There are more than 30,000 private schools in the United States, serving almost 6 million PK-12 students. Whether your children go to public school, private school, or are homeschooled, it’s important that they’re as safe as possible during the time that they spend at home during their summer break. Accidental falls, slips, and trips can cause unpleasant visits to the emergency room if you aren’t careful. And the more time your family spends around water, the higher the potential there is for an accident. Adding kid-friendly safety features is a great way to help keep eliminate some of this risk.
You can ensure that your family is as safe as possible in your own backyard by following these tips:
Install Correct Fencing
It’s vitally important that you install a safety fence around any water features or swimming pools in your backyard. These fences help prevent drowning accidents, although you’ll still have to carefully supervise your family around water. In addition, consider adding a privacy fence to help mark your property boundaries and keep your children safe. Be sure to check fence company near me and the guidelines in your area before you start to dig. Some states, including California, require landowners to notify their neighbors 30 days before they begin excavation for fencing or other structures.
BONUS: Indoor fountains are just not seen enough. Make sure to check out the indoor fountains guidebook.
Add Safety Railings
Install safety railings around steps and patios to help prevent falls and make sure your family can get up and down as safely as possible. Stairs can be difficult for little ones, especially if they’re excited about summer fun, so railings can help prevent slips and falls.
Build Proper Storage
It’s crucial that you have proper storage in your backyard area, including a locked shed for dangerous gardening tools and pool chemicals. Building the correct storage helps keep the littlest members of your family safely away from dangerous materials. In addition, it’s important to make sure that the water in your pool is correctly balanced for optimum health and safety. Correct balance helps the chlorine work as effectively as possible to protect your family, so aim for a pH balance of 7.4 to 7.6 for the best possible results.
Add Non-Slip Surfaces
Create non-slip surfaces around water features and the pool to help prevent slip and fall injuries. Little ones tend to move quickly, so it’s important to keep them as safe as possible. Installing non-skid surfaces can help eliminate trips and bumps before they happen, helping avoid trips to the emergency room putting a dampener on the summer fun your family is having.
Install Lights and Security Cameras
Often, accidents happen simply because there isn’t enough light to see well. Installing additional lights in pathways, around the pool, and near stairs can go a long way towards preventing accidents. In addition, consider installing security cameras. These can help keep your family safe, deterring potential break-ins. In addition, they may provide you with a nice discount on your homeowner’s insurance. Speak to your insurance agent to find out if adding the cameras, or any other property improvements you’ve made, qualify you for a discount.
Summer is a time of cookouts, afternoon swims, and family fun, but accidents also increase. You can help keep your family as safe as possible by upgrading your backyard with one (or all) of the features we’ve discussed. These easy improvements can help lower the risk of accidental falls, drownings, and other accidents, helping to keep everyone healthy throughout the hottest months of the year. If you aren’t able to make these changes on your own, reach out to a local contractor to have them installed. This will allow your family to have the safest, most fun summer yet.
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