Our advice to avoid the dangers of the garden

Don’t leave gardening tools and supplies lying around

An accident quickly occurred. Be sure to store the rake, shovel and other tools in a place out of the reach of children. Do not forget to store all weedkillers and cleaning products in a safe place. They are real poisons. Do they want to garden with you? You will find ranges suitable for each age in DIY stores.

Garden chairs and furniture

Folding and plastic: these are pieces of furniture that are easy to move but sometimes too light, quick to tip over, if your children are fidgeting in their chairs or clinging to the table. The risk: they fall or pinch their fingers. Make sure the mechanisms are properly engaged and never put a toddler on a lounge chair.

Secure the terrace

A safeguard is essential. High enough (1,20 m) not to be climbed, with a narrow enough bar spacing (60 mm) so that one cannot squeeze through. Be careful, a toy or piece of furniture can be used as stepladders. Choose a non-slip paving, knowing that its effectiveness may be limited after rain.

Inspect fences and gate

Check that the wood has not been damaged during bad winter weather or that there are no snags in the wire mesh. Fill in any gaps a toddler might find his way through. Watch out for the protruding pieces of wire. The gate must be locked after each passage, otherwise your toddlers will not hesitate to cross the barrier.

Watch the children’s swimming

Even if it is only a modest basin, vigilance should never falter: a child can drown in 10 cm of water. A swimming pool must meet safety standards, seek the advice of a professional. Since 2006, it must be equipped with protective barriers, an alarm system and a security blanket.

Read also our file: Swimming, safety rules

Teach him not to touch plants

Oleander, broom, honeysuckle berries: these plants are poisonous. Be careful because children are attracted to bright colors and tend to put everything in their mouths. Very quickly, they must be taught not to eat without authorization what they do not know.

Garden with him

There are gardening tools for kids, suitable for every age, that you can find in home improvement stores. The little ones will opt for plastic shovels and rakes. From the age of 4, wooden and metal tools with a round tip will make them real budding gardeners.

At barbecue time: keep them at bay

When buying, choose a stable model with four feet rather than three feet or a single column. Stay close to the appliance during cooking and then watch your children when they leave the table: the grill and the embers stay hot for a long time.

Choose the location of the gantry carefully

The ideal: a firm ground in which the equipment is not likely to sink but soft enough to absorb falls, in a shaded space, far from obstacles such as walls or ditches. Avoid buying a gantry over 2,50 m, a reasonable height limits the risks. As for the swings, the rigid bar models are more stable for toddlers.

Keep the sandbox clean

By raking it regularly, you will remove stones and pieces that could injure it. Likewise, it is better to change the sand quite often. After the games, don’t forget to wash their hands and face to avoid skin problems, digestive problems or wound infection.