With the price of the simplest and humblest family day out on the weekend having risen considerably in the past couple of years or so, it’s no wonder that more and more people are instead choosing to host family events and spend their weekends at home and in the garden.
So, in readiness for the summer, make sure that you read the following concise yet helpful guide to making your backyard and garden considerably more family friendly.
Install a Sand Pit
For younger children, there’s nothing more enjoyable than messing around in the sand in the garden on a summer’s day, and for older children, you could also include an exploratory rock garden, too.
Even a smaller gravel-lined play area with soft stones and no rough edges will enhance your children’s playtime, and if you’re interested in creating true outdoor adventurers in your kids, also include sticks and branches for them to build and play with.
Section Off Different Areas
Next, instead of envisioning your new layout as a place where everybody can mix together in one large, central, space, you should instead consider designating clearly defined areas for different purposes.
Your children will be much happier, and indeed, much safer, playing on the soft grass, while the adults can relax with food and drinks in the patio and decking area. For a more sophisticated feel, you could even look into having custom glass railings installed around the edge of the decking, which will ensure that you can always supervise the kids down below in the garden.
3. Focus on Safety
Another important task is to take a thorough walkaround the entirety of the yard and check that the whole area has been made as safe and secure as possible for your children.
In terms of plants and shrubs, mistletoe, rhododendrons, and even lilies are poisonous and can cause serious problems if ingested by young children and teenagers, so it’s definitely best to avoid such plants.
Other safety suggestions for the garden include:
Always ensuring that garden equipment and tools are kept in a locked shed.
Sectioning off a part of the garden for younger children.
Fixing or replacing any cracked, uneven, or broken paving slabs.
Erecting an attractive yet functional fence around the pond and pool.
4. Avoid Over-Styling the Area
Many amateur gardeners make the mistake of assuming that the better, smarter and tidier their outdoor area, the better it is for adults and children alike, although this is often simply not the case.
The trick for a family-friendly backyard is to strike the perfect balance between a decluttered and safe garden, yet still allow nature to flourish, namely by keeping the grass (rather than having artificial grass placed down instead), allowing plants and shrubs to expand and grow, and of course, encouraging wildlife.
A simple bird feeder hanging from the largest and most luscious tree branches containing suet balls suitable specifically for wild birds will attract a whole manner of different species and make for a fascinating spectacle all year round.
