Level 2

Fall Prevention

Falls are the leading cause of emergency department visits (23%) and hospital admissions (19%) among children and youth in Alberta.¹

Falls can happen in a number of ways, including falling down stairs, tripping over objects, slipping on ice, or falling from high places. For children aged 5-9 years old, the top causes of serious injuries from falls include playground equipment, skates, skis and snowboards and general falls; for 10-14 year olds, the top causes of serious injuries from falls are skates, skis, and snowboards (See the Sports Safety Module for more information), general falls and playground equipment.1

In Alberta, there are an average of 3,185 emergency department visits among children each year as a result of playground injuries. The age group with the highest number of playground related-injuries resulting in an emergency department visit happen among children who are between the ages of 5 and 9. The most common types of injury that occur on playgrounds are fractures (both upper and lower extremity), concussions, and cuts and lacerations.2

There are ways to incorporate injury prevention into children's outdoor play so that they can engage in exploratory play while staying safe from serious harm or injury.

Key strategies to prevent playground injuries include the following:

  1. Inspect playground equipment before children play to make sure that it is safe. Teach children that it is important to tell an adult if something on the playground is broken, because it could pose a hazard.
  2. Teach children that it is important not to wear a helmet while playing on the playground. Helmets are meant for the activity that they have been designed for. Wearing helmets on the playground can pose a strangulation or head entrapment issue.
  3. Only allow children to play outdoors in safe weather conditions. If temperatures are extreme or if there is a risk of thunderstorms, children should not be allowed to play outdoors.
  4. Ensure outdoor playgrounds have deep, soft surfaces below equipment to absorb the energy of a fall. Sand, pea gravel, or wood chips are good impact absorbing materials, and should be 15 to 30 cm (12 inches) deep.3
  5.  Teach children it is important to wait their turn if they wish to use a certain piece of equipment. Reinforce the message that it is important to share, wait your turn, and give other children space to get off equipment safely. Once they have gotten off the equipment safely, then it is okay to use the 4,5
    equipment.
  6. Whenever children are engaging in physical activity, make sure that they are properly hydrated. Ensure that children have access to water bottles, labelled with their name or hydration stations.

References

* This lesson plan has been adapted from the National Fire Protection Association’s RiskWatch Safety Program on Falls Prevention.
1. Injury Prevention Centre. (2019). Alberta Child and Youth Injury Report, Hospital Admissions (2004-2013)/Emergency Department Visits (2011-2014). Edmonton, AB: Injury Prevention Centre.
2. Parachute. (2021). Potential lost, potential for change: The Cost of Injury in Canada 2021.
3. Playgrounds & Play Spaces [Internet]. Toronto, ON: Parachute; 2022 [cited 6 Apr 2022]. Available from: https://www.parachutecanada.org/en/injury-topic/playgrounds-and-play-spaces/
4. Playground Safety [Internet]. Saskatoon, SK: Saskatchewan Prevention Institute; 2016. [cited 6 Apr 2022]. Available from: https://skprevention.ca/safety/playground-safety/
5. Playground Safety [Internet]. Wilmington, DE: Nemours - KidsHealth; 2019. [cited 6 Apr 2022]. Available from: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/playground.html

GRADE 3 - Physical Education and Wellness Curriculum

ORGANIZING IDEA

Safety: A lifetime of optimal well-being is supported by prioritizing health and safety.

GUIDING QUESTION

How is safety connected to health?

LEARNING OUTCOME

Students investigate and explain safety and its correlation to health.

Proactive planning includes:

  • awareness of instructions and guidelines

Specific rules or guidelines can:

  • determine a course of action
  • prevent accidents
  • protect safety of self and others

Experiences that involve challenges and taking risks can develop knowledge around safety.

Resources that support personal safety include:

  • safety networks
  • emergency services
  • safety manuals or guidelines

Safety involves prevention that requires proactive planning.

Rules and guidelines can promote safety in various contexts.

Safety is impacted by the environment and behaviours.

Safety of self and others can be met through awareness of supports.

Examine situations that require proactive planning.

Explain the function or purpose of specific rules or guidelines within various contexts.

