Examine your yard. How big is it? Is it safely fenced? Does it have a deck that children could fall off? Make a list of any potential hazards! Think about the ages of your children and how many you have. This is important because depending on how old they are and other factors lists the dangers they might put themselves in. Go out into your yard. Is it fenced in? If it is, could the fence be climbed over or harm your child (Spikes, etc.) If you don't have a fence, go to a store (such as Rona or Home Depot) and buy a safe fence that is preferably flat and of tall/medium height. There are lots of different types of fencing, so if you like that sort of thing, find one that complements your home and garden! Once you're sure your fencing is safe, it's time to think about deck heights. If you don't have a deck, then you can skip this step. If there is a hole between the deck floor and bench that children could crawl through, fall into the lower garden, and hurt themselves, either put short fencing over the gap so the hole is too small for anyone to climb through, or put boards cardboard, or plastic in front of it so there is no gap showing. Now it's time for stairs entering and exiting

the garden. Children can fall down the stairs and injure themselves, so this is important. Put something relatively soft at the bottom of the stairs, so that if they fall, they won't seriously harm themselves. Make sure they're wearing appropriate footwear. If it's raining, give them rain boots for just a bit of added protection! Remember though, if your child is quite young, you should always make sure you accompany them walking down the stairs. After using these tips, scan your garden (And your list) for anything you have to fix not mentioned here. Do what feels right, and think in your child's mind. Talk to your child about being safe in the garden. Give them the rules and boundaries, and how to be safe. Just telling them lets them know about being safe, and it helps!