Expert says good play area important on the farm

Safety experts are asking Iowa farmers to take some time to look at what they’re doing for their kids this week during “National Farm Safety Week.” Risto Rautiainen of the University of Iowa says many farmers have created play areas for kids on the farm — and those areas can be improved. He says it’s a good idea to look at the play areas that could really be built into something better. He says putting a fence around high traffic play areas and using some of the traditional play areas — which he says don’t have to be purchased, but can be made. Rautiainen says creating a play area is some you can do to get the kids involved in improving their own safety. He says you can make it a family project and get everyone involved. He says you can improve something you already have, and don’t need a lot of money, just some time to spend with the kids. He says making a safe play area isn’t just important during the fall harvest. He says this is something that’s long term — such as a playhouse. He says he had a playhouse on the farm where he grew up in Finland, and it’s still there. He says it can be something that’s used for generations. Rautiainen says getting everyone involved and building a play area that will last is the best way to ensure the continued safety of kids on the farm.