Playground Analysis by Stephen Thomas Saint Agnes School Arlington, Virginia

Playground for 2-5 years olds

Playground for 6-12 year olds

Playground Map Bench Tunnel Slide Steps Bridge Slide Stairs Car Slide Church in 25ft Grass/walkway Gate Bench Slide Slide Tunnel Slide Slide Hang Steps Bridge Slide Climbing Structure 4 step chain bridge DrIveway Phone Spiral ladder Monkey bars fence Stairs Ladder Rockwall Car Slide Bench Left side-ages 2-5 Right Side ages 6-12 GATE 10 ft of grass

“Dirty Dozen” Checklist

1) Proper Protective Surfacing The ground surface of this playground is acceptable because it is woodchips. I see no standing water; however there are a few pieces of debris and trash within the fenced in area.

2) Inadequate Use Zone I see one slide on this playground that is under six feet. The remaining three are 6-8 ft. I found that all of the 6-8 ft slides and the slide that is under six ft do not have enough space extending from the exit of the slide.

3) Protrusion and Entanglement I counted two places where structural support extends off the main platforms.

4) Entrapment in Openings I saw at least three instances where bars are far enough above a platform that a small child could try and get their legs through but get their head trapped.

5) Insufficient Spacing The distance between the tunnel and the rock-climb-slide is less than 6 ft.

6) Trip Hazards None

7) Lack of Supervision Whenever I do see the playground in use, there is no lack in proper supervision. All children that I have seen playing on this playground are 4-5 years old. I usually see a group of 10-15 children being supervised by 2-3 teachers. Children are leaving at various times as their parents come to pick them up.

8) Age Inappropriate Activities When this playground is in use, I have seen younger children attempt the chain walk that is meant to be only for ages 6-12. The teachers that are supervising always discourage this when they see it.

9) Maintenance The Styrofoam covering that once coated the fence’s metal wires has been ripped off due to the children’s constant play.

10) Crush Hazards The fence has sharp, metal wires sticking out of it due to lack of maintenance.

11) Platforms with no Guardrails For the ages the equipment is recommended for, the guidelines are met. Because the are two sets of equipment right next to each other that are meant for different ages, it is difficult to make sure that children always stay where they are supposed to.

12) Equipment Not Recommended There is one free swinging rope on this playground.

Additional Information I have noticed that whenever the preschoolers play on this playground, they do not utilize one of the climbing bridges that is meant for them. I have noted a pattern of unsafe behavior from many of the preschool boys who play on this playground. They run faster than they should, play very rough, and try to go up slides (often when others are coming down!) The fenced in area of this playground is accessed through two gates that do not lock. I have not observed anyone else other than the children who attend this school use this playground. Close by, the area outside the playground is a parking lot for the church .

Summary Analysis Overall, I found this to be a quality playground for children. I was able to check off most of the areas on the Dirty Dozen checklist. The problems that I did find were mostly minor, but still could pose a threat to children. I was especially concerned with the multiple times I saw inadequate space after a slide, or two exit areas too close together. Concern that could be major, such as this playground’s material makeup and flooring, were acceptable. If children would stick to their own age-appropriate side, than all of the activities that they engage in will be age-appropriate. Although I found that this playground meets the regulations set by the National Playground Safety Board, if I were to change anything, I would fix the areas that I saw to be somewhat dangerous: the exit zones from the slides and the areas I saw where curved bars are just far enough apart to create entrapments to for smaller children. I also would be sure to increase the level of maintenance given to this playground. The foam that is supposed to cover the metal wires has to be replaced more often because of the children playing and tearing it off, leaving jagged, protruding edges from unsecured fence links.