Our gardens are, for many of us, an extension of the home. You can decorate them with plants, lighting, furniture and sometimes buildings. Use them to entertain and relax in, some of us even use them to work in. We also use it as another place for children to play in. However, if you’re using your shed as another place for your children to play in. Or your little rascals love playing hide and seek in your shed, you might want to consider how you can childproof it.
Make your shed childproof
As we all know, a child’s imagination can get carried away. They can use anything like a toy or fort. If you have a garden shed or plan a purchasing one you need to consider how you will childproof it because it can be just as dangerous, if not more so, than a child playing in your kitchen! You can explain to your children or grandchildren not to go into your shed until you’re blue in the face but chances are they’ll probably still go in there at some point or use it as a climbing frame.
Secure your shed with locks
Secure your shed so that nobody can enter without you. There are several ways you can do this. All of our Dunster House sheds come with a clasp and hasp, so all you need to do is add a padlock to keep small children and big imaginations out of your shed.
Add wire mesh to your windows
If you’ve opted for windows that open on your shed, you could go that one step further by attaching a wire mesh to the internal window frame. This will stop any adventurous children and curious cats from entering through the window when your shed has been left unattended.
Store your tools
It’s important to secure your tools in your shed. Not only for your safety but for the safety of any children that may enter your shed. Make sure that all tools are safely hung up or locked away out of the reach of small hands. If you have any power tools in your shed make sure that you have unplugged them and removed the batteries from any battery powered tools.
Lock hazardous and flammable materials
Sheds can be, and are, used for many different things. It’s not uncommon to find hazardous and flammable material within a shed. As a safety precaution make sure these are all clearly labeled and locked away. An accident or mistake with these materials could seriously damage a person’s health or damage your shed.
One of the primary contents usually kept in sheds is petrol for the lawn mower. It’s crucial to lock the shed door to prevent any unintended access by a child and avoid endangering their health and even life!
Never leave your shed door open
Another, extremely obvious option, is to never leave your shed door open. An open door is an open invitation for children to play inside and may come across items they shouldn’t, meaning they could easily hurt themselves.
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