Summer Sports and Recreation Safety

Sports and recreation activities are a great way to get active! Children learn new skills, get exercise, and have fun. Sports and recreation activities also provide a chance for children to socialize, learn team work, and challenge their bodies. There are many activities that can be enjoyed as a family, from biking and swimming, to playing on the playground to enjoying a game of soccer.

While minor injuries, like bumps and bruises, will happen during sports and recreation activities, some injuries are more serious and can prevent your child from getting the most out of these healthy activities. The good news? Serious injuries can be prevented!

Why are Children at Risk for Injury?

• Children’s physical and thinking skills develop over time – their strength, reaction time, balance, and understanding of risks change as they get older.
• Parents often underestimate their child’s ability to take risks and overestimate their child’s ability to avoid getting hurt.
• Boys are more likely to be injured that girls. This may be because parents have different attitudes about injury risks for boys than for girls. They may also tolerate more risk taking in boys than in girls.

The Facts

• Sports and recreation injuries account for 23 per cent of emergency room visits for children aged 14 years and under.
• Children aged 10 to 14 years are most at risk – about half of injuries to this age group are sports and recreation-related.
• More than half of sports and recreation injuries seen in emergency rooms occur in the spring and summer (April to September).
• Emergency room data shows that the top 5 causes of head and neck injuries in sports and recreation are cycling, hockey, soccer, football, and basketball.

Ready to Play?

Physical skills and social maturity develop differently from one child to the next. Parents know their own children best, and can use this knowledge to help decide when their children are ready to participate. Parenting practices and neighbourhoods have an effect on children’s injury risks.

Safety Tips for Organized Sports

Many children enjoy participating in team or individual sports. Follow these tips to help keep your child safe and active for seasons to come:

• Get the right safety gear for each sport, make sure it fits, meets safety standards, and make sure your child wears it correctly every time she plays.
• Children should be supervised by adult, like a coach or parent or teacher, to make sure children play safely.
• Coaches and parents should inspect the playing grounds and equipment before each practice or game to reduce the risk of injury while playing.
• Coaches and other adult supervisors should be prepared to handle emergencies, for example, by being trained in first aid and CPR.
• Make sure the coach or adult supervising has emergency contact information for your child and is aware of any medical conditions your child has.
• Have children remove all jewelry before playing, including watches, rings, earrings, and necklaces.

Safety Tips for Recreation Activities

Take the Summer Safety Check-Up

Many parents do know that serious injuries and deaths can happen while children are doing some of the most popular summer activities: biking, swimming, playing on the playground, and walking. To help keep your child safe, make sure you can answer “yes” to each of the following statements:

• I make sure my child wears a bike helmet correctly on every ride.
• I make sure my child under age 10 rides his bike away from the road and traffic.
• I make sure my child wears the correct type of helmet and safety gear when using her scooter, skateboard, or inline skates.
• I stay right beside my child under age 5 when he is in or near the water.
• I closely watch my older child when she is swimming or near the water.
• I make sure my child uses a playground with a deep, soft surface such as wood chips, sand, pea gravel, or rubber material.
• I keep my child under age 5 on playground equipment that is lower than 5 feet (1.5 metres)
• I make sure an adult or responsible youth walks my child under age 9 across the street.

[Sources: Safe Kids Canada]