Landscaping Safety Tips For Kids

If your family is getting ready to redo the yard, it is a good idea to incorporate kid-friendly items and to keep their safety in mind with all landscaping decisions. While there are always risks when it comes to kids and landscaping, there are a few decisions that you can make to ensure certain accidents don't happen. Here are for safety tips when it comes to kid-friendly landscaping.

1. Keep out Non-Poisonous Plants

You might have plants in your yard right now you didn't even realize were poisonous. It might be worth it to avoid common poisonous plants such as oleanders and rhododendrons all together if your kids are in the habit of picking (or tasting) plants in your yard. Young children won't understand risks, and might be exposed to plants inadvertently, getting sick in the process. Either have these types of plants out of your child's reach or keep these out of your garden until your children are older.

2. Designate a Kid Zone

Kids view the world as their jungle gym. If they don't have an area in the yard just for them, they will use statues, trees, and planter boxes instead for playtime. Keep your kids out of trouble and help them avoid getting hurt by making sure they have their own space in the yard. This should be designed to be a fun, safe space in the yard just for them.

3. A Space for Tools and Chemicals

Well-landscaped yards take work, which might come along with chemicals and tools for yard upkeep. Make sure that you incorporate safe storage for these items in your landscaping plan. Designate a shed or an area in the garage that you can lock up and keep kids away from. Remind landscapers that all tools, fertilizers, and weed killers need to be locked up after they are used on your yard.

4. Ponds and Pools

Depending on the age of your kids, pools and ponds may be a fun feature, but also a danger. Make sure that you gate areas with water so that young children don't access these inadvertently. Be sure to talk with your small children about only going around pools and ponds when an adult is around. If your children are too young to understand these rules, you may want to forgo these features until they're older.

Planning out a well landscaped yard can be a fun project for everyone in the family. Be sure to take into account the ages of your children and safety precautions specifically for them. Landscapes can evolve over time, and incorporating new items into your yard when your children are older is always an option.

Talk to a local landscaping company, such as Outdoor Solutions Landscaping, for more information about how the right landscaping project for your family.