21 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Childproof Your Home
There’s something wonderful about watching a little one feel completely at home in your home. Unfortunately, the things that make a house interesting to a curious child aren’t always the things adults notice. Whether you’re raising children, welcoming grandchildren, or simply expecting a little visitor, a few thoughtful changes can make it easier to enjoy their curiosity without quite so many worries. Here are 21 surprisingly simple places to start.
- COVER UNUSED ELECTRICAL OUTLETS
Little fingers have a way of finding exactly what we’d rather they didn’t. Child-resistant outlet covers or sliding safety plates can protect unused outlets, and keeping electrical cords tucked away removes another source of temptation. - GO CORDLESS AT THE WINDOWS
Window-covering cords can create a strangulation hazard, so cordless blinds and shades are the safest choice where young children spend time. If older corded coverings remain, make sure those cords are secured completely out of reach.
- LOCK CABINETS AND DRAWERS
Children don’t know that one cabinet holds plastic bowls while the next holds cleaning products. Safety latches or locks can keep medicines, cleaners, laundry supplies, knives, scissors, matches, tools, and other hazards safely out of reach. Child-resistant packaging helps, but secure storage is still important. - MAKE THE STOVE HARDER TO EXPLORE
The kitchen is often the heart of the home—and one of the busiest places in it. If stove controls are within reach, appropriate knob covers or control locks can help. Make sure the range has its anti-tip bracket, use back burners when possible, and turn pot handles away from little hands.
- USE THE RIGHT SAFETY GATES
Sometimes peace of mind comes from simply knowing a little one can’t wander somewhere unsafe. Gates can block stairs and hazardous rooms. At the top of stairs, use a gate designed and securely mounted for that location rather than a pressure-mounted gate, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. - ANCHOR FURNITURE AND TVs
To a child learning to climb, a dresser or bookcase may look like an invitation. Secure heavy or top-heavy furniture and TVs with appropriate anti-tip devices, and avoid leaving favorite toys or other tempting objects where they encourage climbing. - SOFTEN SHARP CORNERS
Children tumble. It’s part of growing up. But coffee tables, hearths, countertops, and other hard edges often meet them at exactly the wrong height. Corner guards and edge bumpers can make some of those inevitable little tumbles a little less painful.
- DON’T RELY ON WINDOW SCREENS
A window screen may feel like a barrier, but it isn’t designed to prevent a fall. Use properly installed window guards or stops where appropriate; the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends stops that limit openings to four inches or less. Move climbable furniture away from windows and preserve any emergency escape route. - KEEP THE BATHROOM SECURE
Bath time should be one of those happy little rituals, but water always deserves an adult’s full attention. Toilet locks can help discourage exploration, while young children should never be left unattended in a bathtub. Empty buckets, tubs, and other water containers after use too. - CREATE A BUFFER AROUND FIREPLACES
A fireplace can make a room feel especially warm and inviting, but hearth edges and hot surfaces need some distance from little hands. Appropriate barriers or padding can help protect children around fireplaces, woodstoves, and other heat sources.
- CONTROL ACCESS TO OFF-LIMIT ROOMS
Not every room needs to be part of a child’s world. Doorknob covers, lever locks, and similar devices can help keep certain rooms and closets off-limits. Just make sure adults can use them easily and emergency exits remain accessible. - GET DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL
This one sounds almost too simple: sit down on the floor and look around. You’ll see the room the way they do—and may suddenly notice coins, balloons, toy pieces, pen caps, or other choking hazards you walked right past. Prepare foods such as grapes and hot dogs in age-appropriate shapes and sizes, and consider learning recognized choking first aid and CPR. Knowing what to do in an emergency is another way of taking good care of the people you love.
- STOP RUGS FROM SLIDING
Little feet aren’t always steady, especially when they’re moving faster than the rest of the child. Non-slip pads or appropriate rug grips can help keep loose rugs secure. Check them from time to time to make sure they’re still holding well. - SECURE LARGE APPLIANCES
Children are curious about doors—especially doors they’re not supposed to open. Depending on the appliance, appropriate child-resistant locks may help limit access to refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, and other appliances. Ranges should also have proper anti-tip protection. Follow manufacturer safety instructions for each appliance.
- CHECK SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS
Some of the best ways to protect children are also the best ways to protect everyone you love. Follow current local requirements and manufacturer instructions for alarm placement, testing, maintenance, and replacement. The CPSC recommends smoke alarms on every level, outside sleeping areas, and inside bedrooms; CO alarms should be installed on each level and outside sleeping areas. Test them regularly. - TURN DOWN THE SCALDING RISK
Children’s skin can be burned by hot water much faster than many adults realize. The CPSC recommends setting the water heater to 120°F or lower. Anti-scald devices can add protection, and an adult should always check the bathwater before a little one climbs in.
- LOCK UP MEDICINES AND HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
Medicines, vitamins, cleaners, laundry products, pesticides, alcohol, and other potentially harmful substances belong in their original containers, locked away, and out of children’s sight and reach. Even child-resistant packaging isn’t truly childproof. - BLOCK ACCESS TO HOT SURFACES
Radiators, space heaters, baseboard heaters, and fireplace glass may be much hotter than they appear. Appropriate barriers can help keep little hands away while preserving the clearances recommended by the manufacturer.
- MAKE THE TRASH HARD TO REACH
Little hands don’t know the difference between treasure and trash. Sharp objects, discarded batteries, medicines, cleaners, and spoiled food may all end up in the garbage, so use a child-resistant lid or secured cabinet. Remember purses, backpacks, and visitors’ bags too—they can hold things a curious child shouldn’t find. - WATCH FOR BUTTON BATTERIES AND SMALL MAGNETS
Some of the smallest things in a home can pose the biggest risks. Button or lithium coin batteries can cause severe internal injury if swallowed, and high-powered magnets can also be extremely dangerous. Check battery compartments and keep loose batteries and small magnets completely out of reach.
- SECURE FIREARMS, KNIVES, AND OTHER WEAPONS
Anything capable of seriously hurting a child needs to be completely inaccessible. Any firearm in a home with children should be securely stored so children cannot access it, following applicable laws and established firearm-safety guidance. Knives and other weapons should also be locked or otherwise kept safely away.
A child doesn’t see hazards. A child sees possibilities. The drawer is something to open. The chair is something to climb. The little object under the sofa is something to pick up and investigate.
That’s why childproofing is really an ongoing act of care. As the children you love grow and discover new things they can do, take another look around the home with them in mind. No safety product replaces attentive adult supervision, but every hazard you remove gives them a little more room to explore—and gives the people who love them a little more peace of mind.
IMPORTANT SAFETY RESOURCES
Poison Control
1-800-222-1222
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission — Childproofing Your Home