How to Safely Take Kids to the Playground
I cannot tell you that by going to the playground right now, you or your child are not putting yourself at least some risk of contracting COVID-19. But I see you there, parents of young children, desperate to get them out of the house and burn some of their energy . If you are wondering if you should go to the playground, there are some precautions you can take to make your walk safer.
Remember risk is a spectrum
We mentioned earlier that it is helpful to think of risk as a spectrum . Going to a crowded indoor bar for a drink and chat all night poses a much greater risk than walking outdoors with physical distance with a friend, with a range of other activities in between. It is generally safer to be outdoors than indoors. Getting away from others is better than not. Those who live with someone at high risk face different considerations than those who do not. And living in an area with a growing number of cases makes it all the more risky.
All of these considerations should be kept in mind on any trip to help you further reduce your risk. In this case, you will want to choose a play area that is ideally empty, or at least not crowded. If you can get there first thing in the morning, many of the surfaces children touch will sit all night, which can reduce the chances of microbial contamination from swings or monkey grates.
Take your usual precautions
By now we know what it is, right? Wearing masks, washing or disinfecting your hands, and avoiding touching your face: these are the main ways to protect yourself and each other from the coronavirus.
So, wash your child’s hands and arms before going outside, and disinfect or wash them as soon as possible after they finish playing (if you have any, consider carrying a disinfectant with you to use it periodically during games). Put on a mask and ask your child to put on a mask (if they are under 2 years old). Do not eat snacks while you are there, or be sure to disinfect or wash your hands thoroughly before eating.
You may also consider taking a change of clothes with you if you think they are too at risk. Or ask them to take a dip or change as soon as they get home.
Forward and hover
Usually I am pretty determined to oppose helicopters. But if there ever is time to hover, it is when your young child can play with other young children during a pandemic. Dr. Amina Ahmed explains to PopSugar why:
“You can ask your child to come down the slide, but you have to be right here to make sure he does not touch the slide behind another child and then touch their nose and eyes,” Dr. Ahmed told us. “And if you do decide that you are going to put on a mask, which I recommend, then try to make sure they don’t take that mask off and run to another child to hug them.”
There may still be some misses, ripping off the mask, and rubbing the eyes, but the more you can avoid touching your face or getting too close with other children, the better.