Alfresco Play

With talk of Britain raising a generation of ‘cotton wool kids’ denied the pleasures of traditional outdoor play as a result of over anxious parents too scared to let their children out alone, the pressure is on to allow kids the opportunity to indulge in some traditional free play in the safety of the home garden.

The risk of a potential knock or fall in the garden pales into insignificance compared with the dangers or raising a child whose experiences are defined by websites and computer games. That said, there are definite guidelines to follow to limit the risk of an accident in the outdoor play room :

• Play surfaces for gardens need to comply with safety standard EN1177, and basically this means that it should be self draining and non slip in order to do things like safely stop muddy patches under swings
• Play equipment must satisfy the British Toy and Hobby Association to standard no EN71-8, which covers swings, slides, and similar activity toys for indoor and outdoor family use. If it does it will display the CE and Lion mark on it as an indication that it has passed the relevant stringent tests and is fit for purpose
• It makes sense to create a dedicated children’s play zone rather than have activities taking place in the middle of your outside entertainment zone! Be sensitive to the need to provide shelter from the sun and also avoid placing any equipment close to walls or a concrete surface
• As well as specific outdoor play equipment consider investing in some specially adapted outdoor games. Giant Pick Up Sticks, Giant Dominoes or the classic kids favourite board game Snakes and Ladders can all provide endless hours of fun