It’s likely no surprise to most parents that children who play outside are happier and healthier than kids that stay cooped up indoors.
And there’s no better place for kids to play than in their own backyard! But, keeping your yard a safe place for your children is important.
About 110,000 children are hospitalized every year following a yard injury. Make sure to keep these backyard safety tips in mind to ensure your kids are safe during their outdoor adventures:
Watch For Weathered Walkways
Sidewalks and walkways are easily affected by weather changes.
Constant rises and falls in temperature over the course of a year can cause corrosion, cracks, and crumbling in concrete. It’s also possible for old bricks to sink.
All of these changes can make backyard walkways uneven, creating a tripping hazard for little ones. You don’t want to have to worry about a child getting grazed knees or a sprained ankle!
If your walkway is heavily damaged, it may be best to remove it completely and put in a new one. Sidewalks with smaller cracks or sunken areas, on the other hand, can likely be patched up or repaired.
If you’re not confident about doing the job yourself, getting a quote from a professional may be a good idea to ensure you get the results you want.
Repel Stinging Pests
You might not be able to see them all, but there are hundreds of pests hiding out in your backyard. There’s no way to stop every pest from getting into your yard, but there are things you can do to reduce the number of them.
Bee and wasp stings are painful and upsetting for little ones. As bees and wasps are attracted to nectar, you’ll have fewer of them in your yard if you minimize flowers and go for a simplified design.
If you’ve got a compost heap in your yard, it will attract stinging insects to the food waste. Think about using a closed compost bin with a lid instead.
Cleaning up fallen fruit from trees and bushes will also help repel bees and wasps from your yard.
Fire ants are another bothersome backyard pest with a painful bite. Keep them away by removing stagnant water and using fire ant bait.
Keep Yard Furniture Grounded
On average, 14 storms hit the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific region each year. When winds are high, there’s a risk that your garden furniture will go flying.
Items such as garden umbrellas should be put away in a secure shed when a storm is forecast. If that’s not possible, use a suitable weighted umbrella base to keep it secure.
Lightweight yard furniture like dining tables and chairs should be moved out of the wind as well. And if you live in an area prone to high winds, avoid buying tempered glass outdoor tables.
Finally, make sure lightweight play equipment like trampolines and climbing domes are properly secured. A trampoline tie-down kit will anchor play equipment in place.
In a pinch, use sandbags to hold yard furniture and play equipment down during high winds.
Avoid Unsafe Play Equipment
Play structures and swing sets are a great way to encourage kids to spend time in the backyard, but they do need regular maintenance to ensure that they’re safe to use.
If your play structure is made of treated wood, make sure to check it each spring for rough spots that might need to be sanded to help kids avoid splinters.
Swing sets should be set in the ground with concrete, and metal bolts and fixtures on play equipment should be lubricated and tightened each year as needed.
Your backyard should be a safe and comfortable space for your kids to play in, and there are all kinds of ways you can create a dream backyard for your family.
Just make sure to keep these backyard safety tips in mind to ensure that your little ones can make the most of their time outdoors each day.