Playing outside is great fun and it’s good for your little adventurers too. But, there are some things to watch out for to keep children safe from serious injury.
So, here are some top tips to make your garden a safer place to play.
Drowning
It’s scary to think about but babies and toddlers can drown in very little water. So supervision around ponds, pools and hot tubs is essential.
- Keep babies and young children in arms reach when they’re in water.
- If you have a paddling pool, empty it out after use and turn it over so it can’t refill with rainwater.
- Securely cover larger pools and hot tubs after every use.
- Fill in, cover or fence off ponds while your children are little.
- Think about your neighbours’ gardens too – young children can wander off into them and drown even if you don’t think they have access.
Learn more about how drowning happens and what you can do to prevent it
BBQs and fire pits
A BBQ and the ground underneath it can stay hot enough to cause a serious burn for a long time after it’s been used.
So, stay alert and keep children well away from the cooking area until it’s completely cooled.
The same can be said about fire pits. They may even still be hot enough to burn the next day! Plus, they have the added hazard of being lower to the ground so easier for little ones to stumble into or reach out and grab.
It’s also important to teach children not to throw anything onto a fire.
Learn more about preventing burns and scalds including what to do in an emergency
Gardening tools
Garden tools are helpful for us but dangerous for our little ones. So, lock them away in a shed or other secure area. Never leave electrical equipment plugged in when not in use.
Chemicals
Accidental poisoning can happen in an instant, even if you’re there but have been distracted momentarily.
So, keep chemicals such as weed killer and fertiliser out of reach of young children, and always keep them in their original containers. Don’t be tempted to transfer them to food jars or drinks bottles.
If you’re a car owner, you may have antifreeze and screen-wash lurking in the garden shed too. Both are highly poisonous to children so they should be kept well out of reach at all times.
If you can, buy products that contain a bittering agent such as Bitrex, that deter accidental swallowing of household chemicals.
For more top tips on preventing poisoning download our free fact sheet
Trampolines
Trampolines are great fun and fantastic for burning energy. But please do what you can to use them safely.
Most trampoline accidents happen when there are two or more bouncers at the same time.
The biggest risk is when the users have very different weights. And, it’s usually the little one that gets hurt.
So, let children take it in turns and avoid adults and children jumping together.
Plus, teach children the trampoline rules. And use a net to prevent falls.
Download our free from falls fact sheet for more top tips on preventing serious falls.
Plants
While serious poisoning by plants is uncommon in the UK, it’s always best to be safe. Some plants may cause digestive upset or discomfort if eaten. And a small number of common garden plants are more toxic and could cause severe poisoning.
So, teach children never to eat plants or berries they have picked in the garden or out and about in the countryside, without checking with an adult first.
Poisonous berries can easily look like the ones they have for their snack.
Visit the Royal Horticultural Society for more information on potentially harmful garden plants.
