Playground Safety - Simple as A, B, C (1976)

[Music] Dinky Poor didn't really mean to start the story about the huge sea monster in Strawberry Lake. He was only telling a fib because he had to have an excuse for coming home late for supper. So he told his If you are like most kids, your very favorite time of day is [Music] [Applause] recess. Once outside, the race is on. But wait a second, stop. Did you know that every year thousands of children like you are hurt in playground accidents? It's true. That's why you need to learn and practice the rules of playground safety. They're as simple as ABC. [Music] Learning the rules of playground safety isn't as difficult as you might think. In fact, it's easy. All you have to do is remember the first four letters of the alphabet. Each safety rule starts with one of these letters. The A stands for the first rule of playground safety. Avoid unsafe playground behavior. What kind of behavior is [Music] unsafe? A couple of foolish friends will demonstrate. Okay, guys, you're on. Here's one kind of unsafe behavior to avoid. Plain old roughousing. This kind of rowdy behavior may be fun, but it isn't very safe, especially on a hard paved playground. Sooner or later, someone usually gets hurt. Many accidents are caused by this kind of unsafe behavior, using playground equipment improperly. It seems there's always somebody trying to act like a stunt man or daredevil. Avoid this kind of behavior. It's unsafe. Never jump from swings. Never play tag or king of the mountain on climbing structures and avoid foolish daredevil stunts. The results may not be what you expected. Also, stay off the volleyball and tether ball standards. Rocking them can be dangerous. Here's something else that can be dangerous. Eating or chewing gum during playground activities. Why? Because there's a chance you might get choked while you're playing. So remember, avoid all unsafe behavior on the playground. The B of the ABCs of playground safety stands for be safety-minded. To be safety-minded, you must know the rules for using each type of playground equipment. Let's take a look at the rules for using the slide first. When you climb the ladder, hang on with both hands. Take those steps one at a time. Don't be in a hurry. You should stay well behind the person ahead of you, unless you like the taste of shoe leather. When it's your turn, wait until the slide is clear and everyone is out of the way before you start down. Slide one person at a time, sitting up. And always slide feet first. quickly move away from the bottom of the slide. Being safety-minded on climbing structures means using them only when they're dry and free of ice. They're slippery and dangerous when wet. On metal climbing structures, always grip the bars with both hands, except when you're changing positions. Use a good, firm grip with your thumb wrapped around the bar. And remember, never push or shove each other on balance beams. You might cause someone to have a painful fall. Be safety- minded on horizontal ladders, too. They come in different sizes, so use the one that's the right size for you. Everyone should start from the same end, move in the same direction, and keep a safe distance from the person ahead. Watch out for swinging feet. When you drop from the horizontal ladder, try to land on both feet and bend your knees slightly as you land. This helps cushion your fall. It's really important to be safety- minded around swings and teeter totters because there is a bigger chance of accidents around moving equipment. The thing to remember here is keep a safe distance while waiting your turn. If you should get too close, you could be hit by a moving swing and be badly hurt. Never get close to a swing until the person ahead comes to a complete stop. When it's your turn, sit down, one person to a swing, and face the same direction as those next to you. Always swing sitting down, never standing up. and hold on with both hands. When your turn is over, come to a complete stop before you leave the swing. Remember, no jumping. Now, for the teeter totter, there's a right way and a wrong way to use the teeter totter. [Applause] Obviously, this is the wrong way. Somebody could get hurt. Now, let's see the right way, the safety-minded way. First, there should be only one person on each end at a time. Always sit facing each other and hold on with both hands. Avoid bumping or going too fast. That's dangerous and could break the teeter totter. Always warn your partner before you get off. I want to get off now. Then get off at the same time, keeping the board as level as possible. Be safety- minded when you play games, too. Tag lightly with one hand. Never play tag like this. When you get a hit playing softball, avoid throwing the bat. It might hit someone. Instead, drop it on the way to first base. Of course, in any softball game, the catcher should always wear a mask for protection. Here's another thing to remember. Keep your eye on the ball, even when you're not playing the game. Otherwise, you might be hit by a foul ball or a wild throw. That was a close one. To be safe, stay behind the back stop, but keep your eye on the ball. If you wear glasses, here's another way to be safety- minded. Remove your glasses or wear eyeglass guards when you play active games such as volleyball. And no matter what games you play, never play barefooted. Looks like he had to learn this point the hard way. So, keep your shoes on whenever you're on the playground. The things you don't want on you are combs, pencils, pens, and scissors, at least not while you're playing. These sharp items can be dangerous on the playground. So, be safety minded and leave them in the classroom. Here's the safety-minded way to run races and relays. Use a chalk line or a rope for a turning line. And make sure that it's a few feet in front of any fences or other obstacles. Never use a fence. You may run into it and hurt yourself. One more thing you need to be safety minded about. Dogs that wander onto the playground. A dog may look friendly, but he just might be hungry. So be safety minded and stay away from strange dogs. Now for the C of the ABCs of playground safety. Courtesy helps prevent accidents. Being courteous means waiting your turn in playground games. Unfortunately, this seems difficult for some children. Kids who aren't courteous are the ones who push and shove and disrupt the fun others are having. One thing about kids who aren't courteous, they don't have many friends. We want our ball back, you dirty rat. Give us our ball back. If you want to have friends, learn to be courteous. Be willing to share and let others play. Wait your turn without crowding and pushing. You'll prevent hard falls and hard feelings. Another thing, if you're courteous, you'll never throw a ball to a friend who's not watching. [Applause] If you do, he may not want to be your friend anymore. When I get him, I'm going to really courtesy also means watching where you're going. Otherwise, you may interfere with the games other groups are playing, maybe even cause an accident. Courtesy also means being a good sport and playing games according to the rules. When you obey the rules, you'll be a better player and you'll help prevent accidents, too. If you don't understand the rules of a game, ask your teacher to explain them to you. Have to set out. Another thing, if your teacher ever needs to correct you or remind you of any of the rules of playground safety, be courteous and follow the instructions promptly. You know better, you got to think of yourself and other people. That's dangerous. Twitter right now. Both of you come right on over here. Keep in mind that it's the teacher's job to help you play safely and have fun. Let you back in. So remember, courtesy helps prevent accidents. The final letter D stands for do your part to make your playground safe. How? One way is to take care of your playground equipment. Never be guilty of this kind of behavior. Stupid dummy. You're supposed to do that. That's really weird. What's the matter with you? When your playmates make fun of you, you can really feel small. So, do your part. Take care of playground equipment. Here's something else you can do to make your playground safe. Watch out for broken equipment and unsafe conditions. For example, a loose or missing bolt here could cause a dangerous fall. Report missing parts and loose or broken equipment to your teacher immediately. To fix it for us, make sure the other boys and girls stay off the slide today, Wayne. Okay. Also, report any other safety hazards you may find on the playground before they cause an accident. Finally, do your part to keep your playground clean. Being a litterbug can cause accidents. Don't be a litterbug. Put candy wrappers, chewing gum, banana peels, and papers where they belong. You'll be doing your part to make your playground a clean, pleasant, safe place to play. So remember the ABCs of playground safety. Avoid unsafe playground behavior. B safety minded. C. Courtesy helps prevent accidents. And D do your part to make your playground safe. Practice these rules and you'll make your playground a safer, better place to play. [Music]