Memories of going to a playground to play on swings, slides, and climbing frames have been a staple of many childhoods across the UK. Playgrounds are amazing for spending quality time with friends and family and staying active.
However, unmaintained playgrounds can be dangerous. According to RoSPA, approximately 40,000 children a year are admitted to hospital due to playground injuries.
That’s why we sent an FOI to local authorities asking what injuries had occurred on their playgrounds, and how frequently these injuries have occurred. After delving into the data from the most populated local authorities to respond, we can reveal the areas with the highest rates of playground injuries, the playground equipment most likely to cause an injury, and how often councils across the UK check on their playgrounds.
The areas with the most playground injuries
1. Brighton and Hove - 16 playground injuries
Brighton and Hove take the top spot, recording 16 injuries between April 2023 and March 2024, the equivalent to 5.77 per 100,000 people. Brighton is home to 15 public parks, including Hove Park, Easthill Park, and Blakers Park, each with facilities such as outdoor gym equipment and sports pitches.
The most frequent injuries sustained in Brighton were to slides, swings, and sandpits, with two at each facility.
2. Swansea - 10 playground injuries
Wales’ Swansea takes second place, with 10 injuries in its playgrounds — that’s over four per 100,000 people. Over the last few years, Swansea has invested £7 million to upgrade and improve over 50 of the city's 86 playgrounds.
Despite the funding, Swansea’s playgrounds weren’t immune from injuries, with two people suffering broken bones after falling off a zip line and a log bridge. Broken bones were the second most common injury behind the three cases of cuts and grazes sustained in Swansea’s play areas.
3. Bradford - 9 playground injuries
Our top three are concluded by Bradford, where people sustained nine injuries in its play areas between April 2023 and March 2024, which is just under two injuries per 100,000 people. Bradford has 36 public parks, totalling over 270 hectares. Of the injuries suffered in Bradford, fractures and bruises occurred the most frequently, with three incidents of both.
The London boroughs with the most playground injuries
1. Westminster - 26 playground injuries
Westminster takes first place, with 26 injuries occurring in its playgrounds. Westminster has 16 areas with playgrounds and green gyms, including Queens Park Gardens, Porchester Square Gardens, and Causton Street Play Area.
Westminster reported several injuries in its playground, but the most common piece of equipment for people to hurt themselves on, excluding non-specific falls on the playground surface, was the spinning disk.
2. Greenwich - 11 playground injuries
In second place is Greenwich, where 11 injuries were suffered in its playgrounds. The Royal Borough of Greenwich is responsible for almost 30 playgrounds, including sand and water play, basket swings, and climbing frames. However, it was the swings and climbing frames where two and three injuries occurred, respectively.
3. Croydon - 9 playground injuries
Completing our top three is Croydon, with nine injuries sustained at its playgrounds. Croydon boasts almost 150 parks and playgrounds, almost a third of which are located in South Croydon. There were various injuries sustained in Croydon, but more happened due to damaged swings than any other reason.
The most common injuries kids get in UK playgrounds
1. Cuts/grazes - 60 playground injuries
The most common injuries suffered at playgrounds were cuts and grazes, with 60 reported incidents. One of the main reasons cuts and grazes happen regularly is faulty equipment, which sometimes results in sharp edges.
However, falls, which can occur because of lack of attention or over-excitement from children, are more frequently the cause. Westminster had the most reports of cuts and grazes with 13, followed by Oldham, Swansea, and Wokingham, each with three reports of this injury.
2. Bruises - 36 playground injuries
Bruises are the second most frequent injury at playgrounds, reported 36 times across local authorities. Many playgrounds around the UK include ziplines, climbing frames, and swings, which can all result in a fall from losing grip or balance. That’s why it’s important to supervise children when using these facilities.
Westminster recorded the most bruises with 11, followed by Bradford, where four injuries resulted in a bruise. Wakefield and Sheffield followed behind in third place with two recorded bruises.
3. Broken bones - 18 playground injuries
Finalising our top three are broken bones, with 18 reports of this injury in playgrounds. Broken bones are also a common injury resulting from a fall. With monkey bars at multiple play areas in the UK, falls at heights can happen regularly.
In some cases, broken bones can occur due to a protective instinct of putting your arms out to break the fall. Swansea, County Durham, and Enfield reported the most broken bones, with two cases each.
The playground equipment causing the most injuries
1. Multi-play area - 33 injuries
Multi-play areas consist of a variety of playground equipment. While they vary between parks, they often consist of fixed or mobile crossings, sometimes made of rope, fireman poles, climbing areas, and slides.
Although these areas can be fun for children, the combination of heights, climbing structures, and transition points can increase the risk of falls or entrapment. There were 33 injuries at these multi-play areas, more than any other playground equipment.
2. Swing - 25 playground injuries
Swings were second, causing 25 injuries in playgrounds. Although swings are enjoyable for children of various ages, a lack of supervised use could potentially result in an injury.
