Regardless of whether you have a baby, a toddler, or a 6-year-old, the chances you are worried about the level of your home safety for kids is very high. Each parent is eager to see the baby crawling, especially for the first time, but that is the period when most parents start intensively researching the home safety tips. Here are some basics on how to make sure your child is safe at home.
1. Stove Guards
Toddlers seem to be especially interested in kitchen appliances and what’s cooking on the stove. Luckily, one can buy protective stove guards which stops the child from being able to touch the burners or pulling down hot pots and pans and suffering severe burns.
2. Door Safety Locks
The easiest way to keep your kids away from potentially dangerous rooms or cabinets is by installing childproof door locks. This can be especially useful for rooms such as bathroom, laundry room and for balcony doors. Speaking of bathrooms, safeguarding the bathroom doors is especially recommended, as you child might come across an electric appliance, such as hairdryer and come in contact with water. If you own a basement, getting one of reliable door safeguards for your basement door is a must, because getting access to a door with stairs behind them can have fatal consequences for a child.
3. Bed Rails
If your child is still a baby or a toddler, one of the first home safety tips you must consider is buying bed rails. During their sleep or play inside the baby bed, babies often move from the left to the right, from their back to the stomach. During this process, they can easily fall off the bed if there are no adequate bed rails and rails protection. The rails should be made of a strong material that will be durable, reliable and grip strongly to the bed itself, while the protection must be thick enough to exclude chances of injury and very soft to provide maximum comfort for the baby.
4. Outlet Plug Covers
Outlet plugs are dangerous even for adults. These are among the biggest fears for parents with a crawling baby at home. Due to their low height, outlets are extremely accessible for toddlers who immediately want to put a finger into that mysterious opening. This is why home safety for kids cannot be considered complete without outlet covers securing each outlet in your house. The design variations of this gadget have become quite creative lately. Apart from the safety purpose, using them almost makes your home even more aesthetically pleasing.
5. Corner Protectors
Sharp edges of your coffee table, drawers, and other furniture can cause serious injuries. Babies, especially in their crawling phase, often move from the couch to the floor. Toddlers adore jumping from one piece of furniture to another. Edge protectors prevent kids from getting hurt if they bump into the sharp edges of a coffee table. Luckily, edge protectors are easily found in stores, quickly installed, and are very reliable and durable. Additionally, in the past few years, a number of amazingly designed protectors have become available in the market. There are even models with lights so that your child can easily spot the danger and stay away from it.
6. Drawer Locks
Locks for drawers and cabinets are very useful because toddlers enjoy discovering and opening each and every drawer in the house. Drawers, especially those which may contain some sharp objects, such as pencils, razors, mirrors or glass containers must be protected by drawer locks.
7. Door Jamb Finger Protectors
You should consider installing finger protectors for door jambs to prevent your little ones from getting their fingers caught when closing doors. These finger protectors come in two types…a foam wedge that prevents the door from closing all the way so that the child’s finger won’t get caught or a shield or cover that allows you to close the door completely but blocks the gap between the door and the jamb so that your child can’t put his fingers in the gap.
8. Anti-Tipping Furniture Straps
The cases of kids being hurt or dying from being crushed by overturned TVs or dressers occur more often than you might imagine. These types of injuries usually involve serious chest and head injuries. Investing a few dollars in anti-tipping straps is worth it. You can attach these straps to TVs, dressers, bookshelves, or anything heavy that may tip over if a child grabs and pulls. They attach to the back so they are completely out of sight and won’t impact your home decor.
9. Window Latches
You must never leave your child alone near an open window. Furthermore, if you have a toddler, you should consider installing window latches as children this age can be surprisingly strong and open the window themselves.
