How to make a garden pond or water feature safe for children 

Garden water features can help create an outdoor paradise for younger family members but always ensure safety is a priority 

If you have very young children many landscapers suggest holding off creating a garden pond until they are at least six years old. 

What about a sand-pit in a dig out to be followed by a pond when they are older? 

There are metal grids plates that can be set a tiny skim over the surface to make ponds safer for kids and pets but any water body, even 5cm in a large bucket will be a constant, lingering threat for toddlers. 

Raising the pond is not a protection for an athletic child (it’s a challenge and you’re less likely to see them if they do get into the water) but is often cited as a safety measure. 

Safadeck is a modular kit of tough black glass-filled nylon grids, built up on black aluminium beams, suspended into the pond and anchored discreetly at the edge with supporting legs that provide extra strength. 

It comes in a DIY version and can be cut to follow the shape of the pond. POA, with full professional installation available from pondsafetysystems.ie (Gorey, Wexford). 

Alternatively, you can fence off the pond, including a locked gate for access, but this does not do away with the need for constant adult supervision of your little treasures.

• Got a home improvement or DIY question for Kya deLongchamps? Email [e-mail]