Garden ramp?

Hello all!

I have a lo (15 months) who is always on the move and exploring. He walks but is sometimes unsteady on his feet and has little sense if danger. I want to leave my patio door open to allow free access for all children into the secure garden but in the few occasions I have done this he has gone head first out the door! Luckily with me night there so he hasn't hurt himself! I really don't want to have to put another baby gate in my house but at the same time don't want him having an accident either.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and hue have you risk assessed/ dealt with this?

Have thought if a ramp on the outside but maybe this is unnecessary!

Any advice.....

I have used a travel barrier (not a gate as it does not open, it is a lightweight pressure fix one that packs away in a bag) in the summer so I can leave the patio door open for the fresh air when I had a little one who was likely to take a tumble out. It means older children don't have free access but it is only while the little one is about and I am cooking/phone/loo etc. During naps, when little one is not there or when I am giving 100% 1:1 attention then it comes down. It was the only option that would fit in my patio doors, too wide for a stair gate.

But when door is open with no barrier, I make a big deal of teaching the little ones to sit down and go out backwards, crawling down step to patio. Remember this phase will pass soon- a couple of months and this child will have mastered it so I would not make any major structural or costly changes unless you think this is going to be an on-going issue! That is why the pack-away barrier is useful, I just put it away for the next child!

I'd have thought a ramp would not make much difference to a stumbling 1yo- and there is always the ridges of the door frame to trip over too.

I think it depends a bit on the set-up of your house/where you are likely to be in relation to this LO. I'm a big believer in teaching children to use steps safely but this has to be weighed against the time and attention needed to be 100% sure that you will always see them heading for the step before they reach it. We have a step between the playroom and our kitchen. I've taught my own children and the crawling LOs to stop, turn around and come down backwards, safely. This took a fair amount of time and energy and worked for me at the time. I also think Moggy's suggestion is a good one to use something temporary for the short amount of time this will be an issue. At the same time, you could work with the LO to learn to go down the step safely when the barrier is removed. It is something they need to learn - most steps don't have ramps.

I spent a week teaching my 12 month old to go over our patio step he can now do it fine only holds on with one hand. He went from learning to walk to doing steps over patio doors in a month. He is very very active a monster when it comes to climbing which might be why he learnt so quick

I have a sliding patio door, with a hard edged trip hazard of a metal frame, and the step down to the patio is quite awkward for little legs.

I fold a big old cotton rug into 4 and lay it over the door frame and down and out onto the patio. It stops the LO's hurting heads/ tummies on the bottom of the door frame, and would soften the blow if anyone crawled out head first etc.

(It also prevents the door being slid shut on little fingers :phew:)

I have a ramp on my 'wishlist' but I doubt I will ever get it together to organise finding one/ getting on made :o Think the LOs would love rolling things down it too!

I only have the ledge of the door and one step, I teach them to go down safely and also put a thin crash mat on the patio just in case!

My back door is lethal ...the threshold trip followed by a steep drop .
My oh made a temporary ramp ..he is generally dreadful at diy but this was relatively easy...2 triangles of wood and a top piece , nailed together , all covered in carpet. Crawlers could access the garden as could newly walkers and even the big ones tripped less! That was 3 years ago and the ramp is still there , amazing since it wasn't treated and it stays outside year round. This spring I have 2 crawlers and 2 new walkers who will benefit..
I agree about teaching los to deal with things like steps and other small hazards properly , but my own step was just too risky and would have needed constant supervision.