5 Tips To Creating a Healthy Backyard For Kids
Kids love to play outdoors and that is why you should set aside space in the backyard for them to use. However, you should also make sure that the backyard is healthy for the kids such that they don’t get any injuries or infections when playing out there.
Here are tips you can use to create a healthy backyard for kids.
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Use soft and thick surface
Most injuries happen when kids fall from the equipment they are playing with such as swings and slides. However, if the surface is soft, it can reduce the occurrence of injuries and their severity.
You can fill the backyard play area with materials such as shredded rubber, mulch, wood chips, pea gravel, or sand. This way, the surface is soft enough such that if a child falls, they may not be injured.
Avoid surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, and blacktop because they are hard surfaces. Also packed earth, soil, and natural grass surfaces are not ideal for the backyard play area since they can harden with time or change because of weather.
You can use artificial grass made from Synthetic Turf Products since it is soft and durable. It does not change due to weather conditions and it can cushion kids if they fall.
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Use age-appropriate equipment
The play equipment in your backyard should be age-appropriate. Playing with the wrong size equipment can cause injuries to kids. If your children are of different age groups, you can have separate play areas.
Also, ensure the safety of the equipment. For instance, you should locate seesaws and swings in a separate area. Ensure that the spaces in the equipment cannot trap a child’s arm, head, leg, or any other part of the body and it should either be below 3 ½ inches or more than 9 inches. Check equipment with moving parts to ensure there are no pinch points where a kids hand or finger can be pinched or crushed.
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Ensure there are no poisonous plants in the backyard
Kids tend to explore everything including plants. In case a child comes across a dangerous plant, they may end up being poisoned. Check your backyard for any dangerous plants and remove them if any. Alternatively, fence the area with the poisonous plants such that the kids cannot access it.
You can caution the kids not to pick or eat plants without consulting with you first.
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Use grills safely
Sometimes you may cook outdoors in the backyard using the grill. If it is hot, it can cause injuries to kids when they are playing. To ensure safe use, place the grill in a separate area away from the kids’ playground. Let them know that the grill is hot and they can get burnt if they touché it. Do not dump charcoal until it is cold.
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Protect kids from drowning in the pool
If not careful, kids can drown in the pool when playing in the backyard. Ensure that kids playing near the pool or in it are supervised.
The pool area should be fenced with walls of at least 4 ft high and have self-closing gates that open outwards with latches that children cannot reach.
The pool should be covered when it is not being used.
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