Children need ample space to play in, but what do you do if you don’t have a backyard or play area in your home? And, during a time of lockdowns and COVID-19, playgrounds aren’t an ideal place to take your children either. The garage is your next best option, as long as you ensure it’s a safe space for your child.
As a homeowner, you should install a safe garage door and keep your garage clean and sanitary in any case. However, if your children are going to play there, this is even more important to do. Ensure everything from the floor coating to the garage door is safe for your child. Don’t store any hazardous chemicals, dangerous objects, or power tools within reach. Keep all your handguns and shotguns concealed or safely stored in gun cases. Read on to see how to make your garage the perfect play area.
Table of Contents
Install safe flooring in the garage.
It’s not uncommon for children to slip and fall when they’re playing outdoors. On a slippery concrete floor in a garage, a fall can lead to more than a scraped knee. To prevent any accidents, make sure your garage floor is safe and slip-resistant. Install a durable concrete floor or get a concrete coating on your existing garage floor.
Instead of trying to install this yourself, get a skilled team to install this for you. You can protect your child and get a garage floor coating resistant to abrasions, chemicals, and sun damage. A reputable company like TSR Concrete Coatings will also allow you to pick between epoxy floor coating, polyurea, or metallic options. It will last longer and prevent your child from scrapes and scratches.
Keep dangerous items at bay.
You would usually store power tools, shotguns, and rifles in your garage. However, if your child is playing in that area, having a case with your handgun, shotgun, pistol, and rifle collection may be a bad idea. If you don’t want to keep dangerous items like guns in your home, consider storing them out of reach in your garage. Lock up your power tools and store guns on shelves your children can’t reach. Or, invest in accessories like gun cases to keep them concealed.
Consider a handgun case or a rifle case for your guns. If there’s any risk your child can access your pistol case, consider a durable, hard case. A hard gun case that can also store ammo and other accessories will prevent any accidents or untoward incidents. Also, get rid of toxic cleaning solutions that your child could accidentally ingest. Or, invest in non-toxic versions—this is a good idea for any area of your home if you have young children.
Secure your garage door.
It’s vital to keep your garage door remote away from your child. However, also ensure that your child plays away from any sensor line areas. An electric garage door can malfunction and close if it senses any movement near the sensor line. You can prevent accidents by setting up a motion sensor to stop the door from closing if there’s anything under it. However, your safest option may be to put up a fence between the door and your child’s play area.
Keep it well-ventilated.
It’s a good idea to conceal your shotguns, get rid of chemicals, and install safe floor coating. However, something most people forget is how crucial it is to ensure ventilation. A garage can get hot, stuffy, and store hazardous fumes from your vehicles. To ensure your child isn’t breathing any of this in, remember to keep the space well-ventilated.
It’s not possible to leave the garage door open all the time. And in any case, that may not be a good enough solution. Instead, install exhaust fans or other ventilation to let out exhaust, fumes, and fuels. Also, consider installing another door or window if possible to create some cross ventilation.
