Water – Refreshing And Educational for Your Child
Basic Outdoor Safety Tips to Keep Your Child Safe
The outdoors are great for your children. It gives them fresh air, sunshine, and overall better health. They can play with their friends and run around, which keeps their bodies active. They can explore your yard and gardens and use their imaginations to create fun scenarios in their heads.
There are so many things that the outdoors can offer, but safety is not always guaranteed. In order to let your kids play outside without worrying about them, here are some basic safety tips you should keep in mind:
- Do not let them play outside without adult supervision. Even if you don’t join them in playing, keeping a watchful eye can save them when danger arises.
- Teach your child never to go beyond the fence. It is important that your child understands that rule and follow it strictly.
- Always lock the gates. There is no need for your child to open the gates and get out of your yard.
- Remove any hazardous, sharp, or electrical materials from their play area. These are potential sources of dangers.
- Apply sunscreen during summer and proper warm clothing in winter. Always dress your child appropriate based on the season, so they do not become overheated or develop a cold from being too chilled.
- Equip your child with a safety helmet and kneepads when riding bicycles, skateboards, or other moving toys.
- Keep outdoor tools and equipment in sheds or away from your children. Bring your gardening tools and barbecue grills inside if possible.
- Inspect their play area. Is all play equipment working fine? Is there any damage on the seesaw, monkey bars, or swing? Check it out to see if there are possible sources of accidents.
- Allow your child to play only on equipment appropriate for their age. Certain equipment like monkey bars is not safe for toddlers for example..
- Watch them closely when they’re swimming in the pool. Never leave them unattended.
- Remove or section off plants that could be potentially hazardous to their health. Educate them on what they should and should not touch.
Benefits of Gardening for Children
Minnieland Academy is committed to supporting health and nutrition by planning physical activities both indoors and outdoors, serving nutritious foods and implementing gardening and cooking experiences. Studies indicate that children who grow their own food are likely to eat more fruits and vegetables.
In the spring we prepare our gardens for planting and by mid-summer they are brimming with bounty for our children to harvest and enjoy. These range greatly in diversity with some schools opting to plant in garden boxes while others cultivate garden plots or collect recyclable materials to try their hand at container gardening.
Throughout our Minnieland programs you will see a variety of gardening such as herbs growing in window sills, flower beds planted to attract butterflies, and salsa or pizza-themed produce growing in vegetable patches. Sunflowers are also a favorite in many of our gardens.
