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Summer Safety for Toddlers
Make Your Backyard a Danger-Free Zone
Summer is a fun time for tots. With the warm weather, you and your toddler will probably be venturing outdoors more often. Your backyard needs to be a safe place for your toddler to explore. Use this checklist to help protect your child from backyard hazards.
BBQ Area
Your toddler should see the grill as a stove. Teach him or her that the BBQ is never a safe object to touch. Even when the grill is cold, ashes can get into your child's eyes if he tips the grill over or pokes a stick in the wrong place. Other items to keep out of reach:
- Lighter fluid
- Charcoal (especially the kind that is doused in flammable fluid)
- Sharp grill utensils and scrub brushes
Power Tools and Lawn Equipment
One of the biggest hazards in your yard is a running lawnmower. Generally, you can't hear if a child is running up next to you – or in front of you. What's worse, a child's head and neck are in the direct firing line of objects that can be thrown from the bottom of the mower (such as sticks, small toys, rocks and other dangerous debris). Keep all small kids indoors when mowing the lawn or using other trimming equipment (like weed-eaters and hedge trimmers).
If you have a shop or garage, you may have other power tools that can be very dangerous to your child. Place these tools on high shelves and always unplug them after use. Keep your shop or garage door locked.
Poisonous Plants and Chemicals
Did you know that many "average" outdoor plants are extremely poisonous? Daffodils and wild mushrooms (which often grow in small patches in backyards), for example, can cause very severe symptoms when eaten. Teach your toddler to never pick berries, leaves or flowers without your permission. While it can be fun to explore the woods looking for edible berries and herbs, wait until your child is older so that he or she doesn't get the wrong idea. Ask your local nursery if the plants you have in your yard are dangerous. If something is deadly, consider replacing it.
