Does anything beat throwing the doors open and letting your kids loose in the summer months? We don’t think so. After all, as well as buying you precious alone time, outdoor play is great for everything from burning energy, to advancing children’s understanding of plant life, creepy crawlies, and all other manner of wonderful things. Unfortunately for many parents, unsuitable outdoor setups make it tricky to let the kids out on their own.
This can be a real missed trick, and it’s something you might be able to overcome by considering the following tips for creating a garden that’s just right for young explorers.
# 1 – Consider visibility
If you can’t see what your kids are up to outside, then you might feel the need to be out there with them. As well as keeping you tied, this is a problem because it can limit their explorations. The solution? Simply create a garden with great visibility. If you have a window or large patio doors, then you’re already winning here. Even if not, simple things, like keeping your garden all on one level, and avoiding obstacles like high plants or trellises, should mean you can see exactly what your kids are up to with just a glance.
# 2 – Secure potential risks
Image Source: CC0 LicenceEven if you have older children, potential risks like swimming pools make it unwise to let them out on their own. This is why you should also take steps to secure any potential risks like this. For swimming pools, in particular, secure fencing or covers can be useful at all times. Equally, investing in a regular swimming pool service can help to keep the space clear from things like algae, which could cause kids to slip in. Elsewhere in the garden, things like pond covers or enclosures, and safe plant varieties, can also take risks off the table. You may also want to secure your yard boundaries with either new fence installations or the planting of a gap-free hedge. That way, you’ll always know that your kids can’t do much damage out there.
# 3 – Make it fun
These efforts will surely go to waste if there’s nothing for your kids to do outside. So, think about making the space fun. You certainly want to avoid a blank outdoor expanse, but should instead think about introducing a variety of plant life for a thriving and healthy garden. As well as being interesting in itself, this will attract insects that can provide hours of engagement and learning. Equally, a great yard for kids will include some things to do, such as a water and sand table, or even something more extreme, like a climbing frame, slide, or swing. In the latter instance,, always make sure that equipment is age-appropriate and placed on grass, rather than concrete. Then, you’ll be able to sit back and let the kids loose.
Outdoor play has endless benefits for you and your children. Simply make sure your garden is up to the task by applying these simple pointers.