Summertime in Our Backyards

Remember when we were kids? Summertime was bliss! School was out and our friends would come over and play in our backyards. Our backyard was the happiest place to be.

Fast forward to today. The kids are now enjoying the backyard with their friends, but as parents, we no longer think of the backyard as “the happiest place to be.”

If you own a pool, a trampoline, a grill, or a play set, you also think of the potential dangers they can have on young children. Anxiety sets in.

And although backyards are generally smaller today, homeowners have at least one of the popular forms of entertainment mentioned above.

Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure your backyard is the safest place for your child and their friends to play this summer.

Trampolines

All kids love trampolines! But did you know that according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, trampolines cause nearly 100,000 injuries each year?

To avoid any injuries, always limit the number of jumpers on the trampoline at the time. If there are too many kids jumping at one time, they can easily hit each other in the head or get thrown from the trampoline itself.

Playset

Another common method of backyard summer fun is a playset, which can be enjoyed by children (and adults) of ALL ages. So what’s the safety problem? Safety issues arise if there are any damaged areas on the playset.

Regularly check for sturdiness, rusty bolts and wood rot, and make necessary repairs. Also, always make sure your playsets are secured on level ground and can’t tip over. If the playset isn’t fully secure or is rusting, swings can break, slides can snap and someone will get hurt.

Pool

Never allow any unsupervised swimming in your pool. Always make sure there are at least two people, and NEVER let kids swim without adult supervision. There seem to be too many tragic stories each year of children drowning or nearly drowning because of lack of supervision.

BBQ Grill

Make sure all children know and understand that BBQs grills are extremely hot and shouldn’t be touched. Children should never play near grills.

Never leave the BBQ unattended when cooking, especially if there are kids in the backyard. Everyone knows kids are curious, that’s how they learn, but make sure they know that it won’t be a fun lesson if they touch a hot grill. Ouch!

Creating a Safe Backyard Can Be Your Bliss

Taking the time to do these simple safety checks can not only give parents peace of mind when kids are playing in the backyard, but can also prevent serious injuries.

Do you have any backyard safety tips or stories? Share them with us in the comment section below!

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