4 Ways to Childproof Your Backyard

Although we all know the importance of a childproof home, unintentional accidents are still a leading cause of death among children and teens. One contributing factor to that statistic is that, while we focus on childproofing our homes' interiors, outdoor areas like backyards are a huge blindspot.

The great outdoors can be as dangerous to curious little ones as anything you'll find indoors. Oftentimes it's even more dangerous. So to keep your growing family safe and healthy, here are four tips for providing a childproof yard.

1. Install Backyard Fencing

Adding fencing around outdoor areas can help keep your children safe on your property while keeping trespassers out.

You should be sure to opt for a gate that can be locked from either side. This will help keep unwanted visitors from getting in as well as stop children from getting out.

2. Put Pest Control Measures in Place

Children are curious by nature and haven't had the life experience necessary to develop a healthy respect for wildlife. This can lead to altercations when your kids touch or even chase bugs and pests they come across in the yard.

Keep an eye out for wasp and hornet nests and spray them with a natural, child-safe pesticide whenever they're found. Ant hills are another threat to look out for. It's far too common for rambunctious kids to take a fall and land right on top of a mound of angry fire ants.

3. Put Away Tools and Garden Chemicals

While common garden supplies like fertilizers may do wonders for your flower beds, many are hazardous to humans. As such, you should never leave these materials outside unsupervised. Always keep your eye on them when they're in use, and store them in a secure shed or on a high shelf in the garage when you're done.

Tools are another everyday hazard. Bladed tools like shears or hedge trimmers pose an obvious threat, but even items like buckets or watering cans can pose trip hazards. Keep tools out only as long as needed, and put them away immediately afterward.

4. Childproof Your Pool Area

Backyard pools are among the single biggest household hazards to children. According to the Pool Safety Foundation, small children can drown in as little as 25 seconds in a backyard pool. Leaving little ones unsupervised for even a moment can prove tragic.

Your pool safety plan should include several layers of protection. The foundation of your strategy should be a high-quality pool fence.

Your pool fence should be at least four feet tall to prevent kids from climbing over it. You should also opt for fences with self-latching and self-closing gates. Different fencing materials provide varying degrees of protection as well.

As added precautions, a pool alarm or a power safety cover can prevent accidents if your child enters the pool area without your knowledge. Never rely on sliding doors to keep little ones from entering areas that they shouldn't.

Prevent Accidents with Good Backyard Safety Practices

Many of these tips may seem like common sense. However, accidents continue to happen. To ensure a childproof environment for your family, you must not overlook any area of your home, either inside or out.

As we've seen, fencing is one of the best measures you can take to guarantee backyard safety. Either to keep your yard secured or to keep little ones away from dangerous areas, fences are essential. To protect your property and your family, contact us today to discuss your fencing needs.