Before your child visits a new playground, parents should inspect the facility to be sure it's safe. To help protect your child from injury, the National Program for Playground Safety offers these guidelines:

-- Make sure that you or another trusted adult is always supervising your child's play.

-- To prevent possible strangulation, don't allow your child to play while he's wearing clothing with drawstrings.

-- The playground should have age-appropriate equipment in separate sections, so that younger children can avoid injury from older children's play and equipment.

-- Playground surfaces should provide cushion in the event of a fall -- surfaces that are concrete, grass, asphalt, gravel or packed dirt can contribute to injuries. Acceptable surfaces include hardwood fiber/mulch, pea gravel, sand, or rubber mats.

-- All equipment should be properly rooted to the ground, with no loose, rusting, or missing parts. (HealthDay News)