We all know, the playground is not only a space for children releasing energy, but also an important place that parents focus on the safety.
A good indoor play area, besides the high-quality equipment and soft-pack protection, you need to add some clear and marked playground signs.
So a reasonable safety sign can not only reduce the accident risk, but also help the operator to standardize management and improve parental trust level.
Why the playground needs to put safety signs
Different from the outdoor playground, the indoor playground space usually is more focused, and the indoor amusement device density is higher, children activities are more frequently. If lack a clear safety sign, it is easy to appear many issues, such as collision, fall, crowding, using the equipment go wrong.
Besides, a perfect playground sign also has the following functions:
Remind parents to perform their duty of guardianship
Guide children to use devices properly
Reduce the operational safety risks
Improve the area management efficiency
Meet the safety specification demands for commercial playground parks
Legal liability
The operators may face to the dispute over liability after children injury in the indoor play area. So, a clear playground sign is not only a reminder tool, but also an important risk management way.
The safety advises of ASTM and CPSC
At present, the international playground industry usually refers to the following institutional standards:
ASTM International
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
ASTM and CPSC are recommended the indoor play area to set a clear and easily recognizable playground sign.
These safety signs can reduce the situations of improper use of equipment, and improve the safety of the entire play area.
The common types of safety signs in the playgrounds
1. Guardian Warning Sign
This is one of the most basic playground signs in the indoor play area.
The common contents include:
Parents are required to accompany their children throughout the entire playing process
Children must not be left unattended
Do not allow children to chase or roughhouse
Please follow the area rules
This type of sign can clear the responsibility, and can reduce the dangerous behaviors at the same time. For a young children’s area, it is recommended to add some signs, such as “Adults must accompany kids to enter” and so on.
2. Age and height limits sign
Different devices are suitable for children of different age groups.
For example:
Ocean ball pool: 2-5 years old
Large climbing frame: 5-12 years old
Ninja obstacle course: 6 years of age and above
High-altitude slide: 8 years of age or older
If children using a device that is not suitable, it is easy to cause a fall or collision.
So, next to the entrance or devices of every play area need to set:
Applicable Age
Maximum load capacity
Height limit
User limit
3. Anti-slip and fall warning
The slip is one of the common issues in the playground.
Especially in the following areas:
Trampoline area
Sliding exit
Ocean ball pool
Climbing equipment entrance
Foam pool area
It is recommended to set the following playground signs:
Caution: Slippery Floor
Please wear non-slip socks
No Running
Pay attention to the steps
Please keep both feet on the ground
For the high-head equipment, you need to add the fall risk warning.
4. Entanglement and Suffocation Risk Warning
Many parents will overlook the risk by clothing accessories
For example:
Hat cap
Scarf
Necklace
Long straps
Loose-fitting clothing
These items may be stuck by the equipment in the process of climbing and sliding.
So, the playground sign need to clearly hint:
Please remove rope-like items
Wearing long necklace is prohibited
Please tie long hair up
Please do not bring sharp items
This type of sign is very important in the climbing frames, rope and net equipment, and slide area.
5. Health and Safety Warning Signs
Children’s play area has a high population density, so the health management is very important.
It is recommended to add:
Please wash your hands before entering
Sick children are not allowed to enter
Please do not bring glass items
Please keep the area clean
After the pandemic, more and more parents also focus on the disinfection frequency and hygiene standards.
The operators can also set:
Daily Disinfection Schedule
Cleaning Record Board
Emergency Contact Number
These can improve parental trust.
6. Emergency Exit and First Aid Signs
Many operators only focus on the playground equipment, but overlooked the emergency signs.
In nature, the following playground signs are very important:
The emergency exit
The evacuation route
The first Aid Kit Location
The firefighting Equipment Location
The emergency contact number
Where should the safety signs be installed
The safety signs not only need, but also need to “see” clearly.
It is recommended that the sign places include:
1. Area entrance
For show:
The area rules
Age demands
Business information
Safety responsibility statement
2. Equipment entrance
Every large-scale equipment need to set an alone playground sign.
For example:
Slide entrance
Trampoline entrance
Rock climbing area entrance
Ninja challenge entrance
Near the parent rest area
These are easy to check the security rules at all times for guarders.
3. High risk area
For example:
High-altitude area
Spinning equipment
Jumping are
Climbing area
And need to add a clear warning sign.
Advises for the design of safety signs in your playgrounds
Besides the contents, the design of the sign itself also is important.
A good playground sign usually has the following features:
The words are large and clear
It uses the internationally recognized icons
Eye-catching colors
Waterproof and wear-resistant
Children and parents are easy to understand
For young children’s areas, these are recommended to use the graphical signs that is more effective that the pure text.
Bilingual signs(such as bilingual Chinese-English) are becoming more and more common, and it is suitable for the commercial children's playground especially.
A safe indoor play area not only depends on the equipment quality, but also depends on a perfect safety management system. And the clear and professional playground signs are an important part to reduce risks, standardize the actions, and improve the user experiences.
Form the age sign and fall warning, to health standards and emergency evacuation, every safety sign can help children to get a more secure and more fun play experience, at the same time it can also help operators to reduce the safety hazards and management stresses.
FAQ
1. Which colors are most suitable for the safety signs in a playground park?
The usages of common industry colors:
Red: Prohibited and danger
Yellow: Warning
Blue: Order
Green: Safety exits and first aid
A high-risk playground sign usually uses the red and yellow combination to improve the attention.
2. Should a playground sign use text or icons in a playground park?
A great solution is combining the “icon + short text”. children are easier to understand the icon, and the parents can get a more detailed information through the text.
3. How many safety signs are usually needed for a standard indoor play area?
The stores of different areas have different number of signs:
The store area is less than 100 square meters: 10-15 signs
The store area is 100-300㎡: 15-30 signs
The store area is 300-800㎡: 30-60 signs
The store area is more than 1000㎡: More than 60 signs
The large-scale play area usually need to set an independent rule sign by region.
4. Which areas are easiest to overlook the safety signs in a playground park?
Commonly overlooked places include:
Slide exit
The edge of the foam pool
Equipment connection channel
Parent waiting area
Shoe cabinet entrance
These areas are also a place with a high-accident area.
5. Is a digital safety sign worth to use in a playground?
A large-scale indoor play area can add an electronic-screen playground sign, for example:
The real-time user count reminder
The equipment maintenance notice
The cleaning status display
The dynamic security broadcast
Different from the traditional signs, it is easier to update and manage.
6. What is the text size for safety signs in a playground?
The common industry is recommended that:
The viewing distance within 1 meter → the text size ≥1.5cm
The viewing distance within 3 meters → the text size ≥5cm
The viewing distance is more than 5 meters → the text size ≥8cm
7. What is the suitable height for safety signs in a playground park?
The following are commonly advises:
Children's area: 0.9–1.2 meters above the ground
Parent relax area: 1.4-1.7 meters above the ground
Emergency exit sign: Higher than 1.8 meters is more clear
These advises are not only easy for children to see, but also easy for parents to relax.
8. How long should safety signs be updated in a playground park?
Usually, it is recommended to:
Daily check: Every day
External maintenance: Every 3 month
Content update: Every year
Complete replacement: 2-3 years
An indoor play area of the update cycle with a high-frequency usage usually is shorter. If the signs are fading, damaging or obstructing, you need to replace at once.
