The phenomenal growth in recent years of daycare facilities has raised new concerns about playground safety. Once focused on the safety of school-age children, playground safety experts are now finding that they must also address safety problems related to toddlers and preschoolers, with a special emphasis on age-appropriate equipment and supervision. "Toddlers 'toddle' because their heads are disproportionately large, their motor skills aren't fully developed and they lack upper body strength," says Seymour Gold, a UC Davis professor of environmental planning and a nationally recognized authority on playground safety. "Furthermore, very young children lack the level of judgment necessary for larger equipment and, if they fall, they are more likely to break bones." With that in mind, it's imperative that playground equipment for toddlers and preschoolers be no higher than three feet, to prevent serious injury from the falls that will inevitably occur, stresses Gold. Bars also should be appropriately spaced to prevent trapping a child's head, and equipment should be set a safe distance from fences, walls and other pieces of equipment. When selecting a daycare site, Gold urges parents to request documentation that the facility's playground has been inspected by the state, as required during the annual licensing procedure. Gold also has prepared a 10-point checklist to help parents judge the safety of a daycare or home play area.