School-age children are capable of sustaining an unintentional injury at school as well as in their garden or in the playground. Being aware and involved makes a big difference in protecting your children from play-related injuries. We have listed some hints to help protect your child when they are out playing.

• Teach children proper playground behaviour: no pushing, shoving or crowding.
• Avoid hooded clothing and neck drawstrings from all children’s outerwear to prevent them getting trapped, tangled or involved in strangulation hazards.
• Ensure your child plays on equipment designed for their age group.
• Check playgrounds where your child plays. Look for hazards such as rusted or broken equipment and dangerous surfaces. Report any hazards to the council or school.
• Falls, collisions, being struck by objects or overexertion can be avoided if everyone in the school team follows the same safety precautions during practice and games.
• Make sure children playing sports are appropriately grouped according to skill level, weight and physical maturity, especially for contact sports.
• Teach children to arrive at the bus stop early, stay out of the road and avoid horseplay, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the road, watch for cars, and avoid the driver's blind spot.