A backyard party puts your lawn to work. Toddlers crawl on it, sit on it and occasionally taste it, and a play area set up on grass depends on the ground beneath it. The way you care for the lawn in the week before the party, and especially the timing, affects how comfortable, clean and safe it will be on the day.
Mow a Day or Two Ahead
Mowing the morning of the party seems efficient, but fresh clippings stick to bare feet, socks, blankets and play mats, and they get tracked into the house. Mowing a day or two ahead gives clippings time to dry and settle. Bag or rake them up in the areas where children will play, sit or eat.
Mowing early also gives you a chance to spot problems while there is still time to fix them: holes, exposed roots, rocks, sticks, ant mounds and anything the mower kicked up.
Water Early in the Week
A lawn watered the night before can still be damp and muddy by midday, which means wet knees, slippery spots and soggy play mats. If your lawn needs water, give it a deep watering several days before the party and let the surface dry out.
If you have an automatic sprinkler system, turn it off for the party day and the night before. A sprinkler popping on in the middle of cake time makes for a funny story, but the play area will not thank you. Check that sprinkler heads sit flush with the ground, and mark any that stick up, since they can trip little runners.
Schedule Lawn Treatments Well in Advance
Fertilizers, weed killers and pest control products all come with label instructions about when people and pets can return to treated areas. Plan treatments well before the party and follow the label exactly. If a lawn service handles your yard, tell them your party date so they can schedule around it. When in doubt, skip treatments in the week before the party altogether.
Never set a play area on ground that has just been treated, and keep children out of granules and freshly sprayed grass. Ask your lawn care provider or the product manufacturer if you have questions about a specific product.
The Morning-Of Walk
On the day of the party, walk the lawn once more before you set anything up.
- Pick any mushrooms that popped up overnight, since some wild mushrooms are toxic and toddlers put things in their mouths. If a child does eat one, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222
- Remove pet waste, sticks, pinecones and fallen fruit
- Check for new ant mounds or wasp activity near the play area
- Feel the ground where mats and blankets will go to make sure it is dry
A lawn that is dry, short, clean and freshly checked gives a play area the best possible foundation, and gives you one less thing to think about once the guests arrive.
A Week-Before Yard Care Calendar
Timing is the theme of good party lawn care. Here is one way to spread the work across the week so the yard peaks on party day:
- Seven to ten days before: look over the lawn and decide whether any treatment is needed at all. If it is, schedule it now, according to the product label, so there is plenty of time before the party. Tell your lawn service the party date.
- Five days before: fill holes and low spots with soil, and rake away thatch or debris in the play area.
- Four days before: give the lawn a deep watering if it needs it.
- Two days before: mow, then rake or bag clippings in the play, eating and seating areas. Trim edges along paths where guests will walk.
- The day before: turn off automatic sprinklers. Do a first walk for sticks, stones and pet waste. Mark sprinkler heads near the play area.
- The morning of: do the final walk and check that the ground is dry before setup.
Choosing the Right Patch for Play
Not every part of a yard is equally good for a play area. As you work on the lawn, keep an eye out for the best spot:
- Level ground. A play area on a slope shifts and tilts. Walk the yard and look for the flattest section.
- Good drainage. Areas that stay soggy after watering will stay soggy under a tarp.
- Afternoon shade. Trees or the house shading the area during party hours keep surfaces cooler.
- Distance from hazards. Well away from the grill, the driveway, pools and garden beds that were recently mulched or treated.
- Room around the edges. A border of open grass around the play area for shoes, parents and walking.
Once you have found it, let us know the size and surface when you book, and we will plan the setup to fit.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Fresh mulch near the play area. New mulch can be dusty, splintery and sometimes treated or dyed. Lay it at least a few days early, and keep play areas clear of it.
- Overwatering to make the lawn look green. A lush lawn that is still wet underneath is worse for a party than a slightly dry one.
- Cutting too short. Scalping the lawn exposes soil, which turns muddy. Mow at a normal height.
- Forgetting the side yards. Guests walk through gates and around the house. Check those paths too.
Questions Hosts Ask
What if it rains the night before?
Walk the lawn in the morning and check the ground. If it is soft or puddled, consider moving the play area to a higher, drier spot or a patio.
Is it safe to use a weed killer the week of the party?
Follow the label’s re-entry guidance exactly, and when in doubt, wait until after the party. A few weeds will not bother anyone.
Should I use a leaf blower before setup?
A quick pass on paths and patios helps, but blowing grass and dust around just before guests arrive can stir up pollen. Do it the day before if you can.
What if our lawn has bare patches?
Bare soil turns to mud quickly. Avoid placing the play area over bare spots, or plan a wider ground cover that extends past the edges. Seeding a week before the party will not fill in in time, and new seed needs to be kept off anyway, so save repairs for after.
