Design a Backyard. Create a safe, magical backyard your kids will love to explore. Discover family-friendly design tips, from playground turf to non-toxic plants, that help your outdoor space grow with your family.
Disclaimer: this post may contain affiliate links, and every purchase made through these links will give me a small commission (at absolutely no extra cost for you!) AS AN AMAZON ASSOCIATE AND REWARDSTYLE MEMBER, I EARN FROM QUALIFYING PURCHASES. See Privacy Policy for additional info.
Our home is our haven, a safe and comfortable retreat from the wild world outside. This is especially true when we are raising a family. Our slice of paradise can be anything we envision – from rustic and rugged to sleek, sophisticated, and ultra-modern. There is an enchanting presence the moment we open our doors and step into the backyard – a glorious playpen of natural beauty ensconced within the confines of our yard. For moms and dads, it’s all about providing a picture-perfect enclave for family-friendly fun.
We all can recall the enchantment of exploring the backyard with the plush, green grass beneath our feet. The dry leaves piled up enticingly, inviting us to jump in and enjoy the crackling, scrunching sounds of nature’s bounty. And beyond the obvious are the imaginary pathways to fairytale escapes – paved walkways where leprechauns, gnomes, treehouses, and swings await. For the young’uns, it’s a veritable paradise of treasures waiting to be unearthed. Every step in the backyard is an adventure, and every breath brings creative energy to the scene.
Laying a Safe Foundation with Turf for Playgrounds
There are many ways to design a backyard that grows with your kids. All it takes is a solid foundation to serve as a wellspring of ideas. Newly formed families always place a premium on the well-being of the little ones. And so it should be. Design considerations should always consider safety as the overriding feature in all brainstorming sessions.
Kids are prone to falling. The best way to guard against the scrapes, bumps, and bruises accompanying clumsy and uncertain feet is a solid foundation of plush, lush, evergreen turf for playgrounds. Safety always starts from the ground up. With soft, plush underlayment and grand cushioning underfoot, junior will always be in good hands. Falling onto high-quality turf is worlds apart from falling into balding grass with sharp bits of gravel and dirt that can cause all sorts of maladies.
Design Ideas for a Safer, Smarter Play Space
Every backyard is home to attractions. Some homeowners prefer a minimalist approach, while others go all out with grand features. With family-friendly backyards, ensuring the safety of everything is essential. Having a fenced-off yard with child-safe attractions is always a good idea. Everything is placed above the artificial turf and fixed into the ground below. This provides robust cushioning, so the junior doesn’t get jolted whenever the seesaw comes down.
Jungle-gyms are a great idea provided there are rubberized coatings, primer, paint (to prevent rust), and foam padding around any trim that can cause injuries. When adopting a safety-first approach, everything must be checked and double-checked to ensure your family members are always safe. Various games can be introduced, like giant Chess or Checkers pieces, onto a large board on the ground. These are always fun for kids, and parents are partial to them as well. Beyond the fenced-off area where the kids play (remember that adult supervision is mandatory 100% of the time), there is the greater backyard to consider.
Choosing Plants and Features That Protect and Inspire
We strongly recommend having non-toxic plants, shrubs, and flowers in the yard. Oleander—a flowering shrub—Deadly Nightshade, Foxglove (Digitalis), Castor Bean Plants (Ricin), and Lily of the Valley are examples of plants you don’t want to have anywhere near children. Poison Ivy and Poison Oak should also be removed for obvious reasons.
Fencing off the plants and shrubs with neat 2-foot wire or wooden lattice fences is always a good idea. It keeps the plants safe from the kids and animals, and vice versa. Grills, chairs, tables, swings, fishponds, plunge pools, swimming pools, jacuzzies, and hot tubs should always be family-friendly. Take extra care to place netting or covers across all bodies of water to safeguard these areas from kids or pets falling in.
As your family grows and the kids become teens, your backyard can evolve to accommodate these changes. Safety constraints can be loosened over time. Parents should always consult one another or other safety-conscious adults regarding the correct protocols to follow with a growing family. By thoughtfully planning and adapting, your backyard remains a safe, fun, and nurturing space for every stage of childhood. Embracing these thoughtful adjustments will help your backyard grow into a lasting haven where cherished memories are created and shared for years.
Leave a Reply