Heather Olsen: Hi, I am Heather Olsen and I am part of the team at the National Program for Playground Safety. Today I am going to give you some tips on head to toe playground safety.

Adults, parents, educators and grandparents need to be proactive in helping keep children safe in the outdoor play environment. One of the easiest and inexpensive techniques to do is to learn what children should be wearing on the playground. If your child rides his/her bike to the playground, make sure he removes his/her helmet before playing.

If your child leaves it on, it could easily get caught on something causing them to fall or choke. Drawstrings on childrens pants or sweatshirts should be removed. Drawstrings can get wrapped around the play equipment causing strangulations in a child. Loose jewellery or scarves are not advised to be worn on the playground. They can also get caught in the equipment and cause strangulation.

Always apply sunscreen to your childs face and body when it's sunny and even when it's cloudy. The suns harsh rays can burn your childs sensitive skin very quickly if they are not protected.

Avoid open toe shoes, such as flip flaps, as they are not very sturdy. Children are more opt to trip over objects with flip flaps on. Always wear tennis shoes or skid resistance shoes that offer protection to foreign objects. Long hair should be pulled back into a ponytail or clip. Long hair sometimes gets caught on the equipment.

As you can see it is important to dress appropriately on the playground. These tips will help you keep your children safe for playing. Have fun and remember to stay safe.