Making Your House Safe For Toddlers

One thing I wanted to do before we get started on all the Make This House a Home projects was to spend some time toddler-proofing our home.  This is a constantly-evolving task as your children grow older and develop new skills – and new curiosities!  You’ll need to think of each area of the house and what temptations it may hold.  Here are some suggestions to get you started!

10 Tips For Toddler-Proofing

1. Outlet plug covers are a must.  Outlets – and the things that plug into them – seem to be fascinating for children.  Look behind furniture, under tables, etc.  Because your kids will!
2. While plugging your outlet covers also take a moment to wrap up any long cords.  Not only could your items be damaged but kids could pull lamps or the television down on top of themselves.
3. Be thoughtful when working in the kitchen.  Use the back burners when possible and turn pot and pan handles in where little hands can’t see or reach them.  Don’t leave anything on the edges of the countertops.  Kids can reach further than you think!  And if your little one wanders into the kitchen while you’re cooking, be thinking about if what you’re cooking can splash or splatter.  If they’re interested in what you’re doing, put them in their high chair a safe distance away so they can watch.
4. Also in the kitchen start thinking about appliance doors.  Has your child developed enough strength to open the oven/refrigerator/dish washer door?  If so appliance latches can keep your kids at bay while still allowing you fast and easy access to each item.
5. Secure shelving like bookcases, leaning shelves, entertainment centers, etc. to the wall so that kids aren’t able to rock items off the shelves or even pull the shelves down on top of themselves.
6. Where do you keep your medications?  That includes things like OTC pain killers, cold medicine, and even vitamins which can be too much for little systems to handle.  Store them in childproof bottles when possible and keep them up high like in a medicine cabinet.  If you have a climber you may need to think of creative places to store them (like the top shelf in a closet).
7. And where do you store your cleaning supplies?  Keeping them in an out-of-reach and out-of-sight location is best, but if you do choose to use the space under the kitchen or bath cabinets, you will probably want to add some safety latches.
8. Shorten the cords on your blinds and other window treatments.
9. Keep all external doors locked so your little one doesn’t have the chance to wander off.
10. For internal doors, if any of them tend to swing shut on their own, are especially heavy, or may accidentally lock closed if your child shuts it then use door cushions that create a gap between the door and frame so fingers can’t be pinched and doors can’t be closed.

Childproofing is a serious topic but the actual work doesn’t have to be 100% serious.  When we recently installed our Munchkin safety items I didn’t tell anyone I was working on it.  Seeing adults trying to figure out how to open to refrigerator and drawers without explaining the latch system is kind of funny!  A little “child-proof spoof” if you will.  My husband got me, too, though; he installed the locking plug covers and stood by chuckling as I tried to pry one from the wall to plug in the vacuum!

What are your tips for toddler-proofing?  Have you ever had a laugh over trying to get into a child-safety item?

I received one or more of the above products for review. No other compensation was received.