Having a little one wandering freely around the house can be somewhat daunting. Suddenly, your little one becomes an explorer, reaching new heights and touching everything in sight!
Whilst your watchful eye will always be on them, sometimes a little more support is needed when it comes to their curiosities. The transition from a teeny newborn who sleeps most of the time to an inquisitive cheeky tot, happens in the blink of an eye. So, mummies and daddies listen up, because it’s time to learn how to keep your baby safe at home!
Thankfully, at Kiddies Kingdom, we’re experts in making sure your home is safeguarded from your little one’s prying. From how to childproof drawers to a handful of leading safety products in our stockroom, we’ve got your back!
Stage-by-stage checklist
The basics
Out of sight, out of mind is the best motto to follow, when it comes to how to keep your baby safe at home. Whilst we have lots of home safety products to kit out your house, we also recommend storing away items you don’t want your tot finding. Make sure they’re hidden away in cupboards, cabinets or draws, with fitted safety catches. Keep this in mind when it comes to things such as:
- Medicines
- Laundry detergent/capsules
- Dishwasher capsules
- Domestic cleaning products
- Soap, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner
- Cosmetics
- Sharp objects
- Alcohol
- Small items e.g., coins, buttons, batteries, jewellery, pins etc
- Hot drinks
- Handbags (there’s a whole other world in there)
- Hair straightener/dryer
- Iron
There will be times where you can’t keep an eye on your roaming baby, for instance when you’re cooking or need to use the bathroom. On these occasions, we recommend popping them into their cot or highchair, with their favourite, snuggly toy. This way you can still chat away, as well as being reassured they aren’t going to wander off without you seeing!
Crawling
When they start crawling or bum-shuffling to grab things – it’s time to tackle those low-level hazards around your home! We recommend getting on your hands and knees, just like your little crawler. This way you can have a baby eye view of everything in sight. There are several ways to childproof low-level nuisances including:
- Positioning sleeping areas, such as cots, cribs, and beds away from windows and wires.
- If you have pets, make sure they’re always supervised around your tot.
- Make sure sharp corners on low furniture have foam padding.
- Use a cordless telephone so your little one can’t grab onto any cables.
- Doors should be fitted with toddler locks, safety catches, hinge covers, and door stops.
- Check under your furniture for any protruding nails and screws.
- Drawers, cupboards, and cabinets should be fitted with toddler locks, spring locks and magnetic locks.
- Always make sure the washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher doors are securely locked when not in use.
- All cables should be tucked or hidden away.
- Move the family pet’s food, water bowl and toilet (e.g., litter box) away from the floor when not in use.
- The fireplace should be fitted with toddler locks and a protective screen.
- Fasten blind cords to the wall with appropriate cord fixings.
- Use protective appliance covers to lock stove knobs, oven doors, microwaves, fridges, and freezers.
Standing
After a while, exploring the house on their hands and knees gets a little boring. Now, your tot will have built up lots of muscle power in their teeny tiny legs, to go from crawling to standing up! So, on top of the above, there’s a few more things you’ll need to consider:
- Lowest is safest when it comes to the level of their cot mattress.
- Make sure mobiles and other toys are out of reach when your babe isn’t in their cot.
- Tall furniture and floor-leaning mirrors should be secured to the wall.
- Remove objects from tables and sofas, that you don’t want within your little one’s reach.
- Secure all drawers as your tot will grab onto the handles for balance.
- Tie back long curtains and blinds, as well as securing them with a cord tidy.
- Move fridge magnets to the highest possible point on fridges, so your child can’t put them in their mouth.
- Fit televisions to walls if they’re low and free-standing.
- Activate any built-in child locks and secure doors on ovens.
- Cover the hob so no little fingers can turn the knobs on.
- Install window latches so your babe can’t open any windows.
- Set up an anti-scald device on taps to help prevent injuries.
Climbing
Now that your sweetheart is a master at standing up, it’ll be no time until they start trying to climb things too! So, now it’s time to consider the following:
- Make sure any furniture is moved away from windows.
- Install safety gates at the top and bottom of the stairs within your home.
- Fit locks/safety catches/width restrictors on windows.
Walking
When your bundle of joy starts walking, it’s definitely a milestone to be celebrated. Whilst you’ll be filled with pride, tottering about in full stride is still a cause for wariness! When both legs are in action, there’s a few things to keep in mind:
- Make sure garden gates are locked to prevent your tot from wandering off.
- Sheds and garages should be secured, so all tools are out of reach from your little explorer.
- Garden ponds should be covered with a heavy or secured metal grid.
- If your tot is now in a forward-facing car seat, check the child safety locks are activated on the vehicle door.
How to childproof your drawers
- Magnetic locks
As all parents know, a magnetic lock does wonders for your inquisitive tot! They’re super effective at keeping kitchen, bedroom and bathroom drawers firmly closed. Best of all, they’re durable yet discreet. This means for all the aesthetic-obsessed mamas out there; appearance and safety can be achieved in one! - Tension rods
For parents who have handles on their drawers instead of knobs, use a tension rod vertically through all of them, so all drawers are secured at the same time. Our experts recommend getting tension rods with rubber ends. This way your tot won’t be able to pull the rod out! - Adjustable safety locks
A single-lock system for multiple drawers saves the day! You can do this with an adjustable lock. Just attach one end to the side of the counter, and the other to the front of the drawer. No matter how smart your tot may be, there’ll be no way of them getting into your drawers with these nifty locks! - Latch locks
Latch locks will always stand the test of time! First, you’ll need to fit a latch near the top of the drawer. This will then hook on top of a special piece of plastic, that you’ll have attached above it. When the latch catches, the drawers won’t be able to be pulled open by your babe – hooray!
Remember – accidents do happen. All children have them and it’s a part of growing up, so there’s no need to panic! The good news is that with our handy tips above, you’ll be able to take the necessary precautions, to safeguard your humble abode as much as possible. And remember childproofing your home is personal to you and your lifestyle – if you don’t think you need to do it all, you probably don’t. Just, start with the basics and most hazardous aspects and childproof as you go, and as your little one grows.
Alongside this, just make sure you’re being vigilant and keeping an eye on your little snooper. The sleepless nights from thinking about your tot exploring every inch of your home freely, will soon be a thing of the past!
