9 Smart Ways to Childproof Your Home

As parents, ensuring your home is safe for your children is essential. It’s sometimes difficult to know where to start, and even if you feel as though you’ve done enough, chances are you might have missed something. Young children sometimes get into places they shouldn’t and end up breaking things and hurting themselves. Here are some simple and inexpensive things you can do to childproof your home and keep your kids safe.

  1. Know your way around household utilities

The most important thing is to be aware of the hazards in your home. Know what to do in the event of an electrical or gas emergency so you can protect your children. When you detect an electrical fault, flip the safety switch to turn off the electricity supply. This will minimise the risk of electricity-related fires, shocks, injuries and death.

  1. Choose the right furniture

Your coffee table with sharp corners is the same height as your young child who’s just starting to walk. This could be extremely hazardous. Choose furniture with rounded corners. You can also put corner and edge bumpers on your furniture to protect against injury.

Child looking out of window blinds

  1. Ensure your blinds are safe for children

All cords and chains in reach of young children can be a strangulation hazard. Make sure your window blinds do not have looped cords as children can put their head in them. Securing cords with hooks and winding the cords around them can help ensure that this will not happen. When purchasing your blinds, ask your provider for a safety chain tensioner. When installed, it will hold the looped cord taut and reduce the risk of your child becoming entangled.

  1. Decrease chances of accidents in the living room

It is important to prevent furniture from tipping by securing bookcases, shelving and heavy furniture to walls. If your child tries to climb on a TV stand, the set could fall on them. Mount your television securely onto the wall to prevent this from occurring. Ensure smaller items, such as photo frames, are kept well out of reach. If your child knocks over a glass frame, the glass could shatter and cut.

  1. Use child-proof house security locks 

Ensure your kids are protected from wandering outside unsupervised by using security doors. The SK110 Patio Door Bar provides an excellent visual guard against burglars and features a unique anti-lift lock that prevents toddlers and young children from raising the bar and sneaking out the back door. Crafted from lightweight, aeroplane-grade aluminum, this sliding security bar can also be used to secure partially-open doors, allowing for comfortable ventilation while keeping children safe.

6. Keep the bathroom tidy

Keep your bathroom clean and clear of tripping hazards. Remember to unplug hairdryers and keep them away from children. Take an extra step and cover all unused electrical outlets with outlet protectors or safety caps. Doing so will prevent electrocution due to contact with water and unwanted burns. Also, wipe up all puddles on your bathroom floor to prevent your child from slipping and falling.

Child reaching for strawberries

Image Source: Unsplash

7. Keep small objects out of reach

Small toys and objects lying around can be a choking hazard. Ensure these items are put away after use. This applies to little things like grapes in the kitchen, contact lens cases in the bathroom and small pebbles from a potted plant. Keep these out of reach from children at all times.

8. Select the right fan

If you use a fan to cool down your house, choose one with a cage around it to protect children form the blades.

9. Gate the stairs

A fall down the stairs for your toddler who has just learnt to crawl or walk could be lethal. Gate your stairwells both top and bottom. However, make sure you can step through safely and it doesn’t become a hazard on its own.

Remember, childproofing your home is only a start. It is still important that you supervise your children at all times.

I’m Jo – a creative writer based in Wellington, New Zealand’s culinary capital. I spend most days researching and writing articles about home, travel and lifestyle topics for various blogs. In my free time, you can find me trying out new pasta recipes or practicing strumming patterns on my guitar. Visit my personal blog, Musings of Johanna, to get in touch.


No Comments

To top