Having a pond in your garden is not only enjoyable and relaxing, it can also be an excellent source of inspiration for educating children on the outdoors, aquatic life and the environment. However before you install a garden pond you need to consider the safety aspect of adding a water body to your garden, especially if you have young children living in or regularly visiting your home.

Installing a pond that is child friendly is essential and preventing any mishaps is paramount. The correct use of the landscape and other methods will ensure that you not only have a safe pond but one that is aesthetically pleasing also.

If you are looking at setting up a pond then the location of the pond is extremely important. Placing your water feature where you can view it from the house is a great idea. Ponds located near high traffic areas such as the kitchen, lounge or dining room as well as near outdoor patios and barbeque areas will enable you to keep an eye on any children playing outside.

Garden ponds that have wide, shallow borders and large rocks around the edges will help restrict access by children to the pond. Such areas will provide a barrier both physically and visually to children – if they can’t see the water then they most likely won’t want to try and get to it.

Placing mesh over the pond is a good idea for ponds where the water can easily be accessed. However the mesh must be thick enough to support a child’s weight without bending, have a narrow gap size to prevent children placing their limbs through the mesh and also must not contain any sharp edges that may harm a child which climbs on it.

Pond mesh can sometimes look unsightly but once children reach a certain age and become more pond aware then the mesh may be removed. It is, of course, still wise to not leave children unsupervised around the pond until they are of an age where it is safe to do so.

Another option you could consider is pool safe fencing which can be installed around the pond. This will restrict access to the water and prevent any accidents if properly secured.

Have you thought about a pond for your backyard? SHARE with us in the comments below.