The pandemic interrupted everyone’s holiday plans. What used to be a much-awaited summer, fruitful thanksgiving, and other exciting holidays turned into instant staycations. With homes being the safest place during the pandemic, parents are left with no choice but to keep their families from traveling.
With holidays spent indoors, kids become restless, leaving parents feeling stressed out. They try to find ways to keep the family happy without resorting to traveling. The solution many parents found is turning their backyard into a staycation hotspot.
Staycation as a Safer Alternative
Even the thought of the kids leaving the house can make parents squirm with anxiety. With the rise of pediatric COVID-19 infections, parents don’t want to take risks by taking their family on a holiday trip. How can they keep the kids engaged without leaving the house?
Through staycations, the whole family can enjoy special holidays and occasions without leaving the house. Since kids are always cooped up inside their homes, one great way to make staycations more meaningful is by transforming the backyard. Thankfully, the internet is never short of terrific ideas on turning backyards into a staycation paradise.
But then, some questions can ruin our staycation plan. Is your backyard a safe place to conduct staycations? How can one ensure the safety of their backyard?
Backyard Safety for a Safer Staycation
The backyard is now a hub for the whole family during the pandemic. But according to numerous reports, thousands of kids fall victim to accidents in their own backyard. It only becomes a must that we do every possible thing to make your outdoor living space safe.
Here are a few reminds that can help in improving backyard safety for safer staycations.
Consider Your Landscaping
You want to make sure there are no poisonous plants thriving in your backyard. A bit of research will tell us what plants we should remove, if not isolate from the kids. Note that some plants may be harmless to humans but harmful to pets.
Ticks can ruin your family’s staycation. These small parasites may often be harmless. But there are cases when certain ticks can be dangerous if they bite any of your family members. Prevent them from making a home out of your backyard using the following tips.
- Keep your grass short.
- Zone the area with three feet barrier of mulch, gravel, or wood chips.
- Neatly stack woodpiles in a dry area.
- Consider employing chickens.
- Plant American beauty-berry bushes.
- Hire the pros to get rid of ticks.
You can also use a spray or lotion containing N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide or DEET. When all else fails, call the pros for help. There are local companies that offer home tick control services so you can get rid of ticks and other infamous pests.
Create Boundaries
If you have an open backyard, now is the time to think of ways to create physical boundaries for your kid’s safety. You might not have a problem with your neighbors joining in the fun. But with your kids spending more time out in the backyard, you want to make sure they don’t wander in other people’s property or the streets, for that matter.
Keeping kids in a fenced backyard will give you peace of mind. If you already have a yard, make sure to keep the backyard gates locked. It also helps to teach the kids about boundaries.
Secure Potential Hazards
You might have different things in your backyard that makes it the perfect staycation venue. There could be a pool, a fire pit, an outdoor kitchen, a grill, a trampoline, your lawnmower, or even playsets. You want to make sure you keep your eyes on the kids and still secure these potential hazards.
Here are a few safety reminders to better secure potential hazards.
- Never leave kids unattended.
- Place the fire pit away from plants, low-hanging trees, your deck, your home, and the kid’s hangout places.
- Fully extinguish the fire and cool coals completely before getting rid of them.
- Secure lawnmowers, grass cutters, and other equipment in a locked shed.
- Evaluate playsets and make the necessary improvements to prevent potential injuries.
- Remove ladders in the trampoline to prevent kids from jumping in without your supervision.
- Never leave grills and outdoor kitchen unattended.
- Create a pool barrier with a self-closing lock.
- Waterproof your deck to prevent kids from slipping.
- Store garden tools in secure places.
Your backyard can be your family’s source of fun and comfort while sheltering in place. You might not be able to go to the beach, visit tourist destinations, or spend the holidays while on the road. But you can transform your yard and make it into the ultimate venue for your family’s staycation. Just make sure you take the necessary steps to increase its safety before putting your staycation plans into action.