How to toddler-proof your home
Keep little ones safe and sound
Toddlers have a tendency to think they are invincible, and are wildly curious about the world around them.
Thinking about the dangers can be overwhelming, but there’s plenty you can do to ensure their environment is as safe as possible by childproofing your house.
When you know your home is as safe as possible, it’s easier to give young children freedom. Here’s a list of guidelines:
1 Prevent scalds from hot water by placing saucepans on the back burners and turn the handles away from the edge of the bench out of your child's reach, and get reusable cups with lids for your tea and coffee.
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2 Prevent falls by moving your little one to a bed or mattress on the floor as soon as she can climb out of her cot.
3 Close doors and use safety gates to keep your child out of the bathroom and kitchen. Make sure other family members are vigilant about this too.
4 Put away any cleaning products, medicines and alcohol immediately after using them to prevent poisoning.
5 Attach bookshelves and cupboards to the wall to prevent them crushing little climbers.
6 Talk to your child about the consequences of playing with electricity and supervise them when playing around the house. Make sure that power points are safe with certified plug covers, and keep powered devices out of their reach. Visit shockfactor.com.au for more tips.
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7 Put padding on sharp corners and keep floors clear of toys and other objects a small child could trip over.
8 Keep sharp objects like scissors and nail files locked away or well out of your toddler’s reach. Don’t rely on childproof tops on bottles to keep your toddler safe.
9 Invest in a good first aid kit and consider taking a basic first aid course to learn how to prevent choking, deal with accidents and perform CPR.
For more information about child safety, visit kidsafe.com.au
Nicola Conville has worked as a journalist and editor for more than 20 years across a wide range of print and online publications. Her areas of expertise are parenting, health and travel. She has two children; Lucy, age eight, and Nathan, age five.
