Tips and Ideas For Making a Fun and Safe Garden That The Whole Family Will Love

If you are lucky to have a backyard for your family to play in, then you might be looking for ways for it to be more family friendly. Having a garden that is safe and appropriate for kids is important for their growth and development. What it doesn’t mean is having a bald lawn and children’s toys all over the yard. You can create a garden that is perfect for kids, as well as adults. So when the warmer weather comes around, you can all enjoy it to the fullest. There is no need to spend a lot either. So if you are looking for some ideas to make your garden a better place for your family, then read on.

tips-and-ideas-for-making-a-fun-and-safe-garden-that-the-whole-family-will-love

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Relax

First of all, when creating a garden for all of the family, you need to relax the expectations you have a little bit. You might have the image of a perfectly pruned rose bush running alongside the garden, but the kids might just want a lawn to play games on. Both of these things can be achieved, though. Just relax in the thought that the whole garden won’t be pristine necessarily, but areas of it can be. You could create a specific garden just for things that you are growing, that the kids can’t go near. Likewise, they can relax their expectations and know they can’t use all of the garden to play ball games in. A bit of give and take is key when you have children.

Think of Safety

We all have different gardens with completely different layouts. Some will have acres of land to think about. Others will have a smaller yard, which backs onto a neighbor’s house, for instance. But we can all create a safe garden, regardless of what the garden is like. It might be a case of installing fencing, for example. Then little ones can’t just wander out onto the drive or road. Think about every little thing. If there is a crack or hole in existing fencing, there is a chance that children will just try to get through it. So do a walk around the area and think about what could happen. There are other considerations other than escape routes too. Certain plants can be harmful to little ones. Rhubarb leaves, for instance, can be harmful. So if you are growing that, keep it covered and out of reach. If you are unsure about other plants, then make sure you look it up online. Better to be safe than sorry. If there is something that you could do to make the area safer, then make a few changes.

You should also think about what you are trying to keep out of the garden as well. Does the neighbor have a large dog, for example? If so and there is a crack in the fencing, could the dog get through? Hopefully, they will be contained on the other side, but you never know. Some precautions like this will mean you can enjoy your garden in peace and not panic or worrying about your toddler just wandering off into the road.

 

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Add Elements of Fun

A garden is a place for a family to relax in and also to play. So you want to make sure that you are creating some elements of fun. If you have got some existing toys or games out there, check on the quality of them. If they aren’t that great, then think about getting some new ones. You could get a water table or sandpit, for example. Both of those things can be covered up and put to one side for storage, so it doesn’t get too messy in the garden. Depending on the age of your children, you might think about getting them something like a Flexible Flyer Play Park swing set. Then they can play out there until their heart’s content. Think about the safety aspect, though, and only get it for children that are old enough. Unless you will always be out in the garden with them when using it.

If you find that you don’t like the mess that having toys and games out in the garden brings, then think about ways that you can get storage. You can get outdoor storage that blends in well. It is weatherproof and waterproof so it will keep everything in good condition. It will make a difference to the look of the garden too.

Eliminate Water

When there are little ones around, then some things shouldn’t be in a garden. Think of a pond or water feature, for example. If a toddler is playing in the garden when you are doing some weeding, then it can be really dangerous. They could easily fall in. The scary thing is that a toddler can drown in only a few inches of water. So anything with water that children could fall in should be eliminated. You can still have things like a water butt; just keep it high and covered, rather than low and open like a trough.

Split the Garden into Zones

As has been mentioned about expectations, the garden can be divided up a little. It isn’t with a physical line unless you want it to be. But create divisions by what you have in certain areas. You could make the patio be an area for everyone, with seating and some children’s toys. The toy storage could be in that area too. Then you could divide the lawn, so the far end is for you and your plants and flowers. The lawn closer to the patio could be the children’s area, for example. That would be where you’d put their swing set, for instance. Then naturally, the garden will be used in certain ways when everyone is in it.

I hope that this has given you some inspiration when it comes to your garden. It can be easy to create a more family-friendly garden after all. You don’t even have to spend a lot. But it will make a difference to how you use the space.

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