It’s that time of year, when your garden, unused over long, wintry months, needs a safety-check before you let your little one out to enjoy fresh air and exercise.
Pick up broken glass, sharp stones, pieces of jagged metal or other dangerous objects that could hurt your child if they fall on them while playing.
If you don’t have a fence, get one installed. If you do, make sure it’s stable, that nails or screws aren’t sticking out and there are no holes that can let your children out or stray animals in.
Remove weeds from your lawn and keep grass cut low to prevent rodents or pests from making their home there. Avoid using toxic weed-killers that can pose a hazard to humans.
Never leave a young child unsupervised near a water feature, even a paddling pool. If you have a pond you could consider covering it with special meshing or erecting a fence around it.
Make sure play equipment is suitable for the age of the child it is intended for, and regularly check for wear and tear. Keep sandpits covered when not in use – pets and wild animals see them as the ideal loo!
Remind your children to play safely, and keep an eye on them. Teach them from as early as possible that it is dangerous to eat berries from the garden.
Top Tip:
Child with a splinter? Cover it with adhesive tape, wait a few minutes, then pull the tape off – it’s amazing how often the splinter comes with it.
Allergy Alert: Children who spend more time outside may be less likely to develop allergies. So say US researchers, who’ve discovered that a child’s risk of developing an allergy increases if he has low levels of vitamin D – a vitamin our bodies need sunshine to make. This adds to growing evidence that bringing a little more sunshine (and vitamin D) into your child’s life is good for his health.
