You’ve just had a baby. It’s the best thing that has ever happened to you. With it, however, you also have a greater amount of responsibility.
Over the past few months, you have been furiously childproofing your home in preparation for the new family member. But you can’t just stop inside your home. Eventually, that baby is going to grow up and want to explore. Your yard also requires some intensive safety precautions. Here are six tips for childproofing your yard.
Mind the Lawn Mower
If you have a yard with grass, it’s likely that you must mow it. A lawn mower can be a huge hazard for children of all ages. Especially when they’re young; they don’t understand the destructive power of these machines. Make sure you safely store the lawn mower in a place where children won’t have access to it. As a parent, you might be tempted to bring your child for a ride on the lawn mower. While this can be a cute photo opportunity, it’s also dangerous. Don’t put your child at unnecessary risk.
Be Careful of Fire Pits
If you’re going to have a fire in your yard, ensure that kids won’t be able to fall into it. The best way to protect them is to build a fire pit with a sturdy cover. Or else don’t have one at all. This will make it more difficult for children to accidentally injure themselves.
Put a Border around Bodies of Water
Kids often don’t learn how to swim until they are a few years old. And you have no idea if other children visiting your home know how to swim or not. For this reason, it’s wise to put a fence around pools, ponds, or other bodies of water. This is the best way to stop anyone from drowning while your back is turned. Installing safety measures like this can also have a positive impact on homeowners insurance rates.
Identify Poisonous Plants
Foliage is another concern for children. There are a lot of poisonous plants that you don’t know about. That’s because you don’t usually go out and eat random things in your yard. However, you can’t expect the same behavior of your child. They are innately curious, and will often try to eat things that they shouldn’t. Do some research to see if there are any dangerous plants on your property. You can even hire a botanist to help you if you feel the need. It’s a good idea to either remove or cordon off these plants.
Hide Chemicals
You know not to drink unidentified liquids, but your small child does not. Make sure you don’t leave random containers of chemicals laying around your yard. This includes paint and gasoline canisters. Simply telling your child not to drink things isn’t always enough to deter them. Be proactive and keep toxic substances stored where they won’t be able to get them.
Make Sure Play Areas are Safe
It’s likely that children will spend a large part of their time outside at designated play areas. This can include swing sets, playhouses, or anything of the like. Make sure that these are safe for children. They will probably test the structural integrity of the playsets while playing on them. If the structures have any critical weaknesses, it can spell disaster. Do your due diligence to ensure all play structures are up to the task.
It’s not fun to think about what could happen to your child. However, it’s a lot easier than having to deal with the aftermath of an avoidable catastrophe. Take the time to guarantee your yard is safe for children.
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