Safety, durability, and maintenance costs should be considered when purchasing playground equipment. Other factors that affect equipment choice are the ages of the children using the playground, whether the playground will double as a public park, and whether the equipment is expandable. (MLF)

An Elmira, New York, elementary school resolves its playground disputes by allowing students to settle most of their own disagreements with the help of upperelementary students trained as conflict managers. Adult supervisors stop fights and give disputants a choice: discuss the problem with the principal or the conflict managers. Kids invariably…

More than 170,000 children are injured yearly on U.S. playgrounds. Every school should establish a long-range plan to bring its playground into compliance with Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines and establish good programs for children and playground supervisors. Safety rules and proper management and supervision can reduce injuries.…

A survey, based on site visits to 206 randomly selected playgrounds in school systems in 23 states, notes numerous safety problems. The designer of more than 75 playgrounds offers guidelines that improve the safety as well as the physical fitness value of school playgrounds. (MLF)

A South Carolina school district has initiated an organized approach to playground safety that includes (1) a strict board policy governing the selection, purchase, and installation of school playground equipment; (2) regular inspections; (3) proper surfacing materials; (4) proper supervision; and (5) equipment replacement schedule. (MLF)

School leaders striving to comply with federal laws that mandate access to classrooms and playgrounds for children with disabilities can learn from the experiences of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School in Oak Park, Illinois. A sidebar summarizes schools' obligations to disability law and lists resources for more information on accessible…

Suggests the following three steps for effective management of playground aides: (1) developing better screening procedures for hiring noncertified staff; (2) devising a systematic inservice training program on supervising student behavior outside of the classroom; and (3) establishing a system of school discipline that involves visible support…

Good educational facility planning means fewer mistakes during construction. Offers a checklist of nuts-and-bolts construction details to be considered in school planning. (MLF)