Keeping your home safe for kids is essential. You want to be sure that they can explore and enjoy their time there without the threat of injury. However, accidents do happen. Furniture can be too low or high for certain ages. Electrical outlets and items like coffee tables pose a threat to curious children who may accidentally touch them. To keep your home safe for kids, you should take precautions before letting them explore. Discover some ways you can keep your home safe for children so that they can have a great experience while exploring every nook and cranny.
Keep dangerous objects out of sight or reach
There are certain things you should try to keep up high or out of the way so that they aren’t within reach. These include items like cleaning products, tools, and anything with small pieces. If there is something they aren’t allowed to touch, it’s best to keep it in one of those cabinets that can only be opened with a key.
Another option is to install child-proof locks high on cabinet doors within their reach, which will prevent them from opening them further. When someone wants to get into one of the locked cabinets, they’ll have to ask an adult for help.
Ensure your furniture is kid-friendly
Kids love playing on furniture. Couches are especially fun because they’re large enough for more than one person. But this can pose a safety risk. If your child is sitting down on the couch or leaning up against it while using an iPad, for example, they can easily fall off and hurt themselves if the couch moves.
Another thing that can be dangerous is large stuffed animals. These are typically more of a hassle than their worth because of their size, but even worse are the ones that have small pieces that could come loose. This means that there won’t just be one pillow on the floor waiting to trip someone up; there will be multiple.
Use child-proof electrical outlets
Electric outlets can be dangerous for children. They may not know it, but they could make the outlet touch their fingers and get shocked. If this happens, they might feel pain or even lose consciousness. To protect your child from this danger, you should buy an electrical outlet that is child-proof. This way, they cannot touch it with their hands or other things like books.
One example of a child-proof electrical outlet is the one that plugs into the wall and has a cover over it. The child can’t unplug it and might not touch it with their hands because there is a sharp edge around the area where they plug in. You could also buy an outlet that has a lower socket for children. These are typically harder to reach and may be too low for them to reach anyway.
Put nonslip mats in the shower or tub for added grip
Slips and falls are very common for people of all ages, especially kids. But you can prevent them by putting down nonslip mats in the tub or shower after they get out of the water. This way, if they slip on wet floors, they’ll be more likely to catch themselves with their hands before hitting the ground (or your ceramic tile floor). Another quick method is to make sure you keep your shower doors shut. This can reduce the risk of someone slipping on the floor tenfold.
Avoid clutter in high traffic areas
Clutter can be dangerous for kids, so you should avoid keeping items like shoes lying around where they could get stepped on. It’s also easy to forget about things underfoot when carrying something. Try to keep pathways open and free of obstacles so that people don’t have to worry about tripping. This is especially important in the bathroom, where several dangers lurk (toilet bowl cleaner, sharp objects, etc.).
Make sure your stairs are safe by adding a gate
Stairs can be dangerous for kids, and they will try to climb them as soon as they see one. To keep your child safe, you should add a baby gate to the top of the staircase. This will prevent them from going up there without supervision. You could also put a child-proof cover on electrical outlets near the bottom of the stairs so that they cannot touch them while playing around there.
You may want to consider these tips when it comes time to purchase new furniture or renovate your home. You should also be aware of safety hazards that could cause an injury if not taken care of, like clutter and slippery surfaces. These suggestions will give you a head start on keeping your house safe for kids.
