With little kids in the house, parents are forever looking out for what can harm them and the ‘search, find and secure’ circle is endless. Each time you secure something., your smart little one will have found something else risky for themselves.
To help you along the way, we talked to the experts and compiled some great tips that can help you secure your house more effectively for your child. While the list of things you need to look out for may seem endless, our list will simplify it a little.
1. Cover Electrical Outlets
“First, childproof your house before you start leaving the kids home alone by covering electrical outlets, putting child safety locks on the stove, and any cabinets with chemicals, medication, or alcohol. Also, put child safety gates in front of doorways and stairs for toddlers.” (Harriet Chan)
2. Use Non-Skid Mats
“Ensure to use non-skid bath mats on the bathroom floor and in the bathtubs to prevent children from falling, drowning, or other serious injuries.” (Harriet Chan)
3. Strap Them In
“Always strap your kid in if they use high chairs to avoid falls.” (Harriet Chan)
4. Avoid Using Table Cloths
“When serving meals at the dining table, avoid using table cloths because young kids can grab them and pull dishes or other items onto their tiny heads.”
Harriet Chan, Co-Founder of CocoFinder
“Children are naturally curious and that is one factor that makes them vulnerable to accidents. It’s hard to completely childproof a home, but there are things that can be done to protect children as efficiently as possible.” (Lynda Le)
5. Cover Danger Points
“Make it a habit to cover possible items that pose a danger like outlets, hot pipes, and windows, to prevent falls.” (Lynda Le)
6. Put Thing out of Reach
“Also, put things away so they are out of reach of children. Place them in childproof cabinets with locks to prevent injuries and possible poisoning.” (Lynda Le)
7. Beware of Choking Hazards and Chemicals
“Pay attention to small items which can cause choking, as well as chemicals and medications which can cause poisoning, and drawstring that may strangle them, and etc. Special attention must be provided especially if there are little ones at home. It is the children’s right to be safe and the parent’s responsibility to keep them safe.”
Lynda Le, Nail Technician and Founder of Polish Perfect
8. Go Through the House and Find Potential Dangers
“Having children at home is a constant learning experience. As an expert on home spaces, no matter how prepared you are, you will always discover something new that could potentially harm your little one. The best way to childproof your home is to go through your home and see what your child can potentially reach once they walk. During the younger years, make use of bay enclosures to prevent them wandering off to possibly dangerous rooms such as the laundry or kitchen.”
James Kalim, Founder and CEO at Only Silent
9. Beware of Poisoning Products
“Since the main cause of unintentional injury deaths in the home is poisoning, ensure safety for young children by keeping your cleaning products and your medications in areas that children cannot easily reach. If that is not possible, consider installing locks on medicine cabinets and areas of the house that could be dangerous for young children.” (Karen Condor)
10. Kitchen Safety
“Decrease the chances of the kitchen being a dangerous place for young children by keeping sharp kitchen tools away in cabinets instead of in countertop displays. Turn pot and pan handles away from the edge of the stove so they don’t accidentally get knocked off, store breakable dinnerware beyond a child’s reach, keep non-breakable drinkware and plates within easy reach for children, and make sure your appliances are secure so they don’t tip over.” (Karen Condor)
11. Install Smoke Alarms
“To better secure your home for little children, install smoke alarms inside each child’s bedroom and outside the sleeping areas in every level of the home, including the basement. Create a fire escape plan and run a fire drill with your children twice a year.
Karen Condor is a home safety expert with USInsuranceAgents.com.
12. Fence Around the Pool
“If you have a pool, build a small fence around it: You’ll never know when your toddler suddenly decides to wander around your backyard. She can easily fall into the pool without you knowing it. Ward off this very preventable accident by putting around a small fence either around it or in front of the pathway towards it.” (Jack Miller)
13. Safety with Devices
“Monitor their internet surfing activities: The internet is a vast place where age-sensitive content can easily be accessed by your youngsters. Monitor their online activities by limiting them to child-friendly content. If necessary, bar them from seeing any social media until they reach a certain age. Fortunately, there is a platform like YouTube kids to keep them entertained in that way.” (Jack Miller)
14. Childproof Everything
“Cabinets with hazardous chemicals and sharp tools should be protected with safety locks. The same goes with electrical outlets, which you should cover-up. If you want to be extra safe, equip your stove with a child lock as well.”
Jack Miller is the founder of How I Get Rid Of
15. Anchor Large Items
“One of the most important things to do when childproofing your house is to anchor large items. I have caught my kids so many times climbing their bureaus. If they grab it at just the right angle, it could easily fall on them if it isn’t properly secured to the wall.”
Stephanie Eddy is a parenting and motherhood blogger at Dresses and Dinosaurs
16. Anchor Furniture to the Wall
“Making a home safe for small children is a crucial aspect of being a good parent, which is why homeowners who are also parents prioritize this. To do so, a good place to start is with furniture, particularly furniture in their bedroom. By anchoring furniture to your walls, you can prevent it from toppling over and falling on your youngster.” (Kris Lippi)
17. Secure Sharp Edges
“Next, secure all sharp edges in your home with protective coverings so that children do not injure themselves if they come into contact with them.” (Kris Lippi)
18. Discreet Safety Socket Covers
“Finally, to avoid drawing attention from children, keep your electrical outlets covered with discreet-colored safety socket covers.”
Kris Lippi, Real Estate Broker, CEO ISoldMyHouse
Dennis has been a professional security consultant space based out of Chapel Hill for over 15 years. His experience runs the gamut between government and private organizations (specifically in the finance and insurance sector) with a specialty in consulting for executive and high-value protection surrounding Kidnap and Ransom mitigation.
