Infant and the Garden

[DaynaS]

Hello,

My little one is 15 months old and crawling well but not mastered pulling up, walking is a while off I think.

She loves the outside world, we take her out, carry her around etc but she likes her freedom to move around herself.

Inside is fine and baby proofed, but I don't think you can really baby proof the outside world lol...

Our garden is quite an adult garden, so it's a decked area with bits of furniture, which then drops down to gravel with two plant sections either side.

Obviously there's lots of hazards, like the gravel, garden canes, the plants, etc etc..

What do you do? Do you let them crawl around and just keep running after them whenever they encounter something risky? Do you do a playpen? Do you wait till they can walk?

This is my first so genuinely no idea what you do about this, and the weather is getting better lol...

Many thanks,
Dayna

Make reasonable attempts to childproof, so fencing where the drop off to gravel is to stop them falling off. Otherwise yeah just let them explore, watch and intervene when needed.

The only way they learn to judge risk is be being exposed to it (with limits). So let them explore, remove any ridiculous hazards and keep an eye on them. Eating a bit of mud or grass isn't an issue.

Yes, let them explore under supervision.

Bit of both - playpen whilst you garden etc, just to enjoy being outdoors, but also some time toddling about with supervision.

My DD is 15 months too. She fetches her wellies as soon as we come downstairs in the morning. She’d be outside all day if she could. We let her explore and intervene when necessary. She loves climbing up and down the step to our patio, pushing her cosy coupe around and getting in and out of it and running after the dog! She also likes chewing on the slate, tasting the mud and banging on my greenhouse glass!!

I let my son crawl around the garden, in the flower beds etc, from 11 months old. I did draw the line at the shed - garden tools etc! But we have cats so there's a reasonable chance of poo. I was precious about germs at first but he had a penchant for licking shoe soles in the hallway (I did stop him when I saw but he was so fast!). As for the decking and hazards, just be ready to catch them and it'll be fine 😄

Following this!

We are in the process of child-proofing our death-trap of a garden at the moment. We are effectively blocking off the drops with raised beds and pots, and then putting in gates/hand rails to control small people movement between the levels without supervision. We are also at a loss with what to do with the gravel to be honest - it will be a right faff to remove it! Considering just not letting them sit up there and getting one of those tortoise sandpit boxes to put on the patio for them to sit and play in.

Also considering putting in a low bed/pot with some sensory plants in, things like lambs ears, and herbs that can touch and smell like mint that can then explore.