Kids love playing in the garden, and it is really good for them to do so., They’ll get plenty of exercise and fresh air as well as learn a lot more about the natural world around them compared to if they were stuck indoors with a tablet or games console for entertainment.

However, if you want your child to spend more time in the garden, it is really important that you spend a little time making sure it is as safe as possible for them.

Here are a few things that will help with that:

Secure the perimeter

If you have young children who are not at an age where they can go off exploring on their own, it’s important that you ensure that fences are free from small gaps they can squeeze out if, and that gates are lockable, so they can play in the garden without ever getting out on to the street.

Provide shade

If the sun is out, your kids should be wearing sunscreen and a hat when in the garden, but it’s also a good idea to ensure they have a shaded area they can play too. Luxaflex® Awnings are a simple and affordable way to add exterior shading to your patio with lots of exciting style choices. If an awning isn’t your thing, then planting trees and shrubs in such a way to provide shade can also work well too.

Beware of poisonous plants

Many people know that plants and flowers are often dangerous to pets, but they do not think about the potential dangers posed to children. The fact is, as you will know if you have kids, little children can and do put all sorts of strange things in their mouths. So, while they’re young, it is important to remove potentially poisonous flowers and plants like lilies, mistletoe and rhododendrons completely, or at the very least fence them off from your kids.

Consider artificial turf

Artificial turf is often safer than real grass because it can be made even and it never gets muddy, which means your kids will not end up slipping on it and hurting themselves. As an added bonus, when you have artificial turf, the kids will stay cleaner when playing out, so no more muddy footprints in the house for you to have to worry about.

If you have a specific play area section of your garden, you might want to consider a specific artificial grass carpet designed for play with children. Grass Warehouse, for example, offer a range of different coloured play area grass rolls, perfect for getting creative and creating something fun for your children while also keeping them safe.

Keep tools under lock and key

Garden tools are often essential for keeping the lean mowed and the trees pruned, but they are often also very sharp and very dangerous. Buy a shed or lockbox and ensure that it is always locked with your tools stored safely inside when the children are around.

Create a kid’s space

Creating a kid’s space that has no poisonous flowers, hard surfaces, ponds or anything else that could hurt them, but which has lots of fun garden toys, digging areas and artificial lawn, and fencing it off from the rest of the garden is a great way to keep them safe and ensure they have fun.

Making the garden as safe as possible means your child can spend more time out there, and you can not worry about them so much when they do!