Generate examples of situations where behaviours would be appropriate and others where they would involve risk.

Identify available resources that support safety.

GRADE 3 - Science Curriculum

ORGANIZING IDEA

Scientific Methods: Investigation of the physical world is enhanced through the use of scientific methods that attempt to remove human biases and increase objectivity.

GUIDING QUESTION

How can investigation help to develop knowledge in science?

LEARNING OUTCOME

Students engage in investigation and consider its potential to build understanding of the natural world.

Observations and results from investigations can be analyzed by:

  • making connections to previous knowledge
  • asking questions
  • noticing changes
  • discussing
  • collaborating

Observations and results from investigations should be analyzed to confirm accuracy and build knowledge.

Discuss observations and the results of investigations.

Analyze observations and the results of investigations.

Ask questions about observations and the results of investigations.

GRADE 4 - Physical Education and Wellness Curriculum

ORGANIZING IDEA

Safety: A lifetime of optimal well-being is supported by prioritizing health and safety.

GUIDING QUESTION

How can taking responsibility impact safety?

LEARNING OUTCOME

Students analyze and explain responsibility and how it can impact personal and group safety.

Responsibility includes making decisions to ensure self or others are not in unsafe and uncomfortable situations.

Responsibility occurs in a variety of contexts, such as:

  • home
  • learning environment
  • community
  • online

Responsibility includes the opportunity, ability, or right to act independently or make decisions.

Responsibility includes an awareness of surroundings to determine the safety of a situation.

Describe responsibility and its impact on personal and group safety in a variety of contexts.

Examine how responsibility can impact safety in a variety of situations.

Learning Objectives

  1. Describe the hazards that may be found on the playground.
  2. Describe falls hazards related to issues with weather and physical environment.

Key Messages

  • Before you play on the playground, check for hazards.
  • If you see something on the playground that is unsafe, report it.
  • Always follow the rules of the playground.
  • Be aware of fall hazards that may be present in your community.

Required Materials / Teacher Preparation

  1. Clipboards and pencils for each student.
  2. Copy of the Universal Playground Checklist for each student.
  3. Flipchart paper / white board / SMART board and markers.
  4. Optional - electronic cameras for each investigative journalism team.

Time Required to Teach Lesson

  • Approximately 45 minutes.

Safety Considerations

  • None.

Activities

1. Explain to students: "For this lesson, we're going to learn about ways to prevent falls. That means that we will be looking carefully for hazards that could cause you to fall and get hurt." A hazard is an item or situation where the source of harm isn't obvious or the potential for injury is hidden. For instance - a broken handrail, water on the floor or balconies. When playing on a playground there may be hazards you are not aware of.

2. Explain to the class that there can be "fall hazards specifically related to weather and the physical environment outside." Ask the class what they think could be some fall hazards related to weather and the outside physical environment - answers may include: ice and snow, darkness or poorly lit places, wet surfaces, broken playground equipment, broken sidewalks, cluttered sidewalks, loose gravel. Slips, trips and falls tend to be more frequent in rainy or icy weather, in darkness, when walking on uneven surfaces

a. Explain to the class that playgrounds are spaces that can result in falls and injuries from falls could be sprains, strains, fractures or broken bones.

3. Explain to children that they “will be going outside to investigate the school playground using the Universal Playground Checklist, and that they will be looking for clues on how to be safe.”

a. Give every child a clipboard and pencil, and instruct students to use the Universal Playground Checklist, to inspect the playground (in groups or individually). (Note: if your students have access to an electronic camera, invite one student per team to volunteer their camera for this activity. Ask team members to take turns taking photos of things that could be a playground safety hazard. Remember, instruct the class to only take pictures of objects, not of student's faces.)
b. Once children return to the classroom, review the checklist to see if there are any hazards that need to be addressed. Encourage students to share their findings with the class.
c. Then, have students brainstorm and write down safety rules they think would be good for a playground.
d. Write the playground safety rules on the board / flip chart paper and go over the rules together as a class.

i. Playground safety rules:

      • Keep an eye out for any playground equipment that looks unsafe. If something is broken, report it to an adult right away.
      • Let everyone have a turn on playground equipment. If another child is using a piece of equipment, let them have their turn.
      • Keep your distance when someone is getting off a piece of equipment so neither of you get hurt.
      • If you are playing and you or your friend hurt your head or neck, remember S-T-A-R.
        Stop playing, Tell an adult, get Assessed, and Rest!
      • For more information on concussions, please see the ‘Sports Safety Module'.

