Plants

• Young children and pets are well-known for putting anything and everything in their mouths.
  
  Many homeowners head to their local garden store and pick out beautiful plants to landscape their back yard, yet some of these plants can pose a risk to your pets or even your children. Oleanders, geraniums, calla lilies and holly, among numerous other plants, can make your pet or child sick if eaten. Before planting anything in your yard, check with your garden center about the risks associated with these plants. Keeping potentially dangerous plants out of reach of children or pets can help to protect them from these hidden backyard dangers.
  
  

Play Sets

• At first glance, a play set may not seem like a hidden danger, as parents are typically well aware that a child can fall off one and that supervision is required. However, bolts or protruding nails on any part of the play set can cut your child or cause him to stumble and fall. Ensuring that all bolts are covered and no stray nails are sticking out can help to protect both children and adults. The area around the play set can also be a hidden danger. Large rocks, stumps or other tripping hazards can result in more than a scraped knee. Making sure that the area around the play set is clear can help make the area safe and enjoyable for your children.
  
  

Grills

• Outside of potential burns, grills pose other hidden risks. To protect your house from fire, you should always keep your grill at least 3 feet away from your house or the roof over your patio. If you use a propane grill, check the lines from the tank to the grill every time before turning it on. A crack in the lines could result in a major fire hazard.
  
  

Old Treated Wood

• Before 2003, manufacturers treated wood with an arsenic-base chemical, which can increase the risk of cancer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. While this treatment method is no longer used, play sets, decks and other wooden structures built before this time likely used wood treated with arsenic. To protect your family from this risk, reseal the wood once a year with a deck or wood treatment, and replace any pieces that you or your family routinely handle, such as railings and steps, with new wood that has not been treated with arsenic.