When you first bought your little newborn baby home, the task of childproofing your home seemed like it was years away. Suddenly though, before your very eyes, your child has grown into an excellent crawler, climber, and maybe even walker.
When babies decide it’s time to get moving, there’s no stopping them! If you’re at this stage of parenthood, it’s time to start childproofing your home in order to keep your little one safe. Don’t worry, help is at hand! Here are our top tips for childproofing your home.
Watch Out For Sharp Corners
One of the big issues with learning to crawl, climb, and walk is that babies are often pretty wobbly during this time. It’s not uncommon for babies to topple over sideways, as well as fall on their bums, therefore it’s important to shield them from banging their heads on any sharp corners that may be in their way.
One of the best tips for childproofing your home is to make sure that you cover all sharp corners with corner protectors. In most cases, coffee tables are the main item of furniture that will need corner protectors added.
Use Locking Safety Mechanisms
Another one of our top tips for childproofing your home is to purchase and install locking safety mechanisms on your windows and any cupboards that your child is likely to be able to access. These are essential bits of childproofing items that can save your child’s life, so it’s well worth installing them on any potentially risky openings, including the cleaning cupboard in your kitchen, TV units, and low drawers.
Install Baby Stair Gates
Baby stair gates are an essential piece of childproofing products. Baby stair gates can be used to ensure that children cannot play on their stairs unattended, but they can also be used to keep children out of rooms that contain hazards – for example, kitchens. It’s recommended that you keep baby stair gates in place both at the bottom and the top of your stairs until your child is around 2 years of age.
Secure Heavy Items to the Walls
Children learning to climb may look at your bookshelf and consider it a fun climbing challenge, however, if it’s not secure to the wall, it could easily topple over on top of your child and seriously injure them. Heavy items and large pieces of furniture can pose a real risk to children learning to move and climb, so always ensure that they are bracketed securely to the walls.
Block off Plug Sockets
Plug sockets are often overlooked by parents when they begin childproofing their homes, but they pose a huge hazard to children. To keep your babies safe, make sure you block off plug sockets with furniture and use lockable plug socket covers to protect your children from harm.
Secure All Exits
When it comes to childproofing your home and garden, it’s important to make sure all external doors and gates are secure. If your front door has an easy-open handle, you may need to invest in an extra lick or chain, to help keep your child safely inside. Additionally, one of the most expensive tips for childproofing your home is to ensure the external perimeter is secure. If it’s not, you should ensure you have eyes on your child at all times when they are outside.
The Bottom Line
There is no one perfect time to start childproofing your home. Many choose to start thinking about the childproofing process whilst they’re in their second trimester, while others choose to wait until their child is starting to learn to move independently.
Whenever you choose to get started, it’s worth noting that childproofing is an ongoing task, and as your child learns how to move and gets more confident on their feet, you may find that areas that were previously safely out of reach could now pose a threat to your child’s health.
About the Author: Tina Bailey is the founder of the MotherGeek family and a mum of two. She has been featured on many notable publications including The Independent and BBC Radio. You can read more from her on MotherGeek.
