Joshua, 7, likes to push his limits at the playground. Despite staying close by, his antics still make his mom, Kimberley Taylor of Calgary, nervous. “He is very acrobatic on the monkey bars and I’m just afraid he may fall on his head when he’s twirling around. He also likes to swing high and then jump off — his friend fractured his wrist this way.”

Dr. Michelle Clarke, a pediatric emergency physician at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, says she definitely sees a spike in emergency room visits for injuries during the summer months. “Most of these injuries are sprains, lacerations, abrasions and fractures. We see some minor head injuries as well.”

Why? Overall, she says kids this age are more susceptible to injuries partly because they’re the ones who are using the playgrounds and riding bikes and other wheeled toys most. In addition, says Dr. Clarke, “They’re older and more capable so they can climb higher and ride faster, placing them at higher risk for injuries. They also like to try new things and keep challenging themselves.”

Parents and caregivers, she says, may not supervise six- to eight-year-olds as closely as younger children. Here’s what you should know to keep kids safe, wherever they play.

At the Playground

FYI: This is where most injuries occur to kids this age. Kids ages five to nine run the highest risk of playground injuries, and almost half (43 percent) of them occur in the summer. Pamela Fuselli, executive director of Safe Kids Canada, says parents can lessen the risk by sticking close by. “Active supervision is not reading a book — it’s watching and listening.”

You can still shadow older kids at a discreet distance; just be aware of potential problems. Toronto mom Anita Lescano watches her son Matteo, 6, a little closer when the climber is packed with older kids because “they seem so much faster and louder,” she says. Also avoid clothing with drawstrings and remove helmets while on play equipment since both are strangulation hazards.

On the Road

FYI: Your kid isn’t ready to hit the streets on his bike. It’s not until age nine or 10 that kids “develop the cognitive ability to process the multiple pieces of information required to safely navigate traffic,” says Fuselli. Once she reaches that age, your child should also be able to ride in a straight line, look back over her shoulder without swerving and follow road and safety rules without a reminder.

Dr. Chris Evans, president of the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians in Edmonton, cautions that, “Along with helmet use and adequate protective gear, we have to reinforce the idea that these don’t prevent incidents from happening and that parents still need to maintain vigilance.” That means having your child practise riding in a safe place away from traffic such as driveways, schoolyards or sidewalks, and always stopping and looking before crossing.

At the Pool

FYI: Swim lessons alone won’t keep them afloat.
“Enrolling your child in swimming lessons is one of the best things you can do, but lessons alone don’t prevent drowning — they help,” says Kim Mundle, a health promotion specialist with Child Safety Link, an injury prevention program at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. The Canadian Red Cross reports that 42 percent of drowning victims ages five to 14 didn’t have adult supervision at the time. Mundle suggests parents or supervising adults be in the water or at least ready to go in, and check that whoever is supervising your child knows how to swim and perform CPR.

Angela Pirisi is a Hamilton, Ont.-based freelance writer and mom who would like to protect her six-year-old daughter with a bubble suit.