X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Monkey Bar Accidents Responsible For 14,167 Children In Emergency

3 min read
Monkey Bar Accidents Responsible For 14,167 Children In Emergency

We've also given you some more playground tips towards the end of the article.

We send our kids to the play ground so that they can have fun. But one common and popular piece of playground equipment has recently come under fire by safety experts: Monkey bars. Are they safe? Well, perhaps not, according to Australian statistics on monkey bar accidents. In fact,  experts are urging for monkey bars to be removed as soon as possible from playgrounds.

What the evidence says about monkey bar accidents

“Monkey bars were fine during my time as a kid, but they’re not an appropriate form of play equipment in 2018,” says David Eager, a professor of risk management at the University of Technology Sydney.

Statistical evidence strongly supports Professor Eager’s conclusion. Lisa Sharwood, an injury epidemiologist from the University of Sydney, explains that within just one Australian state:

  • Monkey bar injuries have lead to a rise in 41% of emergency department cases over the past ten years
  • In total, there were 14, 167 monkey bar-linked Emergency Department presentations. Of these, 81% involved five- to nine-year-olds

Many of these injuries come in the form of fractured bones, which are usually caused by playground falls — the most common cause of injury for small children.

Any better alternatives?

What’s a good replacement? Professor Eager suggests replacing the dangerous monkey bars with an equally fun, more inclusive and risky-yet-safe alternative: spatial nets.

His reasons are simple. Professor Eager doesn’t intend to completely take risks out of playgrounds. Rather, as the Sydney Morning Herald reports, he says that “exposing kids to risk is vital in raising well-balanced and happy kids. But monkey bars are a hazard.”

According to Professor Eager, ever since these spatial nets have been put in place, children’s injuries have lessened.

“Monkey bars are just so popular at lunchtime and recess kids are fighting for them, jostling for position – it’s one of the contributing factors to injuries,” Professor Eager said. The much safer “spatial nets get 50 odd kids on them and still seem to be saying, ‘Have you got any more you can give me?'”

monkey bar accidents

Parents, don’t forget to monitor your kids while in the playground as there are other risks besides monkey bar accidents, too. | Image Source: Stock Photo

Other playground safety tips

Here are some important playground safety tips that mums and dads should always remember:

  • Always keep an eye on your kids, and never let them out of your sight. 
  • Don’t go down the slide with your child, as this can cause leg injuries.
  • Make sure that the equipment is safe, and that there are no sharp bits sticking out or any rusty surfaces. 
  • Dress your child appropriately. Make sure that their clothes can’t get snagged on the playground equipment.
  •  Teach your child to not push or shove other children in the playground. 
  • If your child is still young, it would be best to not let them play with the bigger kids just yet, as some kids can play pretty rough.
  • When playing on the swing, make sure your child holds on tight and avoids standing on the seat.

Parents, we hope that this article on monkey bar accidents has helped keep your child safe in the playground. If you liked this article, please consider sharing it on your social media platform!

Reference: Sydney Morning Herald

Also Read:

Mum shares why you should never go down a slide with your child

Playground Safety Tips For Children With Special Needs

Playground safety: Do not ever go down the slide with your kids!

Partner Stories
Facing Parenting Challenges? Help is at Hand. Just Reach Out.
Facing Parenting Challenges? Help is at Hand. Just Reach Out.
Parenting Lesson from a New Mum - Don’t Try to Do it All on Your Own!
Parenting Lesson from a New Mum - Don’t Try to Do it All on Your Own!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Bathroom Cleaning 101: A Complete Clean in Just 5 Minute Featuring Tips from Zoe Raymond
Bathroom Cleaning 101: A Complete Clean in Just 5 Minute Featuring Tips from Zoe Raymond

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Kevin Wijaya Oey

  • Home
  • /
  • Child Safety
  • /
  • Monkey Bar Accidents Responsible For 14,167 Children In Emergency
Share:
  • Playground Safety Regulations: What Measures To Take During The Pandemic
    Partner Stories

    Playground Safety Regulations: What Measures To Take During The Pandemic

  • Mum Warns About Spinning Too Fast on a Swing After Child Collapses

    Mum Warns About Spinning Too Fast on a Swing After Child Collapses

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

  • Playground Safety Regulations: What Measures To Take During The Pandemic
    Partner Stories

    Playground Safety Regulations: What Measures To Take During The Pandemic

  • Mum Warns About Spinning Too Fast on a Swing After Child Collapses

    Mum Warns About Spinning Too Fast on a Swing After Child Collapses

  • ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

    ‘I’m Still Waiting for Him to Call Me Mum’: Woman Who Left Job to Take Care of 9-Year-Old Son With Rare Angelman Syndrome

  • ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

    ‘You Will Always Be a Part of Us’: Singaporean Family Gives Helper of 20 Years ‘Long Service Award’

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.