Going outside to let your kids get all of their wiggles out is the best. It’s good for them to get some exercise, and it’s nice to get out of the house for a while, too. They can run, yell, and play to let out their wild child side. Before you set them loose, make sure you do these 6 things to keep your kids safe while playing.

1. Always Supervise: Children should never be left alone to play by themselves. Once they reach an older age, you can have less supervision over them, but you should still have an eye out. Before your child climbs on the jungle gym, take a look around the entire area and look for potential dangers. See if there is any broken equipment, insects, open fences that need to be latched, and any other potential problems that could cause injury or danger.
2. Use Protective Gear: Your kids need to get out and experience the world. Sometimes that means falling down once and a while. Help them fall without getting seriously injured. Trial and error usually means lots of mistakes. While your kids are learning how to ride a bike, give them training wheels, knee pads, and gloves. Even if they are expert bike riders, they should always wear protective gear such as helmets, to be protected against the unexpected. You never know when an accident is going to happen.
3. Use Toys How They Were Intended: Kids love to use their imagination. This is great when they are playing with action figures and creating drawings, but it’s not so good when they are playing with objects that could hurt them. If a swing is meant to be sat on, then it’s not a good idea to lay on it with your belly. Use the toys how they were intended to be used by the manufacturer to avoid potential injuries.
4. Avoid Areas Next To The Street: Play in designated play spaces, or with ample room to safely run around. Avoid playing in small patches of grass next to any area where cars pass. Teach your kids to never run after a ball or toy that rolls into the street. Always let an adult retrieve any toy that goes out where cars drive.
5. Play With Similar Sized Kids: Kids want to be like the older kids, and usually want to join in on the fun. It’s hard to tell your younger child to let the big kids play, but its for their protection. Big kids don’t realize how big and strong they are and can accidently hurt the younger kids without intending to. Prevent your younger kids from getting knocked over and hurt by playing with kids that are in the same age and size bracket as them.
6. Avoid Areas With Trash/Debris: If your favorite playground is covered in trash, then it may be best to find a different play area. Trash and debris can have dangers like germs, stray nails, jagged edges, and more. It’s best to avoid all trash. Report the mess to the appropriate channels and play somewhere else for the day.

Have talks with your kids on why it’s important to be safe while you are playing. You don’t want to get hurt or hurt others. Teaching them the principles of safety will carry over to when they are playing at school and indoors, too.