Childproofing Your Backyard
By opinion8d on May 27, 2009 in General
Childproofing your backyard is as important as childproofing inside your home, as my nephews are so aptly demonstrating to my in-laws lately. They’ve been waking up early in the morning and sneaking out of the house without anyone hearing them, doing things like letting the dogs out and getting into the cars.
One thing you might want to do is ensure that your kids can’t get outside without you, at least until they are big enough to know better than to do certain things. For example, my parents’ house has a sliding glass door with a slide lock up at the top that sticks a pin in the frame and keeps the door from opening, even if the handle lock is forced; that kind of thing can help you to keep your kids from going outside unattended, at least until they are tall enough to reach!
You should also do certain things to childproof your backyard. For instance, hot tub covers are important to keep small children from unwittingly falling into the hot tub. Even a small 2 person hot tub is plenty big enough for a child to drown in. Heck, even an adult could drown in a hot tub if they fell in and hit their head, so you can never be too careful about keeping the cover on when it’s not in use!
Although there is obviously less you can do to childproof outside, the point is to at least keep the obvious catastrophes from happening. Of course, your child should also be supervised outside, but even supervision can’t prevent some accidents!
On Jun 10, 2009, Jessica Harris said:
Key locks are also a great way to keep youngsters in the house. They have to be opened with an actual key, as opposed to a turn latch. Also they now make childproof fences to put around pools, which would probably work with a hot tub as well.
On Jun 20, 2009, Shane said:
It’s always hard to keep children in check because they’re built to run around everywhere. That’s a good idea with the locks on the slide doors, though. And I agree with Jessica, fences around the pool are great ideas.
On Jun 20, 2009, Hannah said:
I usually keep a wooden cover over the tub. It’s light enough to easily remove but heavy enough that kids will never be able to take it off.
But I’m still talking off putting a fence in because you can never be too sure with kids.
On Jun 20, 2009, Patricia said:
It’s always hard when kids are involved. And a hot tub is such a great temptation for them. I know it was for me!
Fences and covers are good. Can’t think of anything else better than that. Hmm. Let me get back to you on that.
On Jun 21, 2009, Ara said:
Yes, key locks are good. And remember to keep the keys out of reach.
As for the outside, just make sure the hot tub is fenced in and has its own “house”. But if you can’t, yeah it’s better to keep doors secure.
On Jun 21, 2009, Ara said:
Key locks are a great idea! Just make sure to keep the keys out of reach of the kids, too.
As for the tub, it’s a great idea to have a “house” for it. Keep it separate.
But if you can’t really do too much about it. Then just make sure all the doors going outside are really secure.
Great post!
On Jun 21, 2009, Sasha said:
Yes, that’s also a problem for me. But I’ve managed to keep them going out by securing the doors. And when they’re outside, I make sure someone responsible is out there with them. It took a long time to get them used to asking but it did work eventually.
Great post!
On Jun 21, 2009, Cecil said:
Key locks are a great idea! You should using that for the fencing around the hot tub, too.
On Jun 21, 2009, May said:
That’s a problem for me, too. I usually keep the hot tub in a sort of separate house. And we’ve also taught the kids to stay in an area just for them.
It was hard but so worth it.
Great post.
On May 19, 2010, Aiden Thompson said:
i love to take a bath in a Hot Tub, this was the first thing that i installed in our newly built house.~’-