When you have a baby, you don’t have to worry too much about the inside of your house.
Eventually they will be able to crawl, but as long as there is nothing at floor level that could be dangerous to them, you don’t have to make too many changes.
Once your child becomes a toddler though, they learn to walk, run and climb, meaning your whole house presents an exciting new world for them to explore. Toddlers don’t experience much fear, so they are willing to go anywhere and try anything.
Although our homes should feel like the safest place in the world, unfortunately they can present some dangerous situations for toddlers, making them vulnerable to accidents.
Here’s how you can childproof your house and keep your adventurous little toddler safe at the same time:
Kitchen
There are lots of potentially dangerous things in the kitchen, so the first thing to do is to invest in some childproof locks for your cupboards. Move any cleaning products and detergents into a locked cabinet, or move them up high, completely out of reach.
If your child is in the kitchen with you while you cook dinner, try and use the two hobs on the back of your oven, and make sure all pan handles are turned to the side and can’t be grabbed.
Store any knives or small objects out of reach, as you don’t want your toddler to cut themselves or choke, and unplug any appliances not being used. Never leave plug sockets on, and watch for any dangling wires they could grab hold of.
Living Room
A living room tends to have quite a few plug sockets, and many tend to go unused. Buy some safety plugs to fill the gaps, as you don’t want little fingers getting stuck in them.
Anchor any floor lamps to the ground, and tie any cables together behind furniture so they can’t be snatched at and pulled. Use corner guards on anything sharp that could cause an injury, not forgetting lower level places like the fireplace.
Move any breakable vases and ornaments safely out of reach, and think about moving any houseplants too – some toddler may be curious enough to try and eat them, and many plants may be poisonous.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are very hazardous for toddlers, as they often contain lots of different medicines and poisonous items, such as perfume, make up and nail varnish, just to name a few.
Keep anything sharp like razors, nail clippers and scissors well out of reach, and make sure you keep all your medicines securely locked up in a cabinet. It may also be worth installing a toilet seat lock if you have a particularly inquisitive little one.
Remembers to put padding on the taps in the bath too and use a non-slip bath mat for them to stand on when they are having a bath. Keep all their bath toys in one place and make sure there is nothing that could trip them up.
Stairs and More
When you are as small as a toddler, stairs present the gateway to a whole new world of excitement and opportunity. Make sure you put a safety gate at the top and bottom of your stairs, especially if they are steep or slippery.
Keep the cords on any curtains or blinds in your house short, so they are completely out of your child’s reach. Use doorstops if you are in a different room, so they can’t slam their fingers in the door, and keep windows closed and securely locked.
You may find that different things interest your child as they learn to walk around and climb on furniture, so just keep a close eye on anything that may be hazardous or cause an accident.