Toddler Proofing Your House

No matter how much you love your glass figurines or your magazines spread out on the coffee table, having a toddler in the house will make you realize there is a big need for change. You hear about baby proofing your home all the time and you probably did that. However, toddler proofing is altogether different and there are many things your toddler will get into that you can’ t buy a safety lock or latch for! The following suggestions will help you toddler proof your home so you can keep your toddler and your possessions safe!

Pictures and Wall Hangings

Most parents of toddlers believe that pictures and wall hangings are okay because they are high enough above the floor that there is no way their toddler could ever get to them. Unfortunately, these parents often find their favorite piece of artwork being pulled from the wall when their monkey, i.e. toddler, climbs on the sofa and perches on the back to pull down that beautiful painting. Toddlers are climbers so you aren’t only concerned about everything on the floor and that they can reach, but also everything they could reach if they were to climb on something. You may be thinking, well, my toddler doesn’t have anything to climb on. You would probably be surprised at how smart your toddler really is. They probably have a riding toy, plastic chair, or even a toy box that is light enough for them to pull around. If you aren’t careful, they will find a way to stand on top of any of these items to reach what they want. So, take caution!

Kitchen

Your kitchen is a dangerous place for your toddler. They are agile enough to crawl on top of the table, where they could fall off and break a bone. Or, they could crawl on top of the stove and then turn a burner on! All of these things have happened and by toddler proofing can be prevented. The best solution to the kitchen is to put up gates and keep your toddler out. However, if you can’t do this for whatever reason be sure you watch your toddler every second while he is in the kitchen to avoid an accident. Buy every type of drawer, oven, and refrigerator safety lock to make sure your child can’t get into anything. The benefit to the rest of the family could be losing weight thanks to the difficulty in opening the refrigerator!

Other

The rest of the home should be toddler proofed, too. Make sure all toilets have locks on them and all poisons are locked away in a high cabinet. Be sure that knives, scissors, and things of this nature are also stored on a high shelf your toddler can’t reach. Keep all bathroom doors closed so your toddler won’t decide to turn the shower on. Also, be sure to teach your toddler how to walk/slither/slide/crawl up and down the stairs because they can often scale the gates, which creates a bigger problem on the other side!

Posted in Toddler Time