When you get the news that you are expecting, the thoughts and emotions you experience can be difficult to get a handle on at first. There are so many things to do to prepare for a new baby, including getting your house safe and completely babyproofed. But while most parents tend to focus on making the inside of their home safe for their new arrivals, you must make sure to remember that your backyard needs babyproofing as well.
If you have a pool in the backyard, it would make sense to install glass pool fencing for additional safety. With that thought in mind, you can start to see where other areas of your backyard may need some work to ensure your infant stays protected. Thankfully, with some planning and preparation, you should be able to babyproof your backyard before you know it.
Continue reading to learn about some different options to babyproof your backyard moving forward.
Teach Your Children About Safety Outdoors
Just as you’d want to teach your kids about how they can stay safe indoors, so too do you want to make sure that they’re well-equipped to play outside with minimal risk of injury. And while you can’t expect to teach your baby much of anything when they are still in the infant stage, you can still start teaching them the basics as soon as possible. Then, once your children get older, you can continue pushing the importance of safety around the home, and it will eventually become second nature to them.
This approach can help them in a lot of areas of life, as basic safety awareness is a skill that can be used in any situation. The more your child learns as they are growing, the more they can do to protect themselves and others around them.
Invest In Fences And Railing
Depending on your unique backyard layout, and adjacent properties, you are most likely going to need some perimeter fencing. Little kids love to take off and wander, and for some reason, they develop superpowers that allow them to disappear in milliseconds. So having a fence around the perimeter of your home (and pools!) will ensure that they can only get so far.
If there are areas of your property that are not so safe for your little ones, all it takes is a proper rail or fence to keep them out. It will certainly cost you to have these things put in, but no cost can possibly compare to knowing that your child is safe.
Fake The Grass If You Need To
Some family homes are located in areas where it is more difficult to grow a lawn. But you don’t want your children playing on concrete or paving instead, as untimely falls can result in nasty scrapes or bruises. So what is the best outdoor surface for your younger children to play on?
Most parents opt for soft gym matting on concrete or outdoor tiling to provide additional protection for infants as they introduce them to outdoor play. Another great option is investing in fake grass like astroturf. This will give you the illusion of having a real lawn with all the safety features that come with soft grass – and none of the upkeep to boot. It will be infinitely more difficult for your kid to skin a knee or bust a lip on astroturf than some of the other options out there. And isn’t that the whole point of babyproofing after all?
Insect And Pest Control
Even if no one in the family has any particular allergies to insect bites and stings, it doesn’t mean these bug bites are going to hurt any less. Nothing can ruin a child’s day faster than being stung by a riled-up wasp or hornet. So take your time to do an initial sweep of the backyard before you let your kids outside to play. In doing so, you can help prevent the likelihood of you having to rush to the doctor’s office on a weekend because someone’s been stung by a bee!
If you do happen to find a wasp’s nest or beehive in your backyard, then we strongly recommend that you call an expert exterminator to help address the problem and eradicate pests at their source. This is imperative for securing the safety of both your children, pets, and any other members of your household.
Designate An Area For Children
If your backyard is large enough, it never hurts to have a dedicated section for the children to play in. Jungle gym equipment, sandboxes, or even just a nice little spot in the shade can all be incorporated into this space to make the young ones feel like they have a special spot all for themselves.
This will also allow you and other parents to watch over kids much easier and with less pressure to maintain constant vigilance. It’s also important to note that this designated play area doesn’t have to be anything large or overtly special – just a spot that is safe and has a good field of vision for the adults who’ll be supervising as the kiddies play.
Supervision Is Essential
And speaking of supervision, it doesn’t matter how much time, money, or technology you put into your backyard to babyproof it. Nothing is going to be a better security measure than adult supervision. If your infant or toddler is going to be out in the backyard, you better make sure that there is always an adult on the watch to keep them safe. Kids can get into trouble in an instant, and no amount of preparation can handle everything they get into.
This also applies for parents who have backyards that come fitted with baby gates. It’s not impossible for growing toddlers to figure out just how to open the latch on their baby gate, and the day that they finally get it open is the day that you’ll need to amend your childproofing strategies.
Final words: How to babyproof your backyard
All in all, babyproofing is by no means a static process, nor is there a ‘one size fits all’ solution. All babies and toddlers are different, and your backyard spaces will need tailored babyproofing solutions for this reason and many more. So don’t be afraid to amend your babyproofing methods whenever they’re needed. In doing so, you’ll be able to safeguard your children as they continue to explore the wider world around them.
