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Playing Safe
Wildlife ponds can be made safe if you have small
children.
Here’s how...
Never leave young children unsupervised near any
large container holding water.
This includes large
plant pots, tub-ponds, paddling pools and garden ponds.
Encourage children at every opportunity to respect
water.
This will benefit many children as they grow and
could have wider positive impact. Many more drownings
occur in water bodies other than ponds.
Put up a fence.
Make sure it is at least 1.1 m high. The
fence can be made of strong wood, unclimbable grating
or with vertical railings no more than 100mm apart. Don’t
forget to leave a small gap between the ground and fence
to allow animals access. A childproof, lockable gate is
another option. Some people find willow-fencing more
aesthetically pleasing.
Install a pond grille.
Install a rigid mesh or grille across
the pond to create a secure pond cover. The grille needs
to be able to support the weight of a child and should
remain above the surface of the water at all times.
Garden centres stock grates and newer products are
easy to install.
Gently sloping sides.
These are important for wildlife,
and for people too should they fall in.
It’s worth stating that these can be temporary measures
while children are smaller. Once children are older you
can remove these features, promoting the pond as a
place for enjoying and learning about the natural world.
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