Home Safety Zone - Backyard Safety

Backyard Safety

Backyard safety = more fun!

Every summer lawns across America are teeming with kids having the time of their lives. The smell of grass and the sweet freedom from school is one of life's ultimate pleasures for children. It is up to us that the environment that they are playing in is a safe one and so it's important for us as parents and caregivers to really bone up on backyard safety. In addition to all you learn on this site, go through your own home and pick out any safety hazards that are present and eliminate them, then put together a checklist that you can refer to throughout the summer and keep abreast of backyard safety. These should help you to start putting together a checklist that suits the needs of your household.

Know the types of snakes and other potential poisonous creatures that could be present in your yard. Teach the children to also be able to identify them and go over what should be done in the event of a bite.
Surround the lawn with backyard fences that will help to keep yur children and pets inside and safe, while also keeping other potentially dangerous animals out.
Always use insect repellent. Remove any standing water which are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes.
Don't leave a grill unattended and ;let the children know how dangerous it is to be near grills; make sure that the ashes are cool before you throw them out; disconnect propane tanks and store them where children cannot reach them.
Store all tools and equipment in a locked shed.
Use that sunscreen!
Make sure that the children are drinking adequate amounts of water and that they take breaks from playtime every now and then when it is very hot outside.
Plastic chairs are easy to tip, keep them away from children's play areas.
If you have a treehouse or trampoline in your backyard, adjust your checklist to include treehouse safety as well as trampoline safety.

Making periodic checks of your backyard and its vicinity will help to keep surprises and accidents to a minimum. Refer to your checklist throughout the summer and make backyard safety a top priority. Don't forget to include weather safety issues in the checklist. After a hurricane or other weather related issue, the backyard can very quickly turn from a fun place into a dangerous place.

Related Resources: