If you’ve bought a new house with a splendid backyard, you need to decorate the yard as much as the house. If you have kids especially, the backyard needs to be improvised and decorated.
Did you know that, according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, over 100,000 children are prone to garden or backyard accidents? So it is also very important to keep the yard safe for children. Here are five ways how you can do both.
- Keep a corner
The first thing to keep in mind while improving your backyard is to have a small place to keep ladders and other garden tools there. You can also keep things like chemicals or spades there.
But be sure to always keep that space out of your children’s reach. If you want, you can even construct a small room or shed to keep these things, but be sure to lock the room whenever your kids are around.
Also, check if the yard is free of bugs or insects or not. The design of your backyard has to be free of all insects and pests at all times.
- Get rid of poisonous plants
The next important thing is to make sure your garden is free of poisonous plants. If you have a green thumb, you’ll probably be aware of which plants are poisonous and which aren’t. You must also regularly get rid of weeds to maintain the cleanliness of your yard.
Keep a record of the types of plants and flowers that grow in your backyard. Certain flowers may look very beautiful but can be extremely toxic to humans and animals.
Your children must never be in contact with those plants or flowers. Toddlers tend to put anything and everything into their mouths. If by any chance, the thing happens to be a toxic seed or flower, it can be extremely dangerous. So get rid of unknown flora as soon as possible.
- Check playsets regularly
If you have bought playsets like swings or cubby houses online, be sure to check them regularly. Keep a close eye on them and do routine checkups from time to time. For example, if you have bought a swing set, check if the bolts, poles, and ropes are in perfect condition or not.
If you feel the playsets are slightly damaged or wearing off, immediately replace them with new ones or get them repaired. Try not to install too many swings or slides in the same area since your children can be more prone to bumping into each other that way.
While shopping for such sets, remember to choose equipment that meets the guidelines laid down by the local authorities or the government.
- Ensure adult supervision
Your backyard might be very safe and secure, but even then, kids are kids. So there can be minor accidents from time to time. Small children especially require adult supervision all the time. Even if your child is around 8-10 years old, it’s still best to keep a watch on them as much as possible.
Whenever your kids are playing in the backyard, make sure an adult is around them if you aren’t able to. Implement some playing rules like not visiting a particular area (where tools are kept), or not playing vigorously on rough surfaces.
Write down these rules and paste them somewhere so that your babies can remember and follow them properly.
- Use less furniture on the patio
While it’s always a good idea to have some tables and chairs on the patio, care should be taken to not overdo it. Wooden patio furniture is a strict no-no since they are heavy and can harm your child. Even glass tables should be avoided if your child is very small.
Purchase furniture that won’t cause injuries to you or your children and ensure there is someone to stay with your children when they are playing near the patio.
Over to you…
The backyard can be a great place to have fun and play around for children. After a long day of school, they love nothing more than to splash in an inflatable pool or hop on the swings.
But having fun also means creating a space that causes very little or no accidents and injuries to you or your child. Follow these five tips and tricks to improve your backyard to make it kid-friendly.
