Published on 25 March 2024
Australian weekends can be a time for families to connect, children to play, and communities to explore all that Australia has to offer. Children and families are invited to utilise Camden’s many Parks and Play Spaces to make memories to look back on for years to come.
Directory of playgrounds and parks around Camden
Even though Summer has passed, Australian days can still get very hot, and this means extra precautions need to be made in order to protect tiny feet and skin from getting burns on play equipment, hot surfaces and the strong UV rays.
Play equipment can heat up very quickly and retain heat for a long time which can cause serious burns upon contact with skin.
Camden is set to experience another very hot couple of weeks, so here are some ways to stay safe when out and about:
- Test all play equipment with your hand first and if it feels hot to touch, this may be too hot for children to play safely on. Even rubber and plastic equipment can heat up rapidly and cause injury;
- If a surface still feels hot after 5 seconds, this is too hot to use and may can cause injuries and burns;
- Wetting play equipment with cool water may assist in cooling the surface temperature, continue checking the heat with the back of your hand;
- Slip Slop Slap! Wearing sunscreen, hats and footwear is the best way to beat the heat from burning skin;
- Even the ground can heat up quickly on a hot day, so be sure to wear shoes to keep feet protected; and
- Choose spaces that provide shade, such as a shade sail or a large tree. Trees provide the best shade quality, filtering sunlight and lowering summer temperature by an average of 8-10 C.
If you or someone you know sustains a burn, run the injured area under cool running water for 20 minutes and call for help.
More information about treating burns:
https://www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Burns_prevention_and_first_aid/
https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/burns-scalds-first-aid