A sprawling, well-maintained lawn is always a selling point for properties on the market. More specifically, homes with a front or back yard tend to attract interested homebuyers with children.
For parents, the lawn is the ideal place to encourage kids to get enough exercise and sunlight and breathe fresh air, all of which would be great for their health.
A lawn can also serve as a playground for kids where they can play and frolic as much as they want anytime and for free and explore and connect with nature at the same time.
Parents can also benefit from buying a property with a lawn since this area can also double as a workout and entertainment space. Moreover, the yard is also the perfect spot for families to spend time and bond together.
Creating a Kid-Friendly Outdoor Space
If you are selling your property, there are ways for you to make your outdoor space more child-friendly to appeal to buyers with families and increase its value. Providers of lawn care services in Liberty Township, Ohio share below some tips to do so:
Create a wide unobstructed space
Outdoor spaces with plenty of plants, trees, hardscape, and other features stand out and never fail to catch the eye of homebuyers. However, having several of these natural and man-made fixtures on a lawn is not the safest for kids.
Younger kids can trip or slip on poorly designed and installed paving, stones, and other hardscape features. Children can also get hurt when they play in an area surrounded by too many potted plants.
As such, if you are redesigning your outdoor space to make it more attractive to buyers with families, focus on creating a spot where kids can run around and play without worrying about their safety. This means leaving a wide enough, unobstructed area of grass on your property.
If you are still starting a lawn, Bermuda, Kentucky bluegrass, and other varieties of sturdy grass are the best choices for a child-friendly yard that can withstand heavy foot traffic.
Another option would be to create a play area using sand or bark mulch.
If you want to add more plants and other features, make sure they are not near the play area to minimize accidents. Additionally, consider cordoning it off from the rest of the lawn by installing a small picket fence or raised sleepers.
Choose child-friendly plants
Not all plants are healthy for kids and even pets. Examples of these are daffodils, irises, calla lilies, holly, and oleander.
Prickly plants such as the cactus and thistle can also cause injuries if children accidentally fall on or grab them.
Because of this, you have to be careful about selecting types of foliage to add to your lawn.
Ask a local nursery to find out which plants are safe or harmless to kids. To have low-maintenance child-friendly foliage, choose perennials.
Some of the most recommended child-friendly plants are African violets, butterfly palm, dahlia, marigold, and sunflower.
Additionally, be wary of planting foliage that can attract bees. Although there is a need to encourage their population, no parent would want these insects around their kids.
Start a sensory garden
If you want kids to get up close with nature, you won’t go wrong with creating a garden and choosing plants that stimulate their senses.
Child-friendly plants that bloom bright flowers, such as African violets, marigolds, and sunflowers will capture the eye of kids. Baby rubber plants, lamb’s ear, and even moss, on the other hand, will excite a child’s tactile senses.
Adding bamboo and other plants that produce sound when wind passes through them will stimulate kids’ sense of hearing.
Starting an edible garden is also a brilliant way to complete the kids’ sensory experience outdoors. By planting tomatoes, herbs, and other fruits and vegetables, you give kids the chance to expand their taste buds.
The scent coming from herbs such as chives, curry, mint, and sage will tickle their nose and olfactory, as well.
Make the lawn adult-friendly too
Although you want kids to love your outdoor space, make sure it appeals to the adults or parents, as well. Having a patio built near the house is perfect for this.
The patio is the perfect outdoor recreational area for the whole family. It is also the ideal spot for entertaining guests during parties and other events.
If you plan the new design of your lawn well, you can have the patio built near the play area so that the adults can always monitor the playing kids.
Keep in mind that adults need to enjoy the outdoor space too. As such, try to incorporate other features that will draw them in. A birdbath and outdoor fireplace or fire pit are excellent lawn fixtures to consider.
Installing additional outdoor lighting features is also a splendid idea since they have several purposes. A well-lit lawn can deter intrusion, theft, and accidents thus enhancing safety and security within the property. Moreover, activities and parties can continue even in the evening thanks to these fittings.
Make safety a priority
Lastly, a child-friendly lawn is one that is safe. As such, aside from making your property more conducive for fun and play, look for, and fix any potential hazards.
Before redesigning your lawn, walk around it and look for areas that are possible danger zones for children. Think of ways to address these problems or ask landscaping and lawn care pros in Mason, Ohio for their advice and help.
Start by making existing water features in your yard safer for kids. This doesn’t mean removing them completely, though. You can put a fence around the pond or water fountain.
Consider installing a safety net over the pond which will prevent balls and other toys from falling in the feature, causing kids to get hurt.
Additionally, choose non-slip surfaces for decks, patios, and walkways to reduce the risk of slips and falls.
Turning your outdoor space child-friendly requires a substantial amount of outlay. But if you want to attract families to buy your home, increase the value of your property, and get the highest return on your investment, take this extra step before putting your house on the market.