There is nothing quite like getting out in the garden with the kids over the summer months. They can run around and burn off excess energy and you can make up loads of ball games and treasure hunts. It is also an ideal space to carry out arts and crafts activities because you do not have to worry about the mess. This allows kids a lot more freedom for messy play than they get indoors.

Pets often love to join in the fun and games but there are some animals that you would probably prefer were not there!  Some pests and insects can ruin your garden as a play area. Whilst some children are fascinated by them, others can get very frightened and may even refuse to go outdoors. Luckily, there is plenty that you can do repel pests and insects and reclaim your garden for your family!

Avoiding ants in the play area

Lemon juice, cinamon and bicarbonate of soda are all natural ingredients that may repel ants from the play area. Others have found that boiling water and a dish of soap are effective. However, if you really want to control the problem you may need to call in the experts for some advice. 

Ants can ruin a play area and make it off limits for kids. However, parents don’t want to use highly toxic chemicals in the area where their kids will be playing. Reynolds Pest Control will use botanical oils and organic pest control to deter pests without putting your kid’s health at risk or harming the environment with harsh chemicals. Their blends of natural plant oils are specifically formulated to get rid of pests effectively and quickly.

Easy ways to keep the wasps away

Wasps are many kid’s pet hate. They know that they can get stung and even though they have never been stung themselves they can be absolutely terrified when a wasp appears during a play session. Children can start running around and that irritates the wasp and makes the situation even worse. 

There are some things that you can do to prevent wasps and hornets from being attracted to the area in which you are playing with your children. Avoid eating fruit of any kind. Wasps are highly attracted by sweet smells so stick to savory and dry foods out in the garden. Fizzy drinks, ice cream, sweet sauces and chocolate have the same effect so leave them in the refrigerator. They even like wine so stick to water in the garden! Keep all food in sealed containers when it is outside.

They are also attracted by certain colors. They love white and yellow but they don’t like red. It may be a good idea to get some big red T-shirts for messy play in the garden or even hang up some old red sheets around the play area.

It may also help if you dab some eucalyptus oil around the table, and place a mint plant in the middle as wasps hate the smell! 

What are your methods for keeping summertime pests at bay?