Should I build a pond in my yard with small children? Will my kids be safe?

Will my small children be safe in a backyard pond?

Right Before the koi pond

(Written By the Pond Momma)

He wanted a pond….

I must be honest with you; I didn’t want a pond. My husband did though and tried talking me into it for several years. I didn’t want to spend the money; I didn’t want to take up space in our (very) small back yard; I didn’t like the thought of standing water when we had small children around. But, we ended up with a pond anyway! And you know what? I am really glad that we have one now. Now I am the one asking for a bigger pond or a longer stream or a log bridge over part. My husband laughs.

Backyard Koi Pond

The pond is our favorite place to hang in our backyard pretty much the entire year. As soon as the ice melts, the kids are playing on the edge which turns into wading and looking for the fish. A few weeks ago it rained one of those early spring rains. The pond didn’t have any ice but snow still covered all the dried plants. It was so pretty I tried to take a movie.

Kids playing in ecosystem waterfall

Jeff built our pond with steps going down. The each step is only one rock deep so (when) our small children step in, they just sit up and climb out. There are two more steps that are 9 inches. The fish cave is on the lowest level. The pond is only 2 feet deep, and the fish overwinter every year.

Last summer the kids found out they could use their snorkel masks to watch the fish! Ha ha!

Night view of our ecosystem pond with LED lighting

I think dipping my toes in during the summer is relaxing but my favorite time is in fall, when the plants are mature and turning copper colored and a few red maple leaves float across the water. I can see the pond at night from my bedroom window and can hear the waterfall echo bouncing off the neighbor’s house up into my upstairs bedroom. (The neighbors enjoy that too!)

Clear ecosystem pond with koi fish swimming

If you’ve ever had a backyard pond with a flagstone waterfall, then you know what kind of magic it puts into your yard. The yard seems alive. More birds and butterflies visit. Nature seems closer because the water brings it to you. Even the landscaping seems more beautiful. If someone asked if I would recommend having a pond, I’d say yes in a heartbeat. So glad Jeff talked me into it! Try it. You will be glad to have a backyard pond too!

The shelves and skimmer in place for this Minneapolis MN backyard koi pond

Laying the underlayment for this Aquascape ecosystem pond following the contours of the ground that was dug out.

Setting boulders for the shelves in this ecosystem pond. Even the kids enjoy this recreation pond!

Installing 45 mil EPDM Fish Safe Liner in this backyard ecosystem fish pond.

Kids enjoying this NE Minneapolis backyard ecosystem pond before it’s completed!

a winter view of a minneapolis MN backyard koi pond with underwater LED lighting

early freeze on this minneapolis mn fish pond with a layer of ice covering it

rebuilt waterfall into this minneapolis mn ecosystem pond with night LED lighting

fall view of this minneapolis mn pond with the skimmer drawing leaves off of it

water lilies, hyacinth, and driftwood make a backyard fish pond beautiful in minneapolis mn

A winter view of this backyard fish pond in NE Minneapolis Minnesota

waterfall and stream in the backyard of the Northeast minneapolis mn ecosystem pond

flagstone waterfall with lilies into this ecosystem pond in the backyard of a home in Northeast Minneapolis MN

A snowy fish pond in the backyard of a minneapolis mn home with the babbling stream and waterfall running

A snowy fish pond in the backyard of a minneapolis mn home with the babbling stream and waterfall running

Should I build a pond in my yard with small children? Will my kids be safe?

Should I build a pond in my yard with small children? Will my kids be safe?

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