Family Friendly Garden

Creating Child Friendly Garden

Fencing

One of the first criteria for a family friendly garden is a secure fence line which is specifically designed to provide a strong physical boundary between the sanctuary of your home and the outside world.

The choice of fencing is very much dictated by the style of the property and the local landscape. If the main area of outdoor space is to the rear of the garden, it is likely that you will need fencing on three sides and popular choices include Featherboard or tongue and groove panels, although there are now a number of stunning adaptations of the original panel fence which combine effective security with a dash of designer style. Be aware that some fencing offers the ability to see through the panels and this can represent a concern for many parents.

Creating A Child Friendly Garden

Gates

All gates need to match the same safety requirements as the fencing and must be regularly checked to ensure that the hinges / bolts are working efficiently. A gate that has come away from its hinges, or that has dropped making it difficult to close, will jeopardise the overall security of the garden, as will a gate catch which a child can easily prise open. Should you choose to install an automated gate at home, always appoint a Gate Safe Aware Installer to ensure the gate meets with the current safety requirements.

Keeping Kids Safe in the Garden

There’s nothing better for kids than playing outdoors in summer, whether they’re clambering on slides and swinging on monkey bars or cooling off in a paddling pool. Unfortunately, accidents can happen in the garden, as anywhere - so how can you ensure your little ones are kept safe when playing in the garden?

Family Friendly Decking

A great way to extend the usage opportunities for the outdoor room, is to provide a year round surface which is less likely to be affected by autumn / winter weather (unless it is absolutely pouring down with rain or tipping down with snow!). A wooden deck will enable children to enjoy the fresh air even when the rest of the garden is muddy and waterlogged.

Bare in mind all timber decking is prone to becoming slippery when wet, but grooved boards will deliver greatly improved resistance to slipping. Make sure that timber used for the deck has been adequately treated to deliver a long service life – broken or split timbers not only look unsightly, they will also render the deck unsafe.

Family Shade Solutions

Whilst in the midst of winter you may not be thinking about the need to protect your children from the sun, it is worth considering incorporating some kind of shade solutions for the warmer months (hopefully) ahead. Children are especially susceptible to the dangers of burning and this coupled with the extended periods they are likely to be exposed to the sun’s rays makes it especially important to create a shaded zone within the garden.

The Retreat Shelter is a contemporary garden structure made from Jakcure treated timber and a clear polycarbonate roof to create a light and airy outdoor retreat – ideal for entertaining, relaxing or as a dedicated children’s play area.

Alternatively, a carefully positioned pergola can also be effective in offering shelter during the hottest periods of the day.

Encourge Wildlife

Sadly modern day living and the associated depletion of natural habitats has led to a decline in the variety of wildlife typically seen in a domestic garden and this includes wild birds. 

It’s vital to get your children thinking about wildlife, creating bird friendly environments will encourage them to feed and nest within your garden