A Pilot Randomized Trial Evaluating the Cool 2 Be Safe Junior Playground Safety Program for Preschool Children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Safety
• Behavioral Science
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death in children globally, with playgrounds being a high-risk environment.
• Children aged 5-6 years are particularly susceptible to playground-related injuries.
• Existing interventions primarily focus on environmental changes and supervision, with limited research on behavioral interventions targeting children's knowledge and risk-taking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of a novel behavioral intervention designed to enhance preschool children's hazard awareness and reduce risky playground behaviors.
• To address the gap in research concerning interventions that modify children's safety knowledge and risk-taking intentions on playgrounds.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 77 children aged 5-6 years.
• Participants were assigned to either a manualized playground intervention group (38 children) or a control group (39 children).
• The intervention was delivered in small groups over multiple sessions in a laboratory setting.

Main Results:

• The intervention group demonstrated significant increases in hazard awareness skills and knowledge of unsafe playground behaviors.
• Children in the intervention group showed significant decreases in their intentions to engage in risk-taking behaviors.
• Control group participants exhibited no significant changes in these measures, with intervention content proving engaging and memorable.

Conclusions:

• The developed playground safety program shows potential for effectively reducing unintentional injuries in young children.
• The findings support the implementation of behavioral interventions to improve playground safety among preschoolers.