Monkey bars remain the leading cause of playground injuries, according to new injury data, highlighting an important focus area for playground inspectors and play safety professionals.
ACC data shows playground-related injury claims in New Zealand have steadily increased, rising from 12,562 claims in 2021 to 14,666 in 2024, with 12,676 claims already lodged by mid-November 2025. The cost of these injuries has also grown significantly, from $7.98 million in 2021 to $11.06 million in 2024. Monkey bars were by far the most frequently identified cause, accounting for 4,473 claims in 2024. This was more than four times the next highest item, the flying fox (956 claims). Other equipment followed well behind, including slides (486), jungle gyms (433) and see-saws (361).
Children aged 5 to 9 years were the most affected group, making up more than half of all injuries (7,695 claims), followed by children aged 0 to 4 and 10 to 14. Adults were not exempt, with injury claims recorded across all age groups, including older adults.
The most common injuries were soft tissue damage, followed by fractures and dislocations, lacerations and dental injuries. Arms, wrists and hands were the most frequently injured body parts, reflecting typical fall mechanics from monkey bars.
Medical experts note that falls from monkey bars often involve momentum and height, leading children to land heavily on outstretched arms. For inspectors, the data reinforces the importance of age-appropriate design, fall heights, impact-attenuating surfacing, equipment layout and supervision cues, rather than removing challenging equipment altogether.
