As parents and homeowners, we all love to see our children having fun and enjoying the outdoors, however this can be made difficult if our patio and other backyard areas pose some level of safety risk.
The truth is, patios can often be quite hazardous for young children and aren’t always set up well for child activity, so we wanted to take a quick look at a few ways you can make your patio both safe and fun for your little ones.
WHAT ARE Child safety risks on patios
Outdoor areas are often partially or fully exposed to the elements and that means water can be present from time to time. Water and running children are the perfect combination for slips, so it’s no surprise that many patio accidents involve this type of footing mishap.
Patios also have an array of features that kids can easily trip on or fall over. Steps, gaps, fixtures, furniture…the list goes on and on. Even small cracks or missing pieces of patio floor are possible trip hazards for children busily playing or very young children learning to walk.
In addition to slips, trips and falls, very young children can also be at risk from plant life around patios. Prickly or thorny plants like roses and cacti are dangerous for obvious reasons, while others like golden dewdrop are classified as poisonous. There can also be an abundance of choking hazards in form of pebbles and other landscaping materials that may look edible in the eyes of a young child.
Here’s Some Child-friendly patio tips
With the main dangers clear, here are a few tips to make your patio not only safe but fun for your children:
- Install a roof – A roof will help keep the patio floor dry and actively reduce slips in the wet weather, as well provide cooling shade and protection from sunburn when the hot stuff comes along.
- Surfacing – Ensure your patio is properly maintained and any breaks, cracks, damage, or missing sections that may contribute to a fall are repaired. If you’re in a position to look at resurfacing your patio, you may consider the use of non-slip flooring options or something with a softer feel.
- Remove garden dangers – If you have young children, make sure your patio and surrounding area doesn’t include anything that can cut, poke, choke, or poison.
- Adequate lighting – Poor lighting is not only a hazard for children as even the most careful adult can come unstuck if they can’t see where they are going. You can read more on lighting options for patios in our previous post.
Include fun and play – While all of the above will undoubtedly make any patio much safer for children, you also want to include elements that foster play. Depending on budget and space, this could include permanent features such as sand pits/boxes or garden beds/veggie patches, or temporary items such as cubby houses and other small play equipment.
We build Child-friendly patios on the Sunshine Coast
When it comes to patio design, balancing adult stuff like aesthetics and functionality with fun and safety for children can seem like an impossible task. To make sure you achieve your goals get the best possible patio for your family, we recommend consulting with professional patio designers and builders.
Coastal Patios designers are experts in all aspects of patio design and can guide you in creating patios, decks, and pergolas that both adults and children will love. Get in touch with our local Sunshine Coast team today for a free, no-obligation quote.