The dangers of playing outside

Everyone knows that playing outside is healthy. Most people also know that accidents can happen. But do you, as a mom or dad, know that a normal daffodil is extremely poisonous? Or that a child can die from eating one cigarette? And then we haven’t even mentioned the danger of overheating. Playing outside is very healthy, let’s put that first! But also pay attention to the dangers this entails.

Accidents

According to www.veiligheid.nl, the following items are respectively the biggest culprits when it comes to accidents while playing outdoors:

• Playground equipment
• Football
• Jumping on the trampoline
• Toys with wheels
• Playing around trees
• Traffic

These items can also be combined with each other. For example, you can bump into a tree while playing football. Finally, don’t forget that there is a lot of water in the Netherlands. The faster your child can swim, the better it is for his or her safety.

PLEASE NOTE: Children under the age of 10 have insufficient judgment in traffic. They cannot accurately estimate the speed of a vehicle!

Poisonous plants

As mentioned earlier in the introduction, a daffodil is very poisonous. But this is not the only plant. Most people know that giant hogweed is deadly poisonous, but did you also know that about the beautiful foxglove? You can just have this in your garden, without even having an idea of the danger it poses to your children. Or a beautiful arum lily. And we can go on like this for a while.

Animals

Fortunately, there are few poisonous species in the Netherlands. However, vipers can still be found in some areas. A few years ago it was also mentioned in the news that Black Widows and other poisonous spiders were increasingly found in the Netherlands, but the chance that you will actually encounter them is small. But it is of course possible that your child is stung by a normal wasp and that your child has an allergy to it. Then this wasp, which normally does no more harm than a stinging sting, suddenly becomes very dangerous. And what about a dog that suddenly gets scared? This can cause a lot of damage to a child.

A petting zoo is also not as harmless as many people think. The animals in the stables can carry the toxoplasmosis bacteria, which is very dangerous for unborn children (i.e. in the belly of a pregnant woman). And it is wise that a child does not stand behind a horse, because then the horse’s primal instincts emerge. Predators such as lions used to attack from behind in the wild. There is a good chance that a horse will kick backwards when it notices that something is behind it. There are many more examples to mention. No matter how sweet animals are, never leave them alone with a child.

Hygiene

In addition to plants and animals, there are more things you should take into account when your child plays outside. Cigarettes are very dangerous for children: one cigarette can be enough to kill a child. But dog and cat poop can also be very dangerous. Dog and cat feces can contain roundworm larvae. These can have very unpleasant consequences, they can lead to all kinds of allergies because the immune system is continuously stimulated and they can make asthma worse. In the worst case, they can end up in the liver, brain or optic nerve. It is enough to put a blade of grass in your mouth that has had a turd on it. So do you notice that your child has worms? Then immediately get a worm treatment from your doctor. Do you have a sandbox? Then pay close attention to the rules you must follow to keep “healthy” sand.
Finally, there are also numerous bacteria and viruses that you can contract outside.

Outside temperature

When playing outside, you should also pay close attention to the outside temperature. In the Netherlands it can get quite cold in winter. But most Dutch people are used to this and dress their children appropriately. The only danger here is that we (mainly people of a different origin) quickly put too much clothing on the children, which creates the risk of heat build-up. This is especially dangerous for babies, but older children can also overheat. Heat build-up can lead to a febrile convulsion or even death.

In the summer you can also quickly think of sunstroke or sunburn. But you can also burn quickly in the spring, because your skin is no longer used to the sun. Many people do not apply sunscreen because the sun’s strength is not as high as in the summer. It is better to do this with children.

Kidnapping

It is not the first thing you think of when you think of the dangers of playing outside, but kidnappings also occur in the Netherlands. Not only by strangers to you or your child, it can also be your own parents who kidnap their child abroad. Keep in mind that playgrounds or playgrounds are easy targets.

Upheavals

Children can be very mean to each other. Outbursts can cause a lot of damage physically, but certainly also mentally.

Conclusion

Although playing outside is very healthy, it can also be dangerous. Always stay nearby and keep an eye on things.