(no subject)

[conuly]

So, a kid was seriously burned on the playsurfacing in NYC.

I am *not* surprised.

Ignore the comments - they're all "Oh, well, nobody should ever go barefoot ever ever ever", and not only is that, I believe, a flawed view but, really, it's entirely beside the point. It's a playground. The mats are there so that when children slip and fall, they don't get hurt. But if the mats burn them, when your kid slips and falls, your kid is gonna get *very* hurt.

Worse yet, most playgrounds go directly from sprinkler to mat to sand to mat with no space in between. Well, it's not reasonable to keep your shoes on in the sprinkler or sandbox - and that one second, you blink, and the kid has gone from one area to another without putting their shoes back on. Whoops.

Now, as I understand it, playgrounds have to be resurfaced regularly. Some playgrounds we go to often (in wealthier neighborhoods) are resurfaced pretty much yearly - maybe ever 18 months or so instead. It shouldn't be that hard to simply get a different type of mat to cover the ground when you go through your required fixing-up.

Comments

[conuly]

Possibly, or that it's less likely to cause diaper/foot irritation than sand, or (and this is the most likely one) that it's safer than sand. I go to some playgrounds with sand at the foot of the slide, that sort of thing, and it gets very packed down, so it's not as bouncy as the blacktop (which works great so long as there's no direct sun on it!) and possibly a greater risk. And kids throw sand and whatnot.

Honestly, this whole problem could be mitigated as well if they'd do something *else* I really think they should do and put some shade in these playgrounds. There's no shade anywhere on top of the structures (which wouldn't help this situation anyway, but that's beside the point), nor on top of the benches or tables, nor anywhere else. And that's a problem in and of itself, especially on hot days. They could really kill two birds with one stone by planning the playgrounds to be (much) more shaded.

God, in California we passed by one day a playground what was big, looked lovely - but no way I was going in there in 100+ weather, there was nothing even *remotely* shaded there! Just a big sunny lot in sunny California.

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Ah, that makes sense. Thinking about it, it's probably easier for something sharp to be lurking in sand, beyond my original thought (cat poop). I've just never seen a playground that was surfaced before.

Most of the playgrounds around here are decently shaded, with trees and gazebos and other structures, but we just this year started to see sprinkler parks, which I expect is a godsend for some parents. It gets awfully humid here in the summer, to the point where even an overcast day can make you sweat.

[conuly]

Where are you again?

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Southern Ontario - roughly halfway between Toronto and Buffalo.

[conuly]

So not *that* different, climate-wise, from NYC - maybe somewhat colder winters? (Well... when we *had* real winters.)

[atdelphi.livejournal.com]

Pretty close, I would assume. Though being on that little pseudo-peninsula bit bordered by Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, we sometimes get some pretty wonky weather. Intensified storms, lively winds, more copious precipitation, and of course the fact that they occasionally act as a giant humidifier that cooks our smog and makes us all miserable. All ten of the most humid cities in Canada (of which my hometown ranks #5) are found here on this little patch.

[conuly]

Well, you *are* considered to be a humid continental climate.

[wodhaund.livejournal.com]

All of the playgrounds I grew up near (in Mississippi and South Carolina) were well shaded, with the exception of the occasional school playground. I'm still rather surprised when I see playgrounds that don't have at least partial shade.