Small design details can create real safety risks. Here are five mistakes I see repeatedly in children’s play spaces
After designing more than 300 playrooms, I’ve started to notice the same mistakes appearing again and again.
Some of them may seem like small details, but they can create safety hazards for children. Others can affect the overall look and feel of the room and become difficult to fix once everything has already been installed.
These are the five mistakes I see most often.
1. Sharp Edges and Corners
Whenever you buy play equipment or furniture for a playroom, one of the first things you should check is the edges.
I often see equipment with sharp edges or corners that can cause children to injure themselves.
The problem is that by the time the equipment is installed, parents sometimes try to solve the problem by adding cheap corner protectors. While these can provide some protection, they can also affect the appearance and finish of the room.
This is something that should be considered from day one, rather than trying to fix it after installation.
2. The Wrong Flooring
Another common mistake is not having appropriate safety flooring underneath play structures.
If a child falls and hits their head on a hard surface, the consequences can be serious.
The flooring underneath and around play equipment should therefore be considered as part of the design from the beginning, rather than as an afterthought.
3. Hard Surfaces on Play Equipment
I’ve also seen playrooms where children are playing around hard steel surfaces without adequate protection.
Steel and other hard surfaces may be appropriate for certain applications, but where children can come into contact with them or fall against them, the design needs to consider how injuries can be prevented.
Padding or other appropriate protective solutions may be necessary depending on the equipment and how it is being used.
4. Ropes
Ropes are another detail that I pay very close attention to.
Some play equipment includes ropes that can create an entanglement or strangulation hazard, particularly for younger children.
For children’s play areas, I generally recommend avoiding unnecessary ropes, especially thin or loose ropes that children could become entangled in.
5. Small Play Equipment
And probably the most common mistake of all is having small objects or play components that aren’t appropriate for the age of the children using the room.
Small pieces can become a choking hazard, particularly for babies and toddlers.
Something as small as a coin-sized object or a small detachable component can be dangerous for a young child.
Always consider the age group of the children who will be using the playroom before choosing toys, accessories, or equipment with small parts.
Small Details Can Make a Big Difference
After working on hundreds of playrooms, I’ve learned that creating a safe environment isn’t only about choosing the right big pieces of equipment.
Sometimes, the smallest details are the ones that matter most.
Sharp edges, flooring, hard surfaces, ropes, and small components can all be overlooked when the focus is mainly on making a playroom look beautiful.
Think about safety from the beginning of the design process, not after the playroom is already finished.
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