If you spend a great deal of time outdoors with your children, you’ll likely want to create a child-friendly garden to be able to enjoy your outdoor space without worry about their safety. A back yard can contain a number of potential hazards that could pose a risk to small children. Therefore, it would be in your best interest to discover key ways of forming an outdoor space where you can all relax at the weekend and simply enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.
Here are several tips to take into consideration on how to create a child-friendly garden:
Artificial grass
When you’re stuck between choosing between artificial grass and natural turf, the former would certainly be much more beneficial when you have small children. It is both robust and comfortable underfoot and will make for a soft landing if there are any tumbles. What’s more, you don’t have to worry about muddy footprints being trodden through the house or grass stains on their clothes after playtime.
Fencing
One of the most fundamental aspects of a child-friendly garden is to install fencing around your outdoor space and premises. As a parent, it would be in your best interest to choose an option that offers both privacy and security. With very small children running around the garden, you need a barrier in place to prevent them from wandering off into a nearby main road or into your neighbor’s gardens when you’re not in attendance.
There are many different fencing options to choose from; however, it may be wise to steer clear of those with bars to prevent inquisitive children from squeezing through the gaps and escaping. Getting in touch with the fence experts will put you in touch with professionals who will be able to offer their opinions on the most suitable fencing for your garden, and there is even the option of a custom designed fence to suit your premises to your precise specifications.
A secure pond
Building a small pond in your garden may be a feature within your garden that you have always wanted, but have you thought about health and safety precautions? Unfortunately, there are a large number of children under two who die from water-related incidents every single year. Therefore, a garden water feature such as a pond isn’t a good idea unless you consider health and safety a priority.
One way to protect your child in the garden is to install netting or grids over the pond, so that little ones aren’t able to be too curious and jump in and potentially drown.
Anti-slip decking
While decking can become an extremely attractive feature within your garden, it can present itself as a major hazard when you have small children. When it has been raining, standard decking can become wet and slippery which can cause slips and falls and a danger when spending quality time with your children outdoors. Luckily, there are anti-slip decking options to take into consideration, which may cost slightly more to purchase but is much safer underfoot.
