Integrating sand into your yard can soften the landing for your toddlers (and the elderly)

Integrating sand into your yard can soften the landing for your toddlers (and the elderly)

Who doesn’t want to have a yard that the entire family can enjoy? It’s an ideal space for your loved ones, young and old, to gather and enjoy one another. However, you also want everyone to be safe, especially when small children and elderly adults can easily lose their balance and injure themselves. So how do you ensure your yard is safe, sound, and family-friendly?

One action you can take is to add a ground cover to your landscaping. Adding ground cover will help to soften the landing for toddlers and elderly individuals should they take a tumble. Adding ground cover is especially helpful if you have plans to add a full playground area to your backyard. You should look for an option that is safe and affordable.

Using Sand as Ground Cover

Sand is a popular option for ground cover because of its ability to effectively absorb falls. It’s also extremely budget-friendly. When applying, you should be sure to add the sand mixture in with topsoil or with whatever your existing soil is. This will help to loosen up soil that may be heavy and dense. 

The problem with heavy or hard soils is that adding the wrong type of sand can actually create more problems for your lawn. If your existing soil has a heavy clay composition, it can transform your soil into something that looks and feels a lot more like concrete.

Keep in mind that over time, the sand will shift. You will need to regularly check your yard so that you can fill in any areas that have become too shallow. You should aim for a composition that is made from equal weights sand and fertilizer.

Another thing to remember is that not all sand is going to be appropriate for your yard. Make sure you specifically purchase the right type of sand for your yard. Otherwise, you could risk a few scraped knees and elbows. 

If your lawn has a mostly clay-based composition, unfortunately, it will always have a tendency to become hard. One solution is to aerate the soil so that it gets more oxygen. For smaller yards, this can be done with the use of hand tools. For larger yards, lawn coring may be an effective tool for aerating your soil. Once complete, it’s a good idea to add in your sand and fertilizer mixture to improve drainage and produce healthy green grass.