Children playing in the park is a natural thing
Children playing is a natural thing and so are germs, it's hard to control the latter when they love to run around, swing from everything and touch things within reach.
A recent survey by antibacterial hand hygiene brand Cuticura reveals that half of parents are not aware of the types of germs their children could pick in in the playground. With the possibility of bacteria from bird and dog faeces, rat urine and even E. coli being found in the playground, maintaining good hand hygiene is more important than ever. 
But don't panic. There's no need to wrap you children in cotton wool at the start of the new school term. Simply clean their hands with antibacterial soaps or gels when they leave the school and after playtime.
As well as driving imagination and creativity, active play encourages good health, heightened concentration and enhanced social development.
"Play is a natural part of children's lives and helps them to grow and develop the skills they need for later life. Not giving children time to grow and play could lead to a generation of sedentary children, lacking in creativity and imagination," says Dr Amanda Gummer, psychologist and play expert.
Expert Tips for Beating Germs In and Out of The Playground
By Dr Lisa Ackerley, Environmental Health Practitioner and Visiting Professor of Environmental Health at Salford University: