Alt: Mom, dad and a baby girl sitting on a couch.

A childproof house provides a safe environment for newborns and toddlers to thrive, discover, and grow. If you have a baby of your own, you are already aware that they enjoy exploring the world, and not necessarily in the most secure manner.

The first and foremost thing when trying to make your home child-friendly is prevention. Your curious little ones will constantly investigate their surroundings, so it's vital to predict where inquiry might take them and secure the house. We bring you some tips on what to think about when it comes to child protection and how to prevent injuries at home.

Tips to make your home child-friendly

Children are interested in almost everything - countless situations in the house can become dangerous for them. The most common causes of injuries that occur are falls, burns, suffocation, and poisoning. As grim as that sounds, don't worry - putting care and thought into making your home child-friendly will ensure your little ones are safe and sound.

Caption: You shouldn’t limit their curiosity, but make sure to make your home child-friendly for their exploration.

Alt: A little girl with her wooden toys.

So, what are the biggest concerns? What will draw your little one the most to look and touch? Where to start with securing your new home after moving in? The most important thing is to look at your home from their perspective! Get down on your knees and observe with your kids' eyes - then you can get most of the answers to your questions.

Baby's protection

In the first months of life, babies turn from their stomachs to their backs and vice versa, and in that change of position, they can easily roll off a flat surface, so they must be under constant supervision. A small child should not be left alone on the changing mat nor in the crib without a raised safety fence.

While you are busy doing something, your baby needs to be safe. Place it in a crib, away from any piece of furniture where it can roll off and fall. And when in a seat or deck chair, make sure that it's always securely fastened.

Safety precautions from an early age

From the moment a child begins to learn how to walk, you must secure all potentially dangerous surfaces. If you have a luxury home, you need to put away all breakables, especially pieces that are valuable to you. It is necessary to babyproof the edges of furniture, especially tables, TV stands, the sides of the bed. The furniture in the kids' room should not have any sharp edges. 

Electrical outlets should be tamper-resistant to guard the child against electric shocks. All the sockets that the youngster can access should be covered.

You should also adjust the bathroom to the child's needs. Protect them from falling by using a rubber mat when bathing. The bathroom floor must be dry. Keep all cleaning products, shampoos, baths, and lotions lifted and far away from children.

Keep children away from the windows

Young children want to look into the world and don't understand the danger, so never leave them unattended with the window open. Not even for a few seconds.

If children are nearby, it would be best if you closed and locked the windows. Make sure to remove the furniture that they can climb on. It's also a good idea to install special protection that will prevent children from opening the window.

There are devices (limiters) that limit the opening of windows to a maximum of 10 centimeters. You should also raise the roller blinds or curtains so that they are inaccessible to your junior.

Prevent burns

Be careful when opening the oven door - the child shouldn't be nearby because the hot air can burn them. When cooking, always place the hot dishes in the middle of the stove or oven, never close to the edge. Moreover, watch out for grease spilling in the kitchen. Clean it immediately as it may spill further, come into contact with the lit stove and ignite.

Caption: Make sure you always show your kids how to be safe in the kitchen.

Alt: A mother putting something in the oven while her daughter stands next to her.

Put away small household appliances (mixer, kitchen scale, toaster, etc.) instead of leaving them on the work surface. Your child might be able to grab and pull on them!

Lift extension cords out of the reach of children. In the bathroom, keep heaters and electrical appliances away from bathtubs, showers, and sinks.

Limit the risk of drowning and poisoning

You should never leave a child unattended in the bathtub or the children's pool. Also, be careful not to leave medications out in the reach of children - keep them on top of the cupboard in a hidden place. You should always lock your medical cabinet.

The same goes for various liquids and sprays that we use to keep the house clean. The children will try them out of curiosity, if they are within their reach, especially during the first months of life when they bring everything in their path in contact with their mouths.

Caption: Cleaning products should be kept as far away from children’s reach as possible.
Alt: Composition of detergents on a table.

Move away all of the smaller items

Remove all small items such as coins, jewelry, small toys, etc., away from children so that they don't swallow them. Various ropes and decorations are also dangerous. The child might reach for them out of curiosity, so always make sure that this and other similarly small objects are far and unreachable.

Also, store away bags, especially those that have strings, to avoid suffocation. If you're preparing to move to a new home, especially over long distances, there'll probably be stuff lying around everywhere. In that case, it might be best to hire long-distance moving experts for the transfer to your new hometown so that you can leave all the tasks to them and focus on your youngsters throughout the process.

In conclusion

When buying a home, there is much more to think about than choosing a pretty house in a great school district. If you have children, their safety is always a number one concern; that's why it's vital to make your home child-friendly. We hope you will put our tips and tricks to great use. Good luck!

Meta description: Kids are every parent’s number one concern – you want them safe and sound, always. Here’s how to make your home child-friendly and safe.

Images used:

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