Is Your Garden Suitable For Children?

Running around in the garden is what childhood dreams are made of. Catching insects, making mud pies, kicking a football around and generally burning off some steam. It might seem like an extremely safe place to let your child be free, but there are lots of hidden dangers lurking. Maybe you’ve recently moved to a new home, or perhaps your child is at an age where they’re much more active and mobile than they were last summer. Either way, here are some things to bear in mind.

Remove any rubbish and debris

Things like bricks or paving slabs piled up in the corner, old scrap metal that you’ve not got round to moving yet and areas of pooled water that have been left to fester can all be issues for children. If it’s a big job, hire a skip and a handyman, otherwise load all rubbish into your car and take it to the tip.

Be wary of dangerous plants

Plants can be dangerous if they’re poisonous, especially as children can pick things and then put their hands in or near their mouth. Lots of common garden varieties can be toxic so be sure to do your research before filling your pots and flowerbeds. You’ll also want to remove things like brambles and stingers, as they can cause a lot of pain if a child falls into them while they’re playing.

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Cover up ponds and pools

Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death in children. It only takes a few moments, so just don’t take the risk. Fill in ponds or securely fence off pools. Take your eyes of your child for just a couple of minutes and they could be seriously hurt or even die as a result of drowning in these kinds of bodies of water.

Use natural pesticides

Pests can be a nuisance in the garden, and lots of us use things like slug killer as well as weed killer to maintain our yard. However, if they’re accidentally ingested by a child it can cause a fatal reaction. Use only products that are safe for children and pets.

Consider your lawn

Your lawn takes a real hammering when you have a family, and running around on it all spring and summer can leave it looking worse for wear. In the spring and autumn, throw down some grass seed, choose a blend which is designed for family life since it will be much more hardy. You could even consider an artificial lawn, not only will it stay looking nice all year round but it won’t need cutting or any kind of maintenance. You could take a look at something like New Lawn artificial grass samples and choose a blend that looks the most natural for where you live.

Be careful of steps and tripping hazards

If you have any paved steps or other steep areas in your garden, beware of children falling down them. It could make sense to fence off one area for kids to play in if your garden sits at different levels.