OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENTS

FUN, EDUCATIONAL AND SAFEPresented byPatricia Earle

Outdoor Environment as CurriculumGross/Fine Motor

Social/EmotionalScience and

NatureSensory

Creative

MathLanguage and

LiteracyDramatic Play

BENEFITS OF THE OUTDOOR CLASSROOM

For TeachersFor Children

For the CommunityFor the

Environment

FOR TEACHERSEasier Classroom

Management

Easier Clean-Up

Health Benefits

Teachable Moments

FOR CHILDREN

More Freedom/Fewer Rules

Health Benefits

Learning Opportunitie

sFUN

http://Nature Deficit Disorder

FOR THE COMMUNITY

www.childrennatureandyou.org

FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAwarenes

s • Of Nature

Knowledge • About Nature

Appreciation • Enjoyment

Action • Protect

Save the children Save the earth

http://www.childrennatureandyou.org/

http://www.childrennatureandyou.org/resources.html

WEB SITES FOR PLAYGROUND SAFETY

 http://www.cpsc.gov/ Consumer Product Safety Commission

 http://www.nrpa.org/ National Recreation and Parks Association

http://playgroundsafety.org/ Nation Program for Playground Safety

http://NPPS Safety Checklist

ASTM OFFICIAL STANDARDShttp://www.astm.org/Standards/F1487.htm

ASTM 2-12 Years

http://www.astm.org/Standards/F2373.htm ASTM 6-23 Months

American Society for Testing and Materials

http://www.nrpa.org/Content.aspx?id=3531

The Dirty Dozen

NRPA's National Playground Safety Institute (NPSI) has identified twelve of the leading causes of injuries on playgrounds, and published "The Dirty Dozen - A Checklist for Safe Playgrounds," a brochure that identifies and discusses the twelve most common safety concerns and leading causes of injuries on playgrounds.

Explore-Parks-and-Recreation/National-Initiatives/The-Dirty-Dozen

Link to pdf

Safety Checklist for Active Play Areas The following checklist is based primarily on the recommendations of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) as specified in their current Handbook for Public Playground Safety, and the current ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) Standards. Not every recommendation is included in this checklist; refer to the handbook and the standard for complete information. Successfully completing this checklist will help you make your play area safer. You will need a yardstick and/or measuring tape to complete this checklist. By checking “Yes” below, you confirm that the recommendation has been met or that a hazard is NOT present. When you check “No”, be sure to make a corrective action plan on the last page of the checklist. ******Handout provided

S.A.F.E. — NATIONAL ACTION PLAN

SUPERVISION

AGE-APPROPRIATE

FALL SURFACING

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE

A QUICK CHECKLIST FOR PARENTSKEEP YOUR CHILDREN S.A.F.E. Place this list in a prominent area of your home for quick reference. Then, before your

children head out the door for the playground, check that: Supervision is present, but strings and ropes aren't. Adult presence is needed to watch for potential hazards, observe, intercede and facilitate

play when necessary. Strings on clothing or ropes used for play can cause accidental strangulation if caught on equipment.

All children play on Age-appropriate equipment. Preschoolers, ages 2 - 5, and children ages 5 - 12, are developmentally different and need

different equipment located in separate areas to keep the playground safe and fun for all. Falls to surface are cushioned. Nearly 70 percent of all playground injuries are related to falls to the surface. Acceptable

surfaces include hardwood fiber/mulch, pea gravel, sand and synthetic materials such as poured-in-place, rubber mats or tiles. Playground surfaces should not be concrete, asphalt, grass, blacktop, packed dirt or rocks.

Equipment is safe. Check to make sure the equipment is anchored safely in the ground, all equipment pieces

are in good working order, S-hooks are entirely closed, bolts are not protruding, there are no exposed footings, etc.

Safety checklists are available from the CPSC or the National Program for Playground Safety.

“Nature Based Play”