Playground Slides

Playground slides offer one of the earliest outdoor challenges for little kids. Gathering one's courage, climbing the ladder, hesitating at the top and then swooshing down to land in triumph is a rite of passage that soon becomes a fun routine. No playground is complete without a slide!

One common sort of slide is the tall, straight-shot-to-the-bottom type most of us think about when we hear the word "slide." In addition, there are lower slides, only 30 inches high, designed for little kids. Spirals, tubes and slides that are part of larger play structures, such as wooden playground equipment, are other options.

Playground Slides Safety

As with any playground equipment, safety is of paramount concern. Safe use includes taking one step at a time and holding on to the hand rail when ascending the ladder and. not trying to climb up the slide itself. Only one child at a time should go down the slide.

Of course, safety begins with making sure any slide purchased has excellent safety features. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), slides should have good traction on the steps, an adequate size platform at the top with firm guardrails, handrails at the entrance to the slide itself, and some means--like a bar at the top--of getting a child into a sitting position before he or she goes down the slide. Look for these features when purchasing any playground slides whether online or in a store.