While nursery and bucket swings have a seat that loosely keeps you in it, tyre and basket swings don’t have any support to protect you from falling, and this could result in an impact injury such as a bruise, fracture, or, in some cases, a broken bone.
3. Climbing frame - 18 playground injuries
Completing our top three are climbing frames, which resulted in 18 injuries in playgrounds. Like many playground facilities, climbing frames can increase your risk of falling. If you lose your grip or footing, it could result in an impact injury, so be sure to keep a close watch if you see your child using a climbing frame.
The local authorities conducting the most frequent playground inspections
1. Birmingham/South Gloucester/Barnsley/Oldham/Swindon/Chelmsford/Southend-on-Sea/Maidstone - daily inspection frequency
Birmingham, South Gloucester, Barnsley, Oldham, Swindon, Chelmsford, Southend-on-sea, and Maidstone were the local authorities keeping the best watch over their playgrounds, inspecting daily. Oldham reported five injuries between April 2023 and March 2024, more than any area with a daily playground inspection.
2. Brighton and Hove - Every weekday
Brighton and Hove take second place, checking their playgrounds every weekday. The inspections, which occur five days a week, are simply visual checks accompanied by a more in-depth inspection every two weeks. Brighton and Hove also do quarterly and annual operational inspections.
3. Bolton - three times a week
In third place is Bolton, which inspects its playgrounds three times a week. Bolton’s inspections vary between one and three times a week, depending on the site, with its busiest sites being inspected every other day. These checks appear to be beneficial to Bolton’s playgrounds, which have reported just one injury in the last between April 2023 and March 2024.
The London Boroughs inspecting their playgrounds the most
1. Redbridge/Tower Hamlets/Bexley/Waltham Forest/Kensington and Chelsea/Kingston upon Thames - daily playground inspection
Redbridge, Tower Hamlets, Bexley, Waltham Forest, Kensington and Chelsea, and Kingston upon Thames are the London Boroughs with the most inspections in London, with daily checks occurring. Despite these daily checks, Kensington and Chelsea reported seven injuries between April 2023 and March 2024.
2. Enfield - five times a week
Enfield inspected their playgrounds the second most frequently, with checks occurring five times a week. Enfield’s routine inspections occur once, three times, or five times a week, followed by operational inspections every quarter.
However, Enfield did report three injuries in the last April 2023 and March 2024, the seventh-highest in London. These injuries were back pain, a broken arm and a broken nose.
3. Merton/Sutton - three times a week
Merton and Sutton share third place, inspecting their playgrounds thrice weekly. Sutton also conducts a monthly operational inspection and an annual independent inspection carried out by RoSPA. Their efforts have worked, with Sutton recording no injuries between April 2023 and March 2024.
Four expert tips to keep your children safe at playgrounds
As much as we want your children to enjoy themselves at the playground, we also want them to stay safe. That’s why the experts at Outdoor Toys have put together a list of tips and tricks on how to keep your kids safe on swings, slides, and climbing frames so you can enjoy the best day possible.
1. Supervision
Supervision is one of the most important things when keeping your children safe at public playgrounds. Supervision is vital because you can help reduce the risk of your child getting injured. Watching out for potential hazards, keeping an eye on the equipment your child is using, and staying nearby means you can intervene if necessary.
2. Check equipment
It’s crucial to check the equipment and facilities at the playground before letting your child use them, as they can be riddled with potential hazards.
Several people use public playgrounds daily, and this wear and tear can create issues such as sharp edges, trip hazards, and weak surfaces. This can injure your child, so checking things when you arrive can allow you to establish rules for your child to reduce the chance of injury.
Finally, if you do come across broken or faulty equipment that could cause harm, not only should you explain to your child not to use it, but you should report it to your local council to avoid other children injuring themselves. You can report this by calling them, or going online to your local council’s website.
3. Wear appropriate clothes
The clothing your child is wearing can help to reduce the risk of injury. Wearing clothes that are too big could increase the chance of your child tripping and falling, so make sure that they’re not wearing shoes that are too big or trousers that are too long. Other loose clothing can also get caught on edges in playgrounds or cause your child to get stuck when using things like climbing frames and swings.
Finally, your children should wear flexible clothing for when they are running around and using climbing frames and tunnels.
4. Check for trip hazards
Tripping over and falling are among the most common reasons children get hurt in playgrounds. Make sure that loose items such as bags, bicycles, and helmets are placed away safely from the play area. Also, watch for loose stones, rocks, and wood chippings that can knock your child off balance and cause them to fall.
Methodology
We sent freedom of information (FOI) requests to local authorities in the UK asking for the number of injuries, broken down by type of injury and equipment used, and the inspection frequency.
For the inspection frequency, we took the maximum frequency where a range was provided.
The data shows figures for the last financial year, April 2023 to March 2024.