Summer Safety Tips for Backyard Fun

by Will Koch

By investing in backyard entertainment, you can make your house a go-to for summer fun. Adding swimming pools, trampolines or playground equipment attract friends and family, and the kids love it. But are you doing everything you can to keep your backyard as safe as it is fun?  

Use this summer safety checklist

Pool safety

If you're looking to create a fun backyard for your family and friends to enjoy summer, a swimming pool is a great addition. When you add safety to fun, consider these tips:

Never leave children unattended

Kids should never swim alone. Don’t go inside, even for just a second. 

Teach children to swim

Sign your kids up for swimming lessons if you haven’t already done so.

Learn important emergency skills

Everyone in the family should learn basic water skills appropriate for their age.  Young children should learn to recognize emergencies so they can alert others, and older children and adults should learn CPR and first aid.

Buy safety equipment

Keep a first-aid kit, ring buoys and reaching poles near the pool. When an emergency happens, having easy access to pool safety equipment could be the difference between life and death.

Install a pool safety fence

Some municipalities require a fence for all backyard pools. When you select a pool safety fence, make sure it protects all sides of the pool and includes self-closing gates. If the house forms part of the pool’s barrier, install the proper locks and alarms on all doors with access to the pool. You don’t want the kids sneaking out for a swim unsupervised.

Make sure everyone knows the safety rules

Create and post a list of safety rules and strictly enforce them. 

Trampoline safety

Your kids can have hours of fun and work out tons of energy bouncing on a backyard trampoline. Take these steps to keep your bouncers safe.

Add safety features to your trampoline

Don’t just invest in the trampoline. Make sure you also spring for the proper padding and netting. An enclosed trampoline can help ensure no one falls off.

Maintain your trampoline

Over time, an outdoor trampoline may need maintenance. Make sure all trampoline safety features are in working order. Inspect it regularly for missing pads, tears, exposed springs and other issues that could cause an injury.

Enforce trampoline safety rules

One person should jump at a time as most trampoline injuries occur when more than one child is jumping.

Playground safety

Inspect your playground equipment regularly

Commit to playground equipment safety. Keep an eye out for protruding bolts, open hooks, broken ropes, or rusted chains that could lead to playground injuries. Don’t delay replacing them whenever they show wear and tear.

Create a safe landing on your playground

What’s underneath your playground equipment? Invest in soft-landing material like rubber tire chips, rubber tiles or even landscaping mulch to reduce or prevent playground injuries from falls or intentional jumps.

Establish playground rules

Having kids follow simple rules can contribute to playground safety and avoid playground injuries. A safe playground is a fun playground.

Supervise young children on the playground equipment

Adult supervision is always the best approach while the kids are having fun. Keep a close eye on the kids to reduce playground injuries and ensure your backyard meets your playground safety expectations.

Review your home liability insurance limits

Even if you follow all these summer safety tips, accidents happen. So, keeping your liability insurance protection updated is key. If you add a pool, trampoline or playground to your backyard, meet with your insurance agent to see if you need to increase your home liability coverage. You may even consider an umbrella liability insurance policy to give you added protection against backyard accidents.

Updated 5-19-23