9 Best Babyproofing Tips ...

Child safety locks can be purchased and attached to the inside of drawers to keep small fingers from being pinched in them. The silverware drawer is one that should definitely have a locking system on it, as well as drawers in the bathroom where medicine or ointments are kept.

Look in each room in the house to see what might be interesting to your child. Take into consideration anything that is small enough to fit in a child’s mouth. Move little objects higher on shelves or pack them away in boxes or a locking cabinet until your child gets older, if you don’t have another way to prevent your child from accidentally ingesting tiny things from around the house.

Whether you use a wooden spoon wedged between the handles on a pair of cabinet doors, a bungee cord, or purchase actual door locks, try to keep any hazardous contents out of reach by making cabinet door secure. Leaving the door to the cabinet with the pots and pans inside might be entertaining for your little one.

Vining plants tend to catch the eye of cats and kids alike. Little hands might accidentally pull on a long vine hanging down and end up pulling the entire planter over onto the toddler below. It’s also a good idea to keep even the smallest plant out of reach, so leaves and dirt aren’t ingested.

The bathroom faucet on the tub is rough on tiny heads and even faces. There are some whimsical faucet covers created to make the spout look like a Disney character or a cartoon animal. These are made from thick rubber or plastic and not only cover the rough edges of the spout, but it also keeps little hands away from a potentially warm water spout.

You can buy special covers designed to cover the corners of tables that are toddler-head-high or you can make your own by using rubber bands and a hand towel. You can also cover the top of the table with a thick blanket when your baby is learning to walk or for a grown toddler. The thick cover could be removed when the table is need and your child is out of harm’s way.

Not only can small children end up toppling head first into a toilet, but little objects seem to magically make their way into the toilet at times. If you want to make the bathroom safer for your child, as well as to prevent the need for a plumber’s visit, purchase a toilet lock.

Rugs may make a room look nicer, but they can be a slipping hazard for kids learning to walk. Rubber mats can be placed under existing rugs or double-sided tape can be used. The only thing about using tape is that it tends to lose its stickiness and you might find out the hard way that this has happened.

Individual outlet covers can be pushed into each receptacle or you can buy a large cover that goes over the entire outlet. There are even childproof power strips that are set up so little hands cannot unplug machines from the power strip.

I hope you can find the information you need to figure out how to make the house safer for your baby or toddler. Out of the 9 best babyproofing tips mentioned above, do you feel one is more important than the others?

Top Photo Credit: Chris Couper