Toddlers and young children are incredibly curious and love to explore. The average home is full of hazards that could harm a small child, from free-standing furniture that may topple over to hanging electrical cables and even doors. Yes, something as simple as a door can be dangerous to a small child. It’s all too easy for a child to get their hand caught in a closing door, or for them to accidentally get locked in a room that they shouldn’t be in. These simple tips will help you to child-proof your doors to keep your little ones safe.
Stop Doors From Slamming
Stop doors from by attaching a slam stopper to the edge of the door. Slam stoppers wrap around the outer edge of the door, and act as a buffer between the door and the frame, ensuring that the door never completely closes. This ensures that your child’s hands will never get jammed in the door when it shuts. Simple yet highly effective!
Use Hinge Strips
Hinge strips are tall, clip-on strips that attach to the edge of the door on the side with the hinges. These flexible strips stop your children from getting their fingers caught between the door and the frame, while still allowing the door to open and close normally.
Keep Cupboards Closed
Lock your fridge or freezer, and the cupboards where you keep cleaning materials, using a simple cupboard catch. These catches stop the doors from opening more than a couple of inches when they are pulled on. Releasing the catch is a simple matter of pushing on the top of the catch until it comes loose. These catches are a great way to keep the little ones (and household pets, for that matter) out of floor level cupboards.
Make That Glass Visible
Once your child can walk, you can be confident that they’ll want to zoom around the house and enjoy their new-found mobility. Sometimes, they won’t be paying attention to their surroundings. One common thing that catches young children out is glass patio doors. Prevent your child from accidentally running into the glass doors by making it clear that they’re there. Use stickers to draw attention to the glass, and decorate your home at the same time!
Make Certain Rooms Off Limits
Stop your child from wandering into a storage room or the garage by installing a child-proof door knob cover. These covers stop the door knob from turning unless the handle is squeezed (think of it like a child-proof cap), ensuring minimum inconvenience for adults, and maximum safety for kids.
In addition to these simple safety improvements, consider using plastic corner cushions to prevent bigger kids from hurting themselves on sharp-edged furniture, and using magnetic locks to keep them out of drawers that contain potentially dangerous tools.
Keeping kids safe while still allowing them to indulge their inquisitive nature is not an easy task. Remember that while your home is child-proof, the homes of your friends and family members may not be. Teach your kids how to recognize and avoid potential hazards so that they’re safe anywhere.
Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/babysafety/
