If you have a garden and a child, the chances are that during the dry months you are outside enjoying the open air. However, if you are, you should be aware of the dangers that are lurking in your back yard.
There are an incredible 110,000 gardening accidents involving children every year, so if you do not want to add your child to this statistic, you would be wise to pay attention to the garden safety tips outlined here.
Tools
Garden tools come in all shapes and sizes, and all of them could lead to an accident. After doing any garden work you should clear up your mess and return your tools to a safe place. Funny though it may seem when Goofy treads on a garden rake; if your child does the same he or she could easily receive a broken nose. Garden shears, rakes, and even watering hoses are potential hazards, so pack them away safely.
Chemicals
Not only garden chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides seem to be in our gardens, household chemicals and even car cleaning products seem to find their way there too. Some of these will burn the skin, and many of them are potentially poisonous. You should not only keep these chemicals in a sturdy, childproof container, you should be storing them in a safe place too. The number of children admitted to hospitals because of drinking chemicals may have reduced through education, but it is still far too high. Safely out of sight; is the only way to store chemicals.
Shed
As we can see storage is the key to many safety problems, and a great way to keep the garden clear. However, if your child has access to the shed itself, storing dangerous items there is pointless. Make sure your shed has no loose panels that can be squeezed past, that doors and windows are secure, and, most importantly, that it can be locked. An open shed is a disaster waiting to happen, so keep your child and your tools, machinery, and chemicals separate.
Pond
Your child should never be anywhere near water if they are unsupervised, but how do you manage that if you have a pond and your child wants to play in the garden? Sometimes it is not practical for you to spend all day with your kids in the sunshine, so make sure they cannot get into the pond itself. You can take a few approaches to this; from buying suitable fencing supplies and erecting a safety barrier around the pond, to installing a screen or net over the top of it; but whatever manner you choose, remember to keep it well maintained or your child could find a way to the open water.
Path
Garden paths are notorious for cracked paving slabs and uneven surfaces; and as this leads to many people suffering from fall injuries, you would be well advised to keep an eye on your path. You could lay a gravel path to reduce tripping, or even a rubber path to reduce injuries from a fall, but most people tend to repair the path they have. This is a fine option when well done, and damaged slabs can be replaced with like for like slabs from sites like http://www.easypave.com. Levelling a path may not be as simple as you first think, so be prepared to invest some time into this safety aspect of your garden
Barbeques
Barbeques are hot when in use, and if something is hot it is dangerous. Never let your young children near the barbeque, as a stray hand could be burnt, or playful children could easily run into the hot exterior. If you plan on a barbeque, plan on keeping the kids occupied somewhere else.
As spending time in your garden is such a joy, why would you want to spoil it by worrying over everything your children do? Follow these simple tips, and you can all enjoy the quality time you spend in the garden with your kids.
