Unintentional Injury During Play Essays Examples

Injury during play with children happens on occasion. There are ways to prevent an injury form occurring and encourage appropriate play between children. Parents need to be informed about safety measures for their children when they are at play. The implications of an injury caused during play can have negative effects on their families and become a drain on community resources.
Children naturally engage in play activities that parents may deem risky: climbing trees; playing near pools or ponds; bike riding, skate boarding, wrestling and roller skating. A day at the park climbing on the monkey bars under a parent’s careful supervision can result in injury. Risky activities are a natural and essential part of childhood development (Brussoni, Olsen, Pike & Sleet, 2012).
Physical outdoor play benefits children physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively (Brussoni et al, 2012). Children test their boundaries and abilities when they play. Risky play presents learning opportunities for children. They work their bodies and test their physical abilities. Gross motor and fine motor skills are developed and refined through play. Cognitively, children are learning to assess situations and make judgments. Children are making hypothesis and testing them about the world around them. Socially they are interacting with their peers and learning to engage appropriately. Emotionally, they are developing self-esteem and confidence (Brussoni et al, 2012).
Most parents go to lengths to maintain a safe environment in their home. These lengths include physical changes to the environment and the teaching of children to avoid dangerous situations. The installation of smoke detectors, keeping poisonous materials out of the reach are examples of changes in the environment. Explaining to children mot to stick objects into outlets or not to turn the hot water on too high are ways parents teach their children safety. Most parents educate themselves before the arrival of a child how to maintain a safe home; environment and prepare for it (Smithson, Garside & Pearson, 2011).
Ensuring the safety of a child playing outdoors is more difficult task. Parents can provide helmets and body guards for their children when bike riding and skating. Parents need to allow freedom and flexibility but they also need to teach their children rules of safety when playing outside ((Smithson, 2011). Taking the children to the park where there are resources and space for outdoor play that is protected and safer.
Day care centers and school have the same responsibilities as parents when children are in their care and under their responsibility. There needs to be the presence of play areas that are safe. Children must be supervised by adults when engaged in recess. Government regulations provide guidelines for supervision for children’s safety at day care centers and school (Smithson et al, 2011).
The local government ire charged with building and maintaining parks that are safe and clean. Children need an environment that encourages active outdoor play but minimizes injury. Play areas that are mulched and paths for bike riding and skating are useful.
Children need the opportunity for outdoor physical play in order to develop appropriately and be healthy both in mind and body. It is the responsibility of parents to supervise their children when they are playing outdoors. Local communities and governments are charged with maintaining parks that are safe and encourage outdoor activity.

References

Brussoni, M. Olsen, L. Pike, I, Sleet, D. (2012). “Risky play and children’s play: balancing
prioirties for optimal child development.” International Journal of Environmental Research
and Public Health 9: doi:10.3390/ijerph9093134.
Smithson, J., Garside, R., Pearson, M. (2011). “Barriers to, and facilitators of, the prevention of
unintentional injury in children in the home: a systematic review and synthesis of qualitative
research.” Injury Prevention 17: doi:10.1136/ip.2010.026989.
Discussion Questions:
What kind of risky play did you participate in as a child? Were you ever injured? How did that affect your attitude and feelings towards risky play?
Have parents and other caregivers become too overprotective in their attitude towards risky play? What are the effects on children who are not permitted to engage in risky play?
Does the government maintain parks in your neighborhood? Do you consider them to be safe or not? Why?
What organized activities can children participate in, besides risky free play outdoors, that would have similar positive effects on their cognitive, social, emotional and physical well being?