Get the most out of the kids this school holidays

Get the most out of the kids this school holidays… teach them how to mow the lawn!

Schools out! The kids will be running-amuck, making a mess, playing video games and eating you out of house and home! With the extra time on their hands it’s a great time to introduce them to lawn mowing and lawn care. The kids might not think this is a fun idea, but if you teach them the skills now they will be thankful you did one day… maybe. (You might need to provide some pocket money as an incentive.)

What you need to know:

• They MUST be old enough and tall enough to handle the lawn mower

As a rough guide, your kids should be around 12 years of age to use a walk-behind lawn mower and at least 16 years old to use a ride-on mower.

Lawn mowing involves coordination and strength, so make sure they are able to manoeuvre the lawn mower safely.

• Wear the necessary safety gear

Appropriate clothing should be worn while lawn mowing, not just by kids, but by adults too. It is extremely important to protect your ears and eyes in particular. Check out this article which includes specific safety gear you should wear when mowing your lawn – Lawn mower safety gear.

• Read the instruction manual

This one I know many of you forget to do, particularly those who have been mowing for years. But if you have a new mower or you haven’t read the manual before, it will be important to understand the potential hazards and features of your specific lawn mower. Read through it with your kids first and you might even read something you never knew.

• Check the lawn for objects

Clear your lawn of any objects and debris, including rocks and sticks that may be a safety issue while operating and cause damage to the cutting blades.

Objects can be easily picked up by the mower blades and thrown from under the mowing deck and cause injury or damage property.

• Check the mower is ready to go and run them through starting and stopping procedure and adjusting of the cutting height

Check all mower parts are secure and in working order. Ensure the spark plug is connected properly, there is sufficient fuel in the tank and the mower is ready to function correctly and efficiently. Demonstrate the start-up and stopping procedure and then help them to attempt it themselves.

• Safety during operating

Once again, demonstrate first how to operate and manoeuvre the lawn mower before letting them take over. Teach them how to properly operate and move across the lawn and to be constantly watching what they are doing in order to avoid any holes or any hidden hazards.

• Supervise them at all times

Keep an eye on them closely and offer them advice and help when needed. Once confident you can give them more space and step back and observe from a distance.

After a little bit of time you can give them an area to be responsible for, so they can develop some pride in their ‘patch’.

If anything at all, it’s a great excuse to get the kids away from their phones and screens and outside!