When Should You Let Your Child Mow the Lawn?

For generations, mowing lawns was a kid’s first major responsibility. Lawn mowing is good exercise, teaches responsibility and lets kids earn some money.

At the same time, children shouldn’t be rushed into this chore. Using a lawn mower requires good judgment, along with the physical size and strength to operate the machinery safely. If things go wrong, the results can be tragic.

Nationwide Children’s Hospital reports that every year, almost 8,500 children arrive in emergency rooms with lawn mower-related injuries. According to the Amputee Coalition, lawn mower accidents are the leading cause of major limb loss in children under 10 years of age.

Parents wondering if it’s appropriate for their child to mow the lawn should consider the child’s age, maturity, and the physical challenges of the specific mower and your property.

What Age is Appropriate for Lawn Mowing?

Many hospitals and organizations recommend parents follow the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines: Children should be at least 12 years old to operate a push mower, and 16 to operate a riding mower.

Further, children under 12 should be kept away from running lawn mowers completely. That means no riding on the back bumper, or on a parent’s lap.

But age is only part of the picture. Lawn care expert Bryan Clayton notes it also takes appropriate maturity to operate a mower safely. “A child ready to mow the lawn should be willing to learn and follow instructions closely,” he says.

Clayton began mowing at an early age, eventually transitioning those skills into a successful landscaping business before co-founding GreenPal. Clayton cautions against assuming a child is ready for mowing simply because they’re physically capable.

“It’s not just about turning the mower on and pushing,” he says. “They need to understand the pattern in which to mow, how to handle the mower on slopes, where to walk, and how to respect the machine’s power.”

As a parent, ask yourself if your child is good at following directions and respecting safety precautions. If they can’t handle small tasks responsibly, they likely can’t operate a lawn mower safely.

If your child possesses the maturity to handle a mower, the next step is checking if they’re physically capable of safely operating a specific model.

When Can Kids Use Push Mowers?

Before letting your child operate a push mower, carefully consider these factors:

Height

For most users, the mower handle should fall between the waist and chest. Unfortunately, there’s no single height requirement, because different mowers feature different handle lengths and angles. The real question is whether your child is the right height for your specific mower.

To find out, let your child push the mower around the yard while it isn’t running. Watch to see if the front or rear wheels consistently come off the ground.

If the handle is too high, they’ll apply upward force as they push, or pull down attempting to bring the handle to a more appropriate height. Either motion will raise the front or back wheels off the ground, creating an uneven mow and unsafe conditions.

Strength

A heavy mower can be difficult to maneuver. Gas-powered mowers are typically heavier than electric models, while battery-powered mowers are heavier than plug-in models.

Self-propelled mowers have some pros and cons. They can make it easier to work with heavy mowers and uneven terrain, but not all come with adjustable speeds. If your child has to sprint to keep up with the mower, a different mower that can match its assist to the user’s walking speed would be a better, safer option.

When Can Kids Use Riding Mowers?

AAP guidelines suggest treating a riding mower like a car. Hence, the age 16 guideline. The child also needs legs long enough to work the brakes and enough weight to activate the safety seat. (Typically, riding mowers will cut off if the rider leaves the seat. As a scrawny teenager, I used to trigger that cut-off when bouncing over bumpy terrain.) Common sense and maturity factor in as well.

Some parents assume that a child responsible enough to handle motorsports can handle a riding mower. But mowers aren’t ATVs. Make sure your child doesn’t ride the mower like it’s on a dirt racetrack.

Other Ways Children Can Help With Lawn Work

Iesha Mulla, founder of Parental Questions, says introducing kids to lawn care at an early age allows parents to track their ability to handle the responsibility of more complex tasks.

Raking leaves or trimming bushes may seem simple. But as Mulla says, “This will give you an idea of their awareness of safety protocols in relation to moving machinery and sharp blades.”

Beginner tasks include:

• Collecting yard waste: A low-key way to start kids off in gardening and lawn care.
• Planting: Introduces kids to tools like trowels and spades. Then observe how they handle delicate tasks.
• Using a manual reel mower: Introduces children to mowing with far less risk of injury.
• Using a string trimmer: This introductory power tool is a low-risk way to see if your child can safely and responsibly carry out the task.

As a child demonstrates responsibility and aptitude, reward them with more freedom and more powerful tools. Eventually they’ll be mowing, but the exact pace is up to you as the parent.

“Every child develops differently,” says Mulla. “Trust your judgment!”