With summer here, there will be many opportunities to host a cookout or attend one. These tips can help keep kids safe while enjoying the party.
Prep & Set-Up
Before guests arrive, take a walk around the deck, yard, or wherever your cookout will be taking place. Make sure to pick up any large sticks or rocks that could be a hazard to little ones. Put away any garden tools or chemicals that may be in the area. These things may be obvious to adults, but to children, they’re dangerous.
The grill is probably the most dangerous thing at a cookout. When setting up your grilling area, make sure that you’re putting it out of the way. You don’t want the kids (or anyone really) to keep having to go past it to play or while running around. If you can, make sure you the wind isn’t blowing in the direction of where people will be sitting. This will help the smoke from blowing right into everyone’s faces. If need be, consider putting a baby gate around the grilling area.
Supervise
Okay- this one seems too obvious. However, we all get carried away while socializing and may lose track of the kids. It only gets harder the more kids you add in. Just keep a lookout for all of them. If you see someone’s kid that is doing something wrong, either grab their parent or save the kid. I don’t mean parent someone else’s child, but make sure they’re not doing something to hurt themselves or others.
Lay the Ground Rules
When all the kiddos are ready to run off and play, remind them of the ground rules. You know the rules I’m talking about: stay away from the grill, don’t go in the barn, don’t touch the lawnmower, etc. At my in-laws’ house, where most of our cookouts take place, there is a hole that keeps sinking near the bird bath. So, at every single family gathering, we tell the kids don’t go near the bird bath. It’s simple enough, tell them and they mostly stay away. Just tell them where they can play and what they can and can not do.
Food Safety
This is general stuff, but…
- keep your cold foods cold (40 degrees F or under) and your hot foods hot (140 degrees F or over)
- use separate coolers for drinks vs. food so that the food cooler won’t be opened continuously
- do not reuse marinade that raw meat was sitting in
- put cooked meat on a clean plate, not the same one it was on raw
- If you’re questioning keeping something, just toss it. Better safe than sorry.
Most of all, use your head and have fun!
traceynicole says
These are really great tips. I like the idea to use separate coolers for the food items and drinks.
Robin Rue says
Usually when my husband grills out on our deck, the kids aren’t even allowed near the deck.
Debbie Lamb says
Good post about grilling safety for kids. Kids adn grilling can be very dangerous.
Chrystal M. says
All of this is good to know. I am very picky about making sure kiddo is not around the grill when dads cooking because he tends to get a little flame happy!
Carly says
These are great pointers. I think the most important thing is to set boundaries. If they understand why the can’t get near the grill- it is a bit easier. My kiddos are still pretty young an unaware of the heat put off from the grill.
Krystal says
Thanks for the tips! Sometimes it’s easy to forget the small stuff when you’re entertaining.
gaynycdad says
Thanks for the reminder. My son was burned because my mother-in-law left the oven open when he was very young, I still have nightmares about that!
Lisa says
With 18 month old twins – the grill and fire pits are our enemies right now. Why are little one so drawn to the things that can hurt them? Great tips by the way!
Amanda Her says
These are great cookout safety reminders. I have a 3-year-old and always try to be careful when he’s outside when we’re grilling.
Christina Shirley says
Great tips! I get super anxious when we cook out and the kids are around, most times I bring them inside and let the hubby grill – but if we are outside I always make sure they steer clear!
Christina Shirley says
Great reminders. We can get so caught up in the event that we forget the small things like making sure the kids know where they can and cannot play.
Christina Shirley says
These are all great tips.My kids are quiet good at staying away while we are cooking.You always have to pay attention though.
Christina Shirley says
I think this is a good post. Kids don’t always equate the grill with hot either, nor do they think of the coals as being hot, so it’s very important to let them know, and reiterate often.
Christina Shirley says
Great tips. Also remember the pets. My dogs tend to want to get too close to the grill and there have been some near misses in the past.
Christina Shirley says
Very important tips this time of the year as families spend so much time outside bbqing. Thanks for the great safety reminders.
Christina Shirley says
Always good to be safe! My kids have never even gone near the grill, they’ve known from an early age that it’s hot.
Christina Shirley says
We love to cookout and we’re planning on having some kids over and we’re not use to them while we’re grilling. These were some great tips for us to keep in mind.
Christina Shirley says
It is really easy to loose track of the kids especially when outside. You have some great tips up there. Thanks for sharing.
Christina Shirley says
Great tips. Supervise is always important, kids are so sneaky.
Christina Shirley says
This is a great list of tips on having a safe cookout with kids. Putting away the gardening tools and chemicals is definitely an important one, as is keeping them safe around the grill. Thanks for sharing.
Christina Shirley says
Yes, so important to remember how dangerous the grill can be! I’ll be telling my kids these rules again, thanks!
Christina Shirley says
the kids know the grill is hot. the firepit is tricky sometimes with wind involved
Christina Shirley says
This is very important! I usually stand guard around the fire pit or grill when we are cooking out, just in case.
Christina Shirley says
Great tips. We never let our kids around a fire without us. My father is a cautionary tale as he burned himself as a kid and still has scars. He has explained many times to our children what happened and why.