Tips for Keeping Kids Cool on the Playground DuringSummer Months

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Playing It Cool on Hot PlaygroundsWarmer weather beckons families to come outside and play. As temperatures rise to 90+ degrees,playground equipment and surfacing can heat up. Whether in your own backyard or a public park,playgrounds provide kids with an area for fun, socialization and physical activity. Mindful parents andcaregivers can help create a safer play environment. When summer heat kicks in, a few safetyprecautions should be followed to keep children from getting too hot and from coming into contact withequipment that can be uncomfortable to touch.

Symptoms of Excessive Heat ExposureIf a child has been exposed to heat for too long of a duration, they may begin experiencing symptomsof heat-related illness. Muscle cramping and excessive sweating are 2 symptoms that can presentthemselves to a watchful eye. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke can present with very differencesymptoms. Mild heat exhaustion can be handled be a caregiver but heat stroke requires the attention ofa medical professional.

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

Heat exhaustion can range from milder forms to more severe. A school nurse can appropriately treatmild forms of heat exhaustion. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms of heat exhaustion include:

Heavy sweating

Weakness

Cold, pale, and clammy skin

Fast, weak pulse

Nausea or vomiting

Fainting

Remove the child to a cooler area, apply cold cloths to exposed areas and have them sip water. If achild has vomited and it continues, caregivers should seek the attention of a medical professional. Heat stroke presents symptoms that are markedly different from heat exhaustion. Heat stroke is amedical emergency and so caregivers need to call 911 immediately. In this case, do not give fluids tothe affected individual.

Symptoms of heat stroke include:

High body temperature (above 103 degrees F)

Hot, red, dry or moist skin

Rapid and strong pulse

Possible unconsciousness

Caregivers can move the child to a cooler environment and reduce the child’s body temperature withcooling cloths or even a cool bath. This is occurring while waiting for medical personnel to arrive.

Playground Hot SpotsThe CPSC advises parents and school personnel to regularly check playground equipment during peakdaylight hours. Some factors to take into consideration are:

Black surfaces get hotter than those painted white, blue or red.

Humidity affects the temperature of playground equipment.

Some materials of the playground surfacing, such as solid steel decks, slides and steps, can gethotter than other alternatives.

Playgrounds that are shaded have generally cooler surfaces.

The length of playtime and the amount of sun exposure will affect surfaces and children.

All of these variants can affect the surface temperatures of playground equipment and should beregularly monitored during the summer months.

How to Keep Children Cool in Hot parks and PlaygroundsLet cooler heads prevail and have adults work to create safer play environments by adjusting elementsand time of play. Some methods to create “cool” play are to:

Incorporate shade elements into new playground designs and adding them to existingplaygrounds. Shade elements will help protect surfaces and children from direct sunlight

during the peak hours of the day and offer a respite from the heat for children to move and restbetween activities.

Avoid play between the hours of Noon - 3:00 PM. The sun is directly overhead and theeffects are most significant during those hours. Schools can have children play indoors onparticularly hot days or have them play earlier or later in the day.

Wear clothing that is light, breathable and covers bare skin. If kids are sent out to playduring peak hours, such as at the end or beginning of the school year, make sure that they arewearing cotton clothing and pants on the slide. When taking children out to play, seek outplaygrounds with shady coverings or water play-sets.

Assess the weather - Keep an eye out on the humidity and UV levels. Humidity can increasethe perception of heat and reduce the ability for the body to experience thermal comfort. This isthe degree of comfort that bodies feel in their surrounding environment. It is achieved when theheat generated by a body is able to dissipate into the environment. High humidity can interferewith this process. UV levels of 1 to 5 are generally safe for some protected exposure. Accordingto the EPA, UV radiation can be damaging to the skin, suppress the immune system and lead topremature aging.

Recognize symptoms of overheating. Watch for signs of discomfort with children at play.Symptoms include muscle cramping, nausea, dizziness, disorientation, turning pale orexcessive sweating. Avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke by making sure your children drinkenough water and rest every 20 minutes or so between activities.

Hydrate kids- Send child to school or to caregivers with a water bottle. Instruct them to refill asnecessary especially prior to going outside. Schools can permit children to drink from the waterfountain on their return to the classroom.

Educate children about the dangers of overheating and how to recognize symptoms in afriend. Both parents and schools and help instruct children on safe play when temperaturesheat up. Parents and caregivers can bring spray bottles to spray down the slides or kids.Parents and school aides can give kids popsicles to cool down – otter pops are a great,inexpensive treat or you can freeze juice boxes for a mini-slushy.

Contact a Playground Planning ProfessionalWhatever you do, don’t let the heat keep you indoors. Enjoy the sunshine and play safely withpreparation and better equipment. For over 30 years, Component Playgrounds has adapted existingplaygrounds by creating cooler safe play conditions and has designed durable kid-tested playgroundsthat can withstand generations of use. Contact Component Playgrounds at 877-530-0222 for helpplanning your next playground.