toilet seat. The slides, too, were crawling with germs: Both the top and the bottom of the slide average 6 million CFU/sq. in. On the low end, the monkey bars averaged 63,000 CFU/sq. in., while tunnels had only 30,000 CFU/sq. in. and big-kid swings only 40 CFU/sq. in. And as we’ll explore below, some of these germs have the potential to make your kids sick.

For many parents, indoor playgrounds are ideal for rainy days or simply a change of scenery. The good news? The play equipment at the indoor playgrounds that were tested harboured far fewer bacteria than the outdoor playgrounds tested. Kids racing down the slide at an outdoor playground may actually encounter around 60,000 times more bacteria than they would at the top of the slide at the local fast food joint or other indoor play area. In the tunnels where kids love to crawl, the difference was dramatic as well. The outdoor playground tunnels averaged 1,500 times more bacteria than the indoor playground tunnels. Why the added yuck factor at the park’s play equipment? Probably because unlike most outdoor playgrounds, many indoor playgrounds (such as those in fast food restaurants) undergo regular cleaning and disinfecting. And many surfaces (such as the rock wall) can contain hard-to-clean crevices – so even if you did decide to get ambitious with a pack of wet wipes, it probably wouldn’t do much good.

Chances are; if a playground is teeming with children, it’s also teeming with germs. After all, before they touch play equipment (and one another), kids have been known to sneeze into their hands and wipe their noses with their hands. Handwashing after using the bathroom may prove too time-consuming to a child who wants to get back to having fun. And toddlers clad in leaking diapers may sit on slides and swings. The horrifying result? Many playgrounds contain some pretty nasty types of germs – including those found in faecal matter and sinuses.

The indoor playground samples yielded disturbing results: 100 percent were gram-positive cocci, which is a common cause of skin infection and can even cause other, more serious illnesses. But on the other hand, outdoor playground equipment contained greater germ variety. The good news? 38 percent of the bacteria were gram-positive rods, which aren’t usually harmful. However, 31 percent were gram-negative rods, which do have the potential to cause illness and often resist antibiotics (cholera and E. coli are both examples of gram-negative rods). Another 23 percent were bacillus, a bacteria type often found in soil that can be harmful or helpful. Only 8 percent were gram-positive cocci, which are linked to skin infections and other illnesses.

 

 

Cleaning and Sanitizing Playgrounds

Cleaning involves using soap and water to remove physical, chemical, and microbial substances from equipment surfaces. Mild antibacterial washing soaps and warm water are recommended for cleaning. Sanitizing, on the other hand, involves using chemicals or other verified methods to reduce the or eliminate all of the germs listed on the product label, which may include bacteria, fungi, or viruses.

One should always clean, then sanitize or disinfect playground surfaces, germs may still be present even if playground surfaces appear clean. Properly cleaning then sanitizing or disinfecting will reduce harmful germs and children’s risk for illness and disease. Routine cleaning and sanitizing playground surfaces should be cleaned and sanitized daily, and spot cleaned throughout the day, even if they do not look dirty. Clean and sanitize surfaces immediately if dirt is present. Clean surfaces thoroughly with soapy water before sanitizing. Cleaning and disinfecting after body fluid incidents Body fluids (blood, urine, vomit, faecal matter) are highly contagious and should be cleaned up immediately. The affected area should be closed so staff can clean and disinfect. Clean surfaces thoroughly with soap and water before disinfecting.

 

Keeping Playground Equipment Clean and Maintained

All types of commercial playground equipment and private playground equipment must be cleaned regularly. The primary aim of cleaning playground equipment is to ensure that users of the equipment have an enjoyable experience and that it looks attractive to them. In addition, and probably just as important, a regular cleaning routine of playground equipment will ensure its long useful life. Here are the best ways to keep the various types of playground equipment well-cleaned and preserved.

  • Plastic Playground Equipment: The best way to keep plastic playground equipment well preserved is to clean it.

 

 

  • Metal Playground Equipment: A cleaning routine of metal playground equipment should involve a vigorous inspection for rust spots and deterioration of the metal surface due to rust. Rust spots can be removed with rust remover or a metal scour. However, rust deterioration is a different story. Rust deterioration occurs where rust spots have gone unnoticed and have resulted in the weakening of the metal, which can result in serious injury or accident. Once rust is removed, it can be painted with an anti-rust paint to prevent reoccurrence.

 

  • Playground Surfacing: A playground cleaning routine should also include the cleaning of the playground surfacing. Concrete and rubber surfaces should be clean as well. With just a little bit of effort on a regular basis, these basic cleaning and maintenance tips will repay huge dividends as keeping playground equipment clean and well-maintained will ensure that it is safe and attractive for all users as well as ensuring that it remains in good working order for a long time to come. People often assume that because outdoor playground equipment is exposed to sunshine and rain, as well as other elements, it is clean. This is a misconception, children who climb, slide, crawl, push, pull, swing and contact playground surfaces may be exposed to germs, bacteria, debris, and just plain disgusting things at higher levels than you may expect. Traces of mucus, sweat, blood, saliva, vomit, faeces, and urine left by previous users or animals also have the potential to induce illness. Germs and bacteria can live on surfaces for long periods of time. Little hands, feet or other parts that contact contaminated surfaces can spread illness. About 80% of infections are spread through hand contact.

 

Regular Playground Hygiene

Hygiene isn’t just about maintaining a good appearance. In fact, it is a proactive way to prevent the spread of germs which can cause sicknesses that are sometimes life threatening. Good personal hygiene habits will help children stay healthy, ward off infectious illnesses and diseases, maintain a healthy body image and develop a healthy personality, children do not have the knowledge to understand what hygiene is all about. Therefore, it is the parents’ duty to teach their children the importance of hygiene and good hygiene habits. Having good hygiene habits involves more than just hand-washing. Teaching your kids to have healthy hygiene routine when they’re young can create habits that last throughout their lives. Following this guide will teach the kids good hygiene habits.

  1. Nail Hygiene

Taking care of nails is important in to stay healthy; hence kids should be taught to take care of them at a very early age. Practicing healthy nail care habit is essential because nails are considered a breeding ground for bacteria that may easily transfer to the eyes, nose, and mouth of the child, causing sickness. For a smaller kid, parents should clip their fingernails every week, keeping their nails short is a great way to minimize the number of germs under the nails. Moreover, short nails are cleaner and breaks less often. When children are able to trim their nails, parents should teach them the following basic rules:

  • Trim the nails after taking a shower or bath because they will be softer.
  • Cut the nails straight across to avoid ingrown nails.
  • Use an emery board or nail file to smooth the edges of nails.
  • Teach them to avoid cutting the cuticles because they protect their nail root.
  • Parents may also buy a good nail brush and teach them to remove the dirt from under the nails before going to bed.
  • Nail biting habits should be discouraged.

 

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