Winter Play Safety Tips

Winter can be a great time for outdoor play, but with temperatures dropping and the long nights setting in it's important to take a few extra safety precautions to keep children safe at play during winter months. Here are a few measures you can take to keep outdoor play safe and fun all winter long.

Wrap up warm

It may seem obvious, but keeping kids wrapped up warm in vital when they're out playing in cold weather. A thick waterproof coat, some good gloves, a hat and scarf are all important. Keep them bundled up underneath, too, with good thick jumpers and thermal underwear for those really bitter days.

Get some good wellies to keep their feet warm and dry in snowy conditions, and try to keep the rest of your child's clothes as waterproof as possible. Wool is better than cotton for this, as well as being warmer to boot. Of course, you can't always guarantee they'll stay dry, so...

Pack a change of clothing

If you're heading away from home for play time, you should pack some spare clothing just in case the children get wet. Nothing brings on a chill quicker than shivering in cold, wet clothing - if your child gets wet in the snow, then they should change out of their damp clothing as quickly as possible. Keeping a spare set of clothes in the boot of the car can save on some very damp and unhappy homeward journeys!

Supervise their play time

It's always important that children's outdoor play should be supervised, but this goes doubly for winter play. Always keep an eye on children playing around snow and water, and make sure to keep them away from any icy patches. And you should take extra care when it comes to outdoor play equipment...

Inspect outdoor play equipment

All good play equipment is designed to be used in any weather, but in wintery conditions you should always check the play equipment your children are going to be using before they play on it. Clear any buildups of snow or leaves, and check for any icy patches or sloppy surfaces. Metal play equipment in particular can become slippy when wet, so make extra sure that the equipment your children are going to be using is safe before they start playing.

Red Monkey Play equipment is designed to be safe and fun in any weather - with robust play-grade timber and non-slip decking, our equipment is perfect for play all year around. Click here to find out more about our great all-weather play equipment.

Follow these simple tips, and you're on your way to keeping your children safe and warm at play this winter. The cold weather doesn't mean you have to keep your kids shut up inside - get out there and play!

Written by Tom for Red Monkey Play. For more play ideas and great play products, visit www.redmonkeyplay.co.uk.