International Efforts to Build Safe Playgrounds in War Zones

It would be hard to find a rational person who would disagree with the idea that children all over the world should have safe places to play.

Organizations such as UNICEF and The Playground Builders Foundation have worked to provide children in war-torn nations with safe, accessible playgrounds.

Playground Builders, a Canadian nonprofit charity, has established a business "model [that] involves the use of a generic playground design and local construction, based on a competitive value bid system," according to the organization's website. "This simplified process ensures many playgrounds throughout conflict areas can be built effectively and efficiently. These special places provide safe spaces for laughter, hope and interaction for war-entrapped children in unstable and poverty-stricken areas such as Iraq, Afghanistan and the Palestinian Territories."

UNICEF's common practice is to build or rebuild schools and playgrounds in places ravaged by warfare. Part of its core human rights agenda recognizes the right of the child to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities appropriate to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts."

One example of UNICEF's work in conflict zones is the construction of "20 safe-play areas ... in the occupied Palestinian territory: 11 in the Gaza strip and nine in the West Bank," according to a 2006 press release available online. "These play areas provide an estimated 30,000 children with opportunities to meet, socialize and play in a protected environment."

Toddler Playground Safety

Because of their smaller stature, toddlers face a greater number of potential hazards at the playground. A little foresight goes a long way -- parents and guardians with a sharp eye for dangerous situations will be able to prevent problems before they occur and choose the safest place for little ones to play. The no. 1 safety concern for any play area is the surfacing. If it's hard, rough or slippery, it's time to look for another playground. Rubber is best, followed by wood chips and gravel. Jaipi Sixbear, a writer for Yahoo.com's Associated Content, observed that a lack of toddler scale playground equipment is often "a hidden safety issue”. "Some toddlers may be able to handle the climb up the big slide ladder," Sixbear wrote. "What if they slip and fall from that height? While this is no problem for older kids, it could cause a serious or fatal injury for toddlers. Be sure the playground you choose has toddler scale equipment." She also w...

Thinking "Green"

Environmentally friendly playgrounds are becoming increasingly popular and prominent. As the "green" label has become a standard line in marketing throughout all kinds of business sectors, the same is evident among playground equipment manufacturers. A few examples of more sustainable playground elements include recycled tires in safety surfacing, recycled plastic benches and playground equipment recycling programs. Another common practice in recent years has been replacing asphalt surfaces with grass and natural surroundings. "There are plenty of new opportunities to transform decaying asphalt playgrounds or vacant lots into natural play areas," Richard Louv, author of “Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder” wrote in a 2007 New York Times opinion article. "Researchers at the University of Illinois, exploring people’s relationship to nature, have discovered that green outdoor spaces relieve the symptoms of attention defic...

Special Needs Playgrounds Gaining Ground

As playgrounds grow and evolve with increasing attention paid to safety and equipment durability, it's important to note that kids with physical limitations need adequate places to play just as much, if not more, than kids without disabilities. Children who must contend with limited mobility and dexterity need much more carefully designed equipment and facilities. In recent years, awareness of making parts of everyday life more "handicapped accessible" is now commonplace in many areas of everyday life. And in the wake of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act, through which Congress made accessible public facilities the law of the land, focus on accessible playgrounds has naturally followed suit. Creating recreational facilities accessible to all, however still remains an uphill battle in many instances. Parents of children with disabilities often have to go out of their way to make local accessible playgrounds a reality. The St. Tammany Kids Konnection Boundless Pl...

Wyatt Underwood on "The Safe Child Campaign"

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