Even if your home is a safe haven for you, it can be a host of many hazards for infants, babies, and toddlers. Children of any age can get into trouble around the everyday items we adults take for granted.
Fortunately, organizing and childproofing your living spaces ensures that kids are safe. Here are top room-by-room safety tips to protect kids in your home.
Kitchen
The biggest area of concern for children's safety in the kitchen is the oven. You can make it more safe through hacks like removing stove knobs or making covers to prevent little ones from turning on the pilots. For more adventurous children, you may need oven locks.
Other kitchen hazards are less apparent. Your trash may contain items that are harmful or sharp. Develop the habit of discarding sharp objects in a secured bin in your garage. You should also properly dispose of hazardous chemicals and batteries or put a secure lock on your garbage container.
In kitchen and dining areas, ensure that heated and heavy items are always out of reach of children. You should also store cleaning products, medicine, and supplements high up. Secure stoneware in a hard-to-reach location.
As your child grows, they may be able to wiggle out of the chair. Use a high chair with straps to prevent them from falling out.
Bathrooms
The most important rule in any bathroom is to be near your child whenever they are around water. Kids can drown in just a few inches of water, including toilet water. Use a toilet lid lock until your child understands potty safety.
Toiletries, like razors and chemical products, should also be kept high. If you don’t have any storage except underneath your sink, purchase a shelving unit that fits over your toilet to store these items.
Bathrooms are generally full of sharp edges and porcelain surfaces. Keep everyone safe by using non-slip mats on the floor and in the shower.
Living Spaces
Before you know it, your baby will start to crawl. Put safety plugs in unused outlets before they reach that stage. Another hazard is window blind cords, which pose a strangulation threat. Replace hanging cords with cordless options.
Furniture and large appliances can pose safety threats if the pieces fall over. Secure big screen TVs and tall chest furniture to the wall, testing periodically to ensure the screws have not loosened. You can also get plastic guards for the corners of furniture with sharp edges.
Take additional precautions in your nursery. Keep your child’s crib free of pillows, large stuffed toys, or other items that can block their breathing during nap time. Finally, you can use baby gates once your child can walk to prevent accidents too.
Outdoors
A back or front yard can provide hours of healthy entertainment for kids. However, there are several hazards to be aware of. Lock up items like gardening tools, pesticides, and other heavy outdoor equipment. You may want to buy a shed with a lock to store these items.
If you have a pool, you should invest in a pool alarm to protect kids and pets in the following ways:
A surface alarm works for any pool and sounds off when the water is disturbed.
In-ground pools can have a sub-surface alarm installed that detects water displacement.
If you have a fence around your pool, threshold alarms sound off when the gate is opened.
Some of these alarms come in the form of matching wristwatches that can alert you at any point if your child has gone into the pool as long as they’re wearing the other one.
Safety in Every Room
Some safety tools make every area of your home safer for you and your family. You may not have considered this concept, but organizational tools promote safety. Bins, containers, and shelving allow you to remove toys and other items from underfoot. It’s also important to make sure there is proper lighting in dark areas. These tips prevent trip hazards.
It is also an important element when creating a fire safety plan to protect children. Instructing your children in fire safety at the proper age is important, such as running fire drills with a clear, unobstructed path. It also includes reducing other fire hazards such as:
Avoid storing too many flammable objects or products, like paint or cardboard, near your hot water heater or pilot lights.
Clutter, such as wood furniture, cardboard boxes, and paper items, can become a fire hazard too. Safely store and organize important documents in file cabinets or fire-proof boxes.
If you have a fireplace, keep a gate around it so your child cannot get near the flames.
Childproofing your home creates a safe haven for your kids. You can rest easy knowing that every area is free of danger. The peace of mind you’ll have once you do is worth the work.
