Preparing Your Home For Toddler Safety

Exploring is a good thing. It is a natural part of their growth. As your toddler explores they gain knowledge, independence, and confidence. It teaches them to use all five of their senses. It teaches them how to put things together, how things work, and enlarges their world moment by moment. They should be encouraged to explore your home, within limits of course. Baby Safety Helper Doorstops

It can be very difficult to keep up with your toddler and they can get from point A to point B in the time it takes you to turn around for just a second to do your normal daily chores. So you need to have confidence that your home is safe for your toddler to explore, even when you aren't watching them.

In this article, we will explore areas of your home and help you identify danger zones, then help you fix them so your explorer is safe in his new adventures. Remember, in every room of the house, get on your hands and knees and look at the world from your toddler's point of view. This will give you a better perspective on the dangers that lurk there. Let's start where your toddler starts his or her day, their bedroom.

Is the glass in your toddler's bedroom made of tempered glass? Non-Tempered glass is dangerous, because it does not break into the tiny pieces that safety glass does. If your toddler's windows are non-tempered, you can either have new window glass installed or apply security film to them. The film is a much less expensive solution and binds the pieces of glass together if the window is ever broken.

Also, window locks are an essential item to have throughout the house, including your toddler's room. They allow a window to be open, but not too far. Never leave the window open more than four inches. Gates with vertical slats can also help prevent your toddler from falling out of the window. Screens will not hold them!

Placing your toddler's bed or crib in the proper place is also important. Experts recommend the space between the bars be no wider than two and three-eighths inches apart. Do not place your toddler's crib or other furniture under the window or near baseboard or other heaters.

Items left in the crib need to be at a minimum. Make sure your toddler cannot stack or use those items to get out of their crib. You might be surprised how inventive your toddler can be when he or she wants to get somewhere. You'll turn around and find them in some of the most impossible spots you can imagine.

Look around for any cords or other dangerous items. As your toddler gets more mobile these items present a great danger to them. Make sure you tie all cords and similar items well out of their reach. Any item that is longer than seven inches can be a danger to your toddler. Make sure they cannot get to them and remember your toddler will be more inventive and curious than you might think.

Of course, all medications, baby powder, lotion, and other items must be kept out of reach or stored in a childproof cabinet in your toddler's room.

Do not use extension cords in your toddler's room or anywhere else in the house where they can reach them. The danger of strangulation or electrocution is very real and should be taken seriously. Make sure you buy protective covers for all outlets. Having the outlets installed higher up the wall, out of reach of your toddler is an even better solution and much more convenient for you.

Hiding outlets behind furniture that your toddler cannot move or get behind is another solution until you can do more. The advice on electrical outlets also applies to the rest of the house so I won't be covering that again for every room.

Parents and toddlers both spend a lot of time in the kitchen, so we'll go there next.

Emergency phone numbers should be located everywhere there is a phone, including the kitchen. In a time of stress it is difficult to think straight or find phone books and the phone numbers you need, so keep them handy at all times.

Not just for toddler safety, but for all homes, there should be a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, maybe you had better fix a Baby Safety Helper Doorstops . Take care of that right away, especially if you are a parent.

Toddlers love to climb into things like cabinets, your dishwasher, stove, and refrigerators. Make sure the dishwasher is always latched. Use childproof locks on your cabinet doors and on your refrigerator. They even make latches for your oven.

Speaking of the oven, maybe the most dangerous spot in the kitchen for your curious toddler use a stove guard to protect them. A stove guard keeps them from being able to reach the burners. Cook on your back burners whenever possible. If the controls for the stove are placed on the front of the stove, you will need to remove them.

Train yourself to not use any lower cabinets like under the sink to store hazardous products. Even soap is dangerous. Many soaps contain lye and can poison your child. This applies to all rooms where you store products, including the laundry room. Remember, if it can be reached, it will be reached.

Now do the same for all sharp objects like knives, forks, scissors, pizza cutters, and ice picks. Train yourself to put these items away every time you use them.

If you keep liquor in the kitchen or have a bar in your house where they are kept, make sure your toddler cannot reach it. The tiniest bit of alcohol can make a small child very sick and too much could prove fatal.

Ok, you get an idea of what to do in the kitchen, now let's head for your bathroom.

A huge number of accidents occur in the bathroom each year affecting both adults and toddlers. It's a good thing to keep that in mind when preparing your bathroom for safety.

Overhead door locks are available to be purchased and used to keep toddlers out of rooms that are not in use. You should buy these and install them on all bathroom doors.