Class Discussion Questions

a. For the class discussion, tell the class the story of Ahmed and ask them to think about possible ways Ahmed could have fallen on the playground and what can be done to prevent falls.

Ahmed’s Story:

Yesterday afternoon, Ahmed was on the playground when he fell and sprained his ankle. Ahmed said he was running across the bridge where there were lots of other kids playing and he fell when his foot got stuck on a wooden plank that was broken.

  1. What are some factors that could have led to Ahmed's fall? (i.e., the broken plank on the bridge, lots of other kids in the way that he had to get past)
  2. To help prevent others from getting hurt, what are some tips you can suggest to be safe while enjoying the playground? Look for fall hazards on the playground and watch out for broken equipment; be careful when running past other groups of kids, slow down to pass them; keeping distance when others get on and off equipment.
  3. When should Ahmed report the hazard on the playground? He should report it right away so that others don't fall and get hurt like Ahmed did.
  4. Who should Ahmed tell if there is a hazard? Ahmed should tell an adult, the playground supervisor would be a good option.

Let's Review

Today we learned about how to be safe on the playground and prevent injuries.

Let’s Review: Fall Prevention

Are you ready to review what we learned?
Select ‘true’ or ‘false’ for each question.

1 / 5

1. If you are playing and you see something that is unsafe, you should not tell an adult.

2 / 5

2. When you are on the playground, you should let everyone take their turn.

3 / 5

3. If someone is getting off a piece of equipment, you should stand close to them.

4 / 5

4. Ice and water are hazards for slipping and falling.

5 / 5

5. Broken playground equipment is safe to use.

Your score is

0%

Home Connections

Send a letter home to caregivers informing them that their child will be learning about fall prevention and playground safety. Encourage caregivers to take their children to their local neighbourhood park and complete a tour on how to be safe on the playground as well as review a home fall proof checklist.

Community Connections

Invite a local health promotion facilitator or an environmental / public health inspector to present to the class on the importance of fall prevention and playground safety.

Sample Letter

(may be printed on school letterhead or used as a template for SchoolZone / SeeSaw)

Dear Parent / Caregiver,

Today our class learned about fall prevention, including playground safety. Play is important for overall healthy child development. Falls can happen in a number of ways, including falling down stairs, tripping over objects, slipping on ice, or falling from high places, such as windows. Falls can result in serious injury among children.

There are things you can do to help keep your child free from major injury, so that they can have fun and be safe at home, school and on the playground. Strategies to help prevent falls at home include the following:

  1. Inspect playground equipment before children play to make sure that it is safe (i.e., no broken equipment, protruding nails or screws in equipment).
  2. Only allow children to play outdoors in safe weather conditions. If temperatures are extreme or if there is a risk of thunderstorms, children should not be allowed to play outdoors.
  3.  At home:
    a. install window guards, especially on windows above the first floor.
    b. anchor large furniture, such as shelves and bookcases, to the wall.
    c. use non-slip rugs to help prevent tripping hazards.
    d. keep pathways and stairways well lit and free of clutter.
  4. When children are playing sports or bike riding, always wear appropriate safety equipment including helmets.

Learn that safety starts at home. Go to the local playground with your child and do a ‘safety tour’ of the equipment. Teach children to always use the side rails, take turns, and to give others space when dismounting off of equipment. Walk through your home to assess for any fall hazards on stairs, in bedrooms or other places using this Home Fall Proof Checklist https://parachute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Home-Fall-Proof-Checklist.pdf

By using these strategies, you can help teach your child the importance of playground safety and reduce the risk of injuries.

 

Sincerely,

[Insert Teacher Name Here]

Additional Resources

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