How old should children be before we have a garden pond?

quietheart

We've recently moved and we're going to drain the pond today. It's heavy with tadpoles, frogs and newts. I can't face moving them. My boys are 6 and 4 which I know is too young, I stay at home so will just have to be with them when outside for now..... it's good fun for them to watch them grow but I'm still concerned about safety.

I'mcomingbackasaman

Children of any age don't go with ponds. When they're young they can slip in and when theyre older they can mess about and fall in .. why don't you get some kind of cover over it to stop any mishaps?

snails's_pace

id get rid of the whole thing tbo. your kids are young and personally i wouldnt take the risk of even a cover for it. id rather my kids were safe and alive.

sticher

We have always had a pond in our garden (I didn't want it but Ex did and even refused to cover it). It is a raised pond so our boys would have to climb on the wall which is approx 1.5 feet.

Despite having 3 boys (and several home parties, etc) we have never had a problem - no one has so much as climbed on the wall. That is probably because I have always supervised the children in the garden though and taught them from very young how dangerous it could be.

I still think a cover would be a good idea though (our children are 8, 10 and 13now so no need for us anymore).

Spendless

rovers wrote: »

We've recently moved and we're going to drain the pond today. It's heavy with tadpoles, frogs and newts. I can't face moving them. My boys are 6 and 4 which I know is too young, I stay at home so will just have to be with them when outside for now..... it's good fun for them to watch them grow but I'm still concerned about safety.

which in theory sounds ok, but in practise, you need to nip to loo, you could answer phone/door and be distracted whilst one of the kids slips out. Personally I'd fill pond in till your kids are a lot older. Where you re-home tadpoles, frogs and newts to, I don't know but sure someone else will be able to help.

Kimberley

Fill the bleedin thing in, it's just not worth the risk. :rolleyes: If you don't then you can't complain if anything happens.

hamletcigars

Drain it and fill it with sand for them to play in

vickyj

My in laws have a pond and it terrifies me. The pond is also quite deep i let them play near it if i am out there as they like to watch the fish but they are neverallowed out there alone. Even my 8yo has had an accident and fallen in and as they are quite slippy there is no way he could have got out on his own

smitty2702

In my old house i drained and filled one with sand! if you do though its worth getting a cover and pegging it out when not in use so the neighbourhood cats dont take residence in their as a toilet!! (yes been there and done that!!!)

Claire

mookiandco

We had a pond in the back garden with koi carp in it. My mum covered it with strong thick wire (like chicken wire) which was held down around the side. I think it was more for stopping leaves going in, but it supported the weight of our large dog when he fancied a swim. We were never left alone in the garden anyway, there are many other things which are just as dangerous if not more so than a pond.

Children can drown in a couple of inches of water and there will always be puddles.

quietheart

Filling it with sand was the plan when we bought the house. I guess I'm being a wuss about making a few frogs homeless. I know accidents happen very quickly and usually when you least expect it so I need to be safe rather than sorry.....