As a parent you know that your children always come first no matter what the location. We advise you should never leave your kids in the garden on their own but you may find yourself in some situations where you just cannot keep both eyes on them. For these rare occasions we suggest you read through our tips on how to make your garden safe for kids.
Tidy up your garden
This is a surprisingly simple tip but is easily overlooked. So if you’ve recently had a garden party or worked on your garden’s upkeep you should tidy up any dangerous items left around your garden. If you have a lot of waste you want to get rid of hire a local skip hire company.
Pro tip: Buy a shed or use your garage for easy and secure storage.
Common dangerous items:
- Garden Tools & Machinery
- BBQ & Leftover waste materials
- High seating and work tops
- Toys above recommended age limit
Chemicals & Pesticides
Up keeping a nice looking garden can come in a range of techniques and a popular technique is using chemicals and pesticides to remove weeds, deter animals/insects & fertilising plants. However these products can be harmful to children who are prone to touching and even eating areas of the garden. Extreme care and precautions should be taken, as mass tort cases have been filed against these weedkiller manufacturers for causing cancer.
Pro Tip: Give sufficient time from treating your garden with chemicals & pesticides before taking your children outside.
Common Chemicals & Pesticides:
- Animal Deterrents
- Insect Repellents
- Fungicides
- Weed Killers
- Lawn Care
Garden Structures & Fencing
Structures give your garden design definition, character and even add security to some areas. However if the style of these structures and fencing have sharp edges on can be climbed on this can be dangerous to children of all ages when playing in the garden so should be chose wisely.
Pro Tip: Rounded corners on structures & fencing help prevent major injuries
Water Hazards
A pond in your garden can be a relaxing and beautiful thing and a great way to add some low maintenance pets to entertain your children. However these watery areas can be quite deep and so hazardous to young children. Adding a safety metal grid to your pond can be strong enough for grown men to stand on with being designed in way so you can still enjoy your pond.
Pro Tip: Choosing a metal grid the same colour as your pond water camouflages the safety feature whilst keeping the effect of having a natural water area whilst still being safe for kids.
Teach children about wildlife
Wildlife and insects in the garden can never be 100% prevented and if you are trying to follow point number 2 then these are most likely going to be still present. You can still prepare your children by teaching them the dangers of certain insects and the habitats you may find each species.
Pro Tip: You can easily find books on this subjects search the web or your local book store for more information.
