This is a sponsored guest post.
Having an outdoor space in your home is nothing short of a blessing. A backyard or a front garden not only increases the curb value of your home, but it also helps in terms of being an activity area for your children. If your energetic little tykes can’t have enough of the neighbourhood park and it’s activity gym, why not set up their own little outdoor play area at home? This investment saves you those daily drives to the park, tugging along their snacks and essentials. And hey, it saves you those hours too, while you can be in the comfort of your home and watch them play in the backyard.
Before you get down to organizing their activity gym and outdoor toys, make sure your space is child-friendly. There could be safety hazards that are hiding in your backyard, often overlooked by the naked eye. Let’s help you give your outdoor space a close careful thought to eliminate potential hazards before you throw it open for play time!
Check For Burrows or Pits
Regularly walk through your backyard to check for any open borrows or pits that could be the haven of dangerous reptiles. These Burrows are often on a lower surfaces compared to the rest of the floor, and hence can be an easy spot for balls or other small toys to roll off into. Your unassuming children may put their hands in, in an innocent attempt to remove their belongings, thus risking their safety. Make sure any such Burrows are securely sealed off. Even any pits or inundation near fences and turn into havens for reptiles. Keep a keen eye out for such hazards that could spell trouble for your child’s life. There are also specific pills and soil mixtures that you could blend into the ground in your backyard to keep dangerous reptiles at bay.
Eliminate Hazardous Plants
If you have a garden patch in the exterior of your home, it would be wise to have your gardener come in for a sanity check before you set up your child’s play area. Uproot any poisonous plants in your garden that could poison your child or even your pet. A wax tree, castor oil plants and wild parsnips are just some of the plants you should steer clear off.
Aside of poisonous plants, there are also those that have sprout thorns that can hurt your children should they be adventurous. Some plants also attract excessive insects and worms which could make their way to you child’s play area. Its best to eliminate any possibility of them hurting themselves in the garden by doing a thorough check. You must also repeat this check every month or two to make sure security standards are maintained.
Use Safe Furniture
Your children may want to sit down between bouts of play ever so often. Provide them with comfortable outdoor furniture in Sydney so they can catch a breather amidst all their play. Ensure this furniture is safe, with a sturdy build and grounded footing. Always go with no-fuss furniture that young children can easily climb onto. Resin wicker furniture is a safe choice from a maintenance and weather perspective. This spot can also double up as the ideal lounging area for when you have guests over.
Get Your Children To Comply With Rules
Nothing helps more than making your child feel like he/she is in control of the situation. In addition to laying out a safety net for your child with regular checks and supervision, make your children in charge of their own behaviour and safety. Or better yet, for each other’s safety. Set out clear rules that allow on pushing, shoving, or chasing another child in the restricted area of a backyard. In addition, any slides or swings need to be used in the appropriate manner, being securely seated. Explain to your children the potential hazards of using them the wrong way. Go as far as to say that the it entire outdoor play unit will be scrapped should you find them in a situation that’s dangerous. Warn them against trying to climb fences or trees for safety.
Also, clearly spell out areas that are strictly off bounds like the garage, the swimming pool or the electric board. Encourage them to wear appropriate outdoor shoes to prevent accidents and falls. Set down ground rules for taking turns in using equipment and helping each other play safely. If every child is individually and severally responsible, they are likely to be more safe and careful.
Check Outdoor Play Accessories Often
That seemingly sturdy 10 foot trampoline could very well be giving way over the months. It the hinges of the activity gym may have become rusted after the heavy rains this season. These are things you can’t discover even by keeping a watchful distant eye on your kids. In order ensure all the play accessories are in perfect usable condition, you will have to physically examine every part of the accessories. Remember, as your kids grow in height and weight, they may not be eligible to use some of those toys anymore. Doing so could pose a risk to their safety. Hence, it’s always wise to hold on to the instructions manuals of all these toys because it’s not possible to keep track of their thresholds mentally.
Lastly, don’t forget to take appropriate care of these outdoor toys in terms of any necessary greasing or lubrication they may need. The last thing you want is for your child to falter on them due to your negligence.
Have An Adult In-charge For The Day
The idea of having an outdoor play area in your home is to eliminate the time and effort required in taking your children to the nearby park. Hence, if you’re the one who’s constantly watching over the kids, it serves little purpose. Instead, have your child’s friends from the neighbourhood join in on the fun and take turns with their respective mothers to watch over the children. This way, you’re freeing up your routine on some days of the week and leveraging your outdoor play area to your advantage!
We hope these ideas inch you closer on going all out for your child’s outdoor play area!
