Play on the grass! How to child-proof your garden lawn in time for the summer holidays

“Keep off the grass!”

“It’s too wet to play on!”

“Why don’t you ever play football at Shaun’s house!?”

Protecting your garden from the children can feel like a full-time job. Especially during the summer when they are off school.

As the weather gets hotter, those mini garden assassins will be playing out more and more, just as your grass begins to bake underneath the warm sun. Whether they are playing football or fantasy games, your garden and your lawn are set to be in the firing line.

Below we have collected a few top tips for protecting your grass from being torn up by tiny feet.

1. Buy them what they need to play less destructive games

Children’s games aren’t usually the cleanest. Especially if you’ve got boys. But some games will definitely destroy your carefully manicured grass more quickly than others.

Garden experts tell us that after six hours of play in a week, a garden will start to become damaged. And if it is not given the time that it needs to recover, then pretty soon it will start looking like a perpetual mud pit.

Buying a basketball hoop for the driveway will save a few hours of grass damage. While other games like table tennis and badminton will concentrate the damage on a smaller section of your lawn, making it easier to repair.

Whatever you choose, remember that it needs to be exciting. More and more these days the simple outdoor pleasures that we had as kids are being rubbed away as children turn to computer games and apps as a way of filling their spare time. Getting your kids off the sofa and out the door will take some patience. And probably some money as well.

2. Care for your lawn better

Child’s play can certainly do damage your lawn, but it doesn’t always have to terminal. There are some things that you can do to keep your grass healthy.

Try oversowing extra seeds on top of your lawn, scarifying regularly with a rake to remove dead roots and moss and aerate the soil using a pitchfork every once in a while.

Remember that what works in some gardens won’t necessarily work in yours. Healthy lawns have a lot to do with soil conditions and the amount of shade in your garden. Nevertheless, if you can see that a neighbour has got a particularly lush lawn then you could always ask what their secret is.

3. Get artificial grass

If you are having persistent trouble with your lawn then it might be time to consider artificial grass.

Many homeowners are still wary of artificial grass, with some seeing it as quite an extreme solution. However, attitudes are changing, and lots of people are realising the long list of benefits of artificial grass.

At Cheshire Artificial Gras, busy parents are one of our fastest growing customer demographics. For people with lots of responsibilities and not a lot of time, artificial grass brings a much welcome break.

And as manufacturing processes have improved, the products have got better and come down in price as well. If you know how big your garden is then we will be able to give you a rough idea of prices today. Call: 01625 860 601.

4. Consider using a different, more child-friendly surface

Grass and artificial grass aren’t always the best options, especially if you want to make a safe and appealing place for kids to play.

When visiting playgrounds in schools or adventure parks you will see that more often than not the surface is made up of a mulched wood surface or a kind of soft impact tarmac. Not only are these surfaces more resilient than grass, but they are also safer for children when they fall over.

Turning your garden into an adventure playground might not sound that appealing at first, but cordoning off a small section of the garden for playtime might encourage your children to spend less time on the lawn.

5. Keep them off the ground with a treehouse

Treehouses are the stuff that boyhood fantasies. Having their own space, high up in the trees. And building one can almost be as much fun as playing in one (if only a little bit frustrating at times).

One of our sister companies, Cheshire Playgardens, specialises in creating very special bespoke treehouses and playhouses for kids that have their head stuck in the clouds.