As parents, safety is our number one concern. Children are curious little critters who get into everything. No matter how timid or docile your kid may be, they will get into something unsafe at one point. The best we can do it mitigate the opportunities they have to hurt themselves.
Here is a big list of ways you can baby proof your home. Have some ideas of your own? Comment below!
- Stuff all power outlets with childproof sockets.
- Install safety gates near stairs. You may opt for a moveable version if baby is sometimes upstairs or downstairs.
- Tether any furniture that can tip over to the wall.
- Get down on the floor (at your baby’s level) and look for anything they can pick up and hurt themselves with or swallow.
- Check to make sure none of your plants are poisonous. Keep any plants up high so children don’t eat them or the soil.
- Tape down or tie up any electrical cords.
- Keep anything dangerous up high and away from the edges (you’ll be surprised when your child reaches up to a counter top).
- Remove any hanging toys from the crib (including the mobile).
- Use toy chests without a lid or ones that close very slowly and gently.
- Don’t leave insect or rodent traps somewhere baby can access.
- Ensure your crib meets modern safety standards.
- Keep the crib away from windows and any blinds with cords.
- Remove stuffed animals and extra bedding from the crib (these can cause SIDS).
- Take magnets off the refrigerator (very dangerous if they fall and are swallowed).
- Use the rear burners when cooking and turn the pot handles to the back.
- Always lock the oven door.
- Move your cleaning supplies to a high cabinet or somewhere you don’t allow your child, like the garage. Be especially careful of those dishwasher soap packs, which look like candy.
- Install a lock on your dishwasher.
- Never leave standing water in the bath tub or buckets.
- Install a lock on your toilet seat.
- If any rooms in your house lock, make sure you have keys for those doors and they are kept somewhere accessible in case baby locks himself in a room.
- Adjust your water heater’s setting to 120 degrees Fahrenheit so no one is scaled (this reduces your energy cost too because no one uses it higher).
- Add a non-slip mat to your tub.
- Cover the tub spout so baby doesn’t bump it during bath time.
- Make sure there is a fence around your pool with a self-closing, self-locking gate.
- Add a lock to your medicine cabinet, even if it’s high off the ground.
- Baby monitors are great, but keep their cords tightly wound.
- Keep pet food out of reach. These are choking hazards.
- Ensure your kitchen has a fire extinguisher, you have smoke alarms in all bedrooms and kitchen, as well as some carbon monoxide detectors.
- Put stove knob covers over the knobs so baby can’t turn them.
- Mount your TV to the wall or place it behind a closing cabinet.
- Cushion the edges of a coffee table or end table with bumpers.
- Keep all breakable items somewhere baby can’t reach and off any surfaces baby can bump into.
Do you have any babyproofing tips? Comment below and we’ll add them to our list.
Written by Doodle Pants Team
Doodle Pants is an exciting collection of stylish toddler leggings for girls and boys, wild animal prints, and charming original characters. Little ones (3 months to 3T) can squiggle and wiggle with ease thanks to a roomy seat, stretchy ribbed cuffs and a comfortable elastic waistband. They’re made with thick, flexible material that holds up and is easy to wash. Whether running havoc on the playground or dressing up for an impromptu dolly tea party, these are the perfect pieces for a frolicking fun time.
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