The Consumer Product Safety Commission staff developed the following checks to help parents and children use Soft Contained Play Equipment safely.

Equipment Check:

Check the safety netting for tears or frays.
* Torn netting could allow a child to climb onto the outer portions of the equipment and fall onto a hard surface.

Check cargo webbing and rope equipment for tears or frays.
* Torn rope equipment or loose sewing connections in the cargo webbing may be an entrapment or tripping hazard.

Check floor surfacing for tears.
* Floor surfacing should not be torn, in order to prevent trips or ankle sprains.
* If mats are used outside of the Soft Contained Play Equipment , they should be placed tightly together and should not be torn, in order to prevent trips or ankle sprains.

Check the equipment for general cleanliness.
* Dirty equipment is an indication that the owner/operator may not have kept up with the routine maintenance and repair.
* Walkways should be clear of trash and clutter to prevent tripping.

Safe Use Check:

Obey the posted safety guidelines of the Soft Contained Play Equipment.
* Guidelines should explain proper equipment use.

Follow use and size recommendations.
* Smaller children are at a disadvantage in a collision with a larger child.
* If your child meets the size restriction for the toddler section. do not bring him/her into the older children's section.
* Keep older, larger children from playing in the toddler section.

Remove clothing strings, necklaces, earrings and all loose items in pockets before the child enters the Soft Contained Play Equipment.
* Loose hanging strings and jewelry can get caught in play equipment.
* Items inside pockets can fall into the ball pools.

Do not allow children to play or linger in front of slide exits or to climb up slides.
* A child playing in front of a slide exit or climbing up a slide could be struck, by a child coming down the slide.
* Children like to bury themselves under the balls in a ball pool. If a slide exits into the ball pool, a child playing in the balls in front of the exit may be struck.

Do not allow children to play or linger at the base of climbing equipment in a ball pool.
* Children jump off equipment such as the mountain climb into the ball pool. A child playing at the base of the equipment could be struck.