MILWAUKEE — Another hot, humid day means finding new ways to keep cool. While staying indoors works for some kids, others want to burn their energy outdoors, but playground play during extreme heat could be dangerous.
“It’s better to come down here when the sun’s not blazing hot,” Simon Hack said.
While Simon’s 8-year-old son, Jude, is monkeying around on the bars and swirling down the slide, Dad is monitoring the surfaces at Atwater Park and making sure they aren’t too hot. Nanny Jamie Schroeder is doing the same at Lake Park.
“I touch it with my hand because I don’t want them to get burned when they slide down,” Jaime said.
The hotter the temps outside, the hotter playground surfaces can get. The American Burn Association reports a surface over 140 degrees can take as little as three seconds to cause a second-degree burn —which is why Elisa Bailey said she doesn’t plan to keep her grandkids outside too long.
“Even yesterday we stayed inside. We did lots of activities in the basement inside,” Elisa said.
“(You could have) water fights or going in the pool. You know, having some outside time.” — Justus, 8
But Elisa’s grandson, 8-year-old Justus, said there are ways to keep cool outdoors, too.
“(You could have) water fights or going in the pool. You know, having some outside time,” Justus said.
An Excessive Heat Warning has been issued for the Milwaukee area until 7 a.m. Saturday.
