Summer is a wonderful time for kids to be outdoors in garden and the following tips will help keep your little green thumbs safe:

1. Always supervise your children in the garden. You don’t need to hover over the top of them but it is important to keep an eye on what they are up to.
2. Protect your little one’s hands with a pair of gardening gloves. Not only will they safeguard them from biting and stinging insects they will also help protect against any prickly plants.
3. Teach your child the importance of not touching or eating plants without getting the ok from you first. It is wonderful children want to explore the garden but it is also important they realise some plants can be harmful. The Westmead Children’s Hospital has a good factsheet here that can provide you with more information.
4. Teach your children to respect the garden and what lives in it. There are some great minibeasts such as worms, ladybirds and butterflies that are fascinating for children and harmless enough for them to touch however they do need to be aware of other less-friendly animals such as snakes, spiders and wasps are often present too.
5. Remember to always slip, slop, slap, seek and slide to protect against sun damage.
6. Probably the most important, always watch your children around water.  Drowning is still the major cause of death for children under 5 in Australia.