Heat waves can cause playground skin scalders

By Samantha Kramer, AccuWeather.com staff writer

Jun 27, 2012

With this week reaching extreme temperatures in the mid-90s across the Northeast, parents worry about the usual cautions for their kids: making sure they get enough water, putting on plenty of sunscreen, or wearing cool, light clothing.

But one thing many parents don't realize as a danger is one of their children's favorite places: playgrounds.

Even in 80-degree temperatures, if a plastic or metal slide is sitting in the sun, it can reach up to 160 degrees F.

And though it may seem obvious on hot summer days, it's something that most parents don't even think about, said Geoffrey Croft, president of NYC Park Advocates.

"A lot of [New York's] parks have warning signs, but 99 percent of people don't read them," Croft said. "A two-year-old doesn't adhere to a warning sign."

AccuWeather.com investigated a nearby playground in State College, Pa., and found that a light-colored, plastic slide had reached 142 degrees, while a black plastic swing heated up to 156 degrees -- two degrees short of being able to fry an egg.

Read the full article here.