Landscape lighting is an excellent way to add value to your home, increase the visual appeal of your yard, and promote safety around your property. But did you know that you can use landscape lighting to improve the lives of your kids, too? It’s true. Although we don’t always think of them as partners in our homeowning journey, our kids have a huge emotional investment in our homes and our landscapes. And, of course, you want them to grow up somewhere where they feel safe, can enjoy themselves, and are proud of. These landscape lighting ideas can help you achieve all of that – and will put a smile on your kids’ faces.
Light High-Traffic Areas
Who was afraid of the dark when they were younger? A study has shown that over 73% of children between the ages of 4-12 years old are afraid of the dark. That’s a huge percentage! Although most people grow out of this fear, it isn’t entirely irrational – we want things to be illuminated so we can see what we’re doing, where we are, and what’s going on around us. Your kids are no different.
During the busy summer months when they’re spending much more time outdoors – both during the day and at night – it’s important to light high-traffic areas like your back deck, front porch, basketball hoop in the driveway, etc. This will help your children feel safe and be able to maneuver around your home at night without feeling unsafe or anxious.
Illuminate Walkways
By illuminating walkways you’re preventing safety hazards both big and small. How many times have your kids tripped and hurt their knee? Or fallen and extended an arm to catch themselves only to wind up with a cast for the rest of the busy summer season? Take some of the guesswork out of what they’ll bump into while running around with their friends outside and create a landscape lighting plan that includes illuminating your walkways – both in front of the house and around your backyard. This is especially important if there are any unstable surfaces there – like beautiful (but admittedly uneven) pathway paver stones, or slippery gravel.
Highlight Outbuildings and No-Light Areas
This is a safety precaution you should consider taking whether or not you have children. Having unlit outbuildings or dark areas of your home leave it more vulnerable. Install motion-sensing flood lights or set spot lights up on a timer to turn on from dusk till dawn to keep these lesser-used areas well-lit and completely visible. This drastically increases the safety of your home for your family and will help put your mind at ease when your kids are playing outside at dusk where you may have not been able to see them in dimly lit parts of your yard before. Anything that keeps them safe and puts your mind at ease is well worth it.
Create a Space That’s All Theirs
Where do your kids enjoy spending time outside? Do they love to shoot hoops with the neighbors in your driveway? Do they have a swing set around back that they lose hours to each day? Think about where they love to be and use landscape lighting to make that space uniquely theirs. You can install lights above the driveway that let them extend their sports-time. You can install aesthetically pleasing timed lights around their playset to make climbing up and down the ladders safer or to make it easier for you to see them as they enjoy their swings. They’ll appreciate having a well-lit space to play during the summer when there isn’t school to prepare for in the morning, and you’ll enjoy watching them get the most out of their outdoor space during the time they can use it.
Prioritize Family Time Outside
Do you have a beautiful deck, fire pit, or other entertainment-focused yard fixture? Create a landscape lighting plan to extend the hours you can use your home’s best fixtures to spend time outside with family this summer. Added bonus – if you spend time roasting marshmallows over a fire pit or playing a board game on the deck in the evening, the temperatures will be cooler. Outdoor time as a family without melting in the hot summer weather? It’s a win-win!
Your kids have just as much investment in your home as you do, though their motives may be different. While you want a stunning light fixture to highlight your beautiful, time-consuming gardens, they want to play on the slide for a few extra hours! Landscape lighting doesn’t have to address one concern or the other, it can be a solution to both and create spaces that your whole family can enjoy. Interested in some help or in hearing a few unique ideas? Contact us today, we’d love to help create a unique lighting plan for your family!
