Safety for Children in the Backyard
A backyard can be a great place to spend the afternoons and evenings, a little slice of paradise right outside of our own home, but if you have children it’s important that you’re taking proper steps to ensure your backyard is safe for them. Some of these ideas may seem kind of obvious, but others may be things you haven’t even considered. It’s all about taking action to prevent injuries before they happen and before it’s too late.
Communication is very important. Talk to your kids and explain what’s dangerous in the yard and what to avoid, but don’t expect communication to be enough on its own.
Keep Tools And Gardening Equipment Out Of Reach
A lot of tools, both power tools and garden equipment, can look like toys at first glance. Many kids have plastic versions of real tools that really are toys, so when they see the real thing they may want to grab it and start playing with it. Well, there’s a big difference between a fake plastic drill and a real drill. Don’t leave any types of tools lying around your yard or within reach of your children, and take time to explain to them that these things are not toys and that they are not for kids to use until they’re older.
Dangerous Bugs and Insects
Depending on where you live, this may not be much of a threat, but it’s always a good idea to give your kids a basic understanding that certain types of insects and bugs can cause them serious harm. The same goes for snakes and small animals that may pop up in your backyard, and even some plants may be harmful.
Taking the time to educate your kids on what to avoid is also an excellent opportunity to teach them that there are certain types of people that can be harmful, but that doesn’t mean all people are bad.
Keep Tabs On Your Garden Aids
Your garden may have plants in it that are very dangerous if eaten. Now, most people wouldn’t just walk up to a random plant in a garden and start eating it, but kids will put anything in their mouths! If you look away for even a minute, that’s all the time it would take. Aside from things like this that most people don’t think of, there are more common dangers in most backyards than you would think.
For example, chemicals to kill weeds and other various chemicals for the garden may seem right at home being stored in the shed or near your garden itself, but you’ve got to keep them out of reach. You need to keep these in a safe place where children cannot gain access to them. If you’re doing some gardening, make sure you clean up afterwards and don’t leave anything dangerous lying around.
Install A Pool Fence And Keep It Up to Code
It is important to educate your kids about pool safety and to not let them swim in the pool (if you have one) without proper supervision until they’re old enough and have a keen understanding of water safety. Keep in mind that just an inch of water is enough for a child to drown.
It’s mandatory by law in Australia to have a pool fence because it’s a huge step towards ensuring your backyard is safe, not just for your kids but for grown-ups and wild life as well. Having a properly installed pool fence will help a great deal in preventing accidents and tragedies such as drowning.
On a similar note, if you have a foundation or a pond in your yard, make sure you either have a small fence around it to that you educate your kids to be careful while playing near it. It only takes a small amount of water to drown somebody, especially if they hit their head and fall into it. That’s a grim situation to imagine, but it’s better to be safe than to be sorry.
There’s no substitute for proper adult supervision when your kids are playing in the yard, but if you pay attention to the advice in this article, you’ll be making your backyard much safer.
Image Credit: hofstetterlandscaping.com
