Safe & Unsafe Activities for Children

Age Appropriate

• A safe activity for a 10-year-old can be an unsafe endeavor for a toddler. While a tot is not ready to swim across a pool like a preadolescent, he is content to splash in place, safely hanging on to a small floatation device or his parent̵7;s arms. Crafts offer creative minds an outlet, but giving an unsupervised 3-year-old a pair of scissors is not wise. Bringing a pet into a home with children not only teaches them responsibility, but can give them a memorable childhood friend and companion. Younger children might not be ready to attend dog obedience school to teach Fido how to behave, but can still enjoy feeding fish, watching a gerbil run through a maze or cuddling an older, gentler dog.

Skill Level

• Knowing a child̵7;s skill level in a certain activity helps you determine whether a child will feel secure or sense danger. A 5-year-old is not physically mature enough to play tackle football with 11-year-olds, but will enjoy playing catch with Dad. A 10-year-old might not be ready to hang from ropes on a steep outdoor mountain, but can still experience the thrill of scaling an indoor climbing wall. According to the Mayo Clinic, ̶0;Your child is likely to show natural preferences for certain sports or activities. Start there, being careful to keep your child's maturity and skill level in mind.̶1;

Risk of Injury

• Whether a child breaks an arm free-falling from playground monkey bars or twists an ankle in a soccer game, any physical activity can result in injury. The potential increases as a child begins participating in team sports, simply because kids come in all shapes and sizes and physically mature at different rates. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, ̶0;Overuse injuries occur gradually over time, when an athletic activity is repeated so often, areas of the body do not have enough time to heal between playing.̶1; Any type of pain associated with an activity should include a period of rest, followed by medical treatment if the pain persists.

Media Exposure

• Many children cannot wait to get home from school and play video games or watch TV. Thanks to the Internet, 24/7 hour TV news availability and social networking sites, a child̵7;s exposure to media-covered violence has heightened significantly since the pre-TV era. A child̵7;s fear may intensify after viewing a traumatic event on TV. The New York University Child Study Center recommends, ̶0;Restrict news for young children who can be confused by repeated presentations of the same event. Limit viewing by older children and watch with them to discuss their thoughts and feelings.̶1;