You likely child-proofed your house before your baby was sitting up, much less walking, maybe even before he or she was born. You put corner guards on your coffee table, removed the chemicals from under the sink, lowered the temperature on your water heater, and installed childproof latches on all of your kitchen cabinets. But now it’s summer and you don’t want to stay indoors in your safe house, you want to take your baby outside. There are fluttery butterflies to chase, tickly grass to feel, pretty flowers to smell, and cool water to splash in. You need to childproof the outdoors. Is it even possible? You can make your backyard baby-friendly by focusing on just a few major areas.
Create Soft Landings
- Use portable safety gates or play yards on grass, artificial turf, or rubber play mats to create a wobble-friendly area for babies just learning to toddle.
- Cover sharp corners on outdoor furniture or architectural features, just like your indoor coffee table.
- Use plants to create a soft barrier around sculptures or concrete walls.
- If you have playground equipment, be sure it’s age appropriate, sturdy and in good condition.
- Use appropriate surfacing materials such as rubber mats, loose recycled rubber fill, or wood fiber under equipment to create a safe backyard playground.
Restrict Access to Pools
- Install pool gates that are self-closing and self-latching, in addition to 4 foot high fencing.
- Make sure any doors leading to the pool are locked. (Don’t forget about pet doors.)
- Make sure that pool gates that are hard for babies and small children to operate.
- Even kiddie pools should be off-limits to babies and toddlers, unless adults are directly supervising, or even better actively participating in, water play.
- Make sure to fence off kiddie pools or empty when not in use.
Avoid Burns
- Store garden hoses in the shade where the water in it won’t become dangerously hot.
- Put a portable baby gate around the outdoor fireplace even when adults are present. A low safety gate will keep the kids from tumbling in, while still allowing adults to enjoy the fire (and even roast marshmallows).
- Don’t forget the sunscreen for babies over six months. Before that, it’s safer to just keep them out of direct sunlight.
- Watch out for overly hot play equipment, ladders, and outdoor toys.
Landscape with Kids in Mind
- Avoid poisonous plants such as azaleas, daffodils, lily of the valley, foxglove, wisteria, and hydrangea, just to name a few. Check here for an illustrated list.
- Plant a vegetable garden, but keep in mind rhubarb leaves and tomato plants are poisonous.
- Try mint, or its cousin lemon balm, for ground cover. They smell wonderful, are edible, and spread quickly.
- Nasturtium is a trailing flower that is easily planted from seed and has a wonderful peppery taste.
Of course there is no substitute for parental supervision to keep your baby safe. Keep a portable play yard outside with you to quickly corral children in the event that you need to concentrate on a chore, take a phone call, or handle an emergency. But for a safe backyard that you and your baby can enjoy, concentrate on non-toxic plants, avoiding burns of all kinds, using baby gates to restrict access to water, and providing soft landings so kids can walk, run, and play without injuries.
At Little Otter we want you and your family to have a safe and fun summer! If you’d like more information about our swimming lessons please contact us.
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