Every year we have a new safety hazard rule system that helps us to stay safe in the playground. We’ve just made this year’s rules and we’d like to share them with you.

The reason for the rules is to make sure that we don’t get hurt. Some examples of how we might hurt ourselves are tripping, running with sticks, splinters, or falling off the climbing frame.

We have written a list of playground hazards. We’d like to explain the rules we came up with to prevent accidents….. as best we can.

Hazard 1. The Climbing Frame

We already have a rule that the older you are, the higher up on the climbing frame you are allowed to climb. But, the climbing frame can be quite slippy when it is raining. This year’s rule for the climbing frame is to be aware when it is wet and to use the ropes instead, as they are less slippy in the rain.

Hazard 2. Trip Hazards

There are lots of things in the playground that we could slip or trip over. For example the tyres that are in the playground that we play with, and the slide when it is wet. We can’t stop ALL slipping hazards, so the rule is to watch where we put our feet.

Hazard 3. Sticks

There are lots of trees and a willow den in our playground, so there are lots of sticks. Sticks can be fun to play with, but we need to play carefully. Our rule is, never run with sticks, and if we have a stick, to walk holding it vertically. Also, we should not point a stick at people or touch anybody with a stick.

Hazard 4. Concrete

Most of our playground is grass, but a little bit is concrete, which is hard. In school we have tricycles and we like to go on the concrete with them because you can go faster on concrete than grass. Which is all fine until there is a slight crash on the corner, because the person on the tricycle has gone around it too fast. This results in tears. This has happened quite a few times and we’ve decided that the rule should be to be aware that the concrete is very hard, so we should slow down on the corners and not hurt each other by accident.

Hazard 5. The HOLE

In our playground, just below the big hill, there is a hole. It is not very big, but it is big enough to hurt someone if they fell or tripped into it. The story goes that five years ago some children decided to dig a hole to Australia. Obviously they failed, but we are left with a big hole in the ground…. and not a kangaroo in sight. We are trying to fill the hole up, but until we do the rule is to remember the hole is there and to try not to fall in.

Hazard 6. The Swing

Our swing is the best swing ever, but everything has its risk. Our swing is a basket swing and can go super high. If you walk past the swing when someone else is on it, the swing might hit you. There are two bars on each side of the swing poles. The rule is that if the swing is being used then we must stay behind the bars. The nursery children still need to learn the rule.

Hazard 7. School Fence

In the playground there is a fence between the playground and the road. It is there to keep us safe from cars. One day, a few people climbed on the fence and fell off and hurt themselves. A rule to stop that happening again was made. The fence is not meant for climbing on, it’s meant to keep us safe from cars, so don’t climb on the fence.

Hazard 8. Sledging

On Eigg we are always surrounded by sea. This means it is very rare that we get snow or ice. You can understand that when we DO get snow and ice we go bananas; sledging and snowmen all day. We all get very excited on a snow day and a bit silly. This can mean the people on the sledge forget to look where they are going, and crash… and tears. The rule is, when sledging you must make sure that nobody is at the bottom of the hill when you are sledging down.

Hazards 9. Sheep poo

There are lots of sheep on Eigg, meaning that a sheep sometimes get into the playground. Even though we managed to get it out, we cannot prevent the presents that it leaves behind. Sheep poo can be very slippy and is full of germs. The rule is, if there is sheep poo, try and avoid it. If you drop food in it, don’t eat it. You will regret it.

Maggie Carr P7