Creating a paradise away from the city

If you have young children that like to play in the garden, here are some steps you may want to take to ensure that they stay safe whilst they're spending time in this part of your home.

Add an awning

If your children play in the garden for an extended period of time during a bout of hot weather, there is a risk that they may end up sunburned or that they will develop heat stroke or heat exhaustion. This could happen even if they wear sunscreen and drink lots of water.

As such, if you live in an area with a hot climate, it's worth adding an awning to your garden area so that your son or daughter can play outdoors without running the risk of becoming ill or sunburnt.

Many awnings nowadays are made from UV-resistant fabric and, as such, will offer your children protection from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays when they want to spend time in the garden.

Furthermore, because the heat of the sun cannot travel through the awning fabric, the area underneath this structure will stay quite cool, even if the temperatures outside are very high. As such, an awning can also allow your children to carry on playing outdoors on a hot day, without running the risk of developing heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Drain or cover water fountains or ponds

Water features such as fountains and ponds can greatly enhance the appearance of a garden. However, they can be quite dangerous if you have young children, as there is a chance that your son or daughter could potentially fall into them whilst playing outside or drinking some of the water. The latter could be quite dangerous if the water is contaminated with harmful bacteria such as E.coli.

Given this, if your children love hanging out in the garden and you don't want to have to constantly monitor their every move to ensure their safety, it's best to drain any water features in your home's outdoor area.

Alternatively, you can simply cover them up; a pond, for example, can be covered with a piece of framed wire mesh. If you decide to do this, make sure that the frame around the mesh is secured to the edges of the pond with nails; this will ensure that it does not blow off on windy days and that your children cannot lift it off when they are outside.