More Than a Playpen: 3 Steps to Childproofing Your Home
Monday, March 9th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
An important consideration when you’re expecting kids (or already have them around the house) is child Proofing your home. Some of the most overlooked threats to your newborn’s security are found in the most unexpected of places - your household. Kids between the ages of 1 and 4 are actually more likely to be killed by poisoning, drowning, fire, choking, or falling in their own house than from any other threat. Every year, approximately 2.5 kids a year are killed or injured inside their very own household. You have to do more than just put your child in an approved playpen, like a Little Playzone, and call it a day. This is why it is so important to take steps to baby-proof your house.
Step 1: Survey Your Area
Try to imagine that you are crawling or toddling. Picture your viewpoint from your infant’s perspective. What would you reach for? What would tempt you? What could you fall on? Would you pull on anything or try to use it to stand up? Look for things that your child might put in their mouths - anything they could choke on or poison them. Either remove those things, secure them, or put them out of harm’s way. This step is critical.
Step 2: Cover Your Outlets
Assess and locate all of the outlets in your household. Are they in use? Can you cover them up completely? Be wary of using the plastic plug coverings - these are a major temptation for your baby to try to remove. As soon as your infant can remove them, they’ll go right into your their mouth - a serious choking hazard. Replace the full outlet covering instead. Use the kind that has a sliding safety latch if you need access to it. Also, look for any electrical cords or extension cords with connections - secure these with electrical tape.
Step 3: Appraise Your Furniture Situation
As soon as your newborn begins to crawl, they’ll begin pulling up on furniture or anything around them that they can grab onto. While a proper playpen is a good idea, like a Friendly Toys Little Playzone, it is a good idea to plan for every eventuality - they will want to explore as much of your house as you’ll allow. Secure any furniture that moves, keep televisions away from the edge so they can’t fall (at least 5,000 kids a year go to the hospital because of fallen TVs or furniture.)
Step 4: Create a Play Haven
It is a good idea to create a safe room for a baby to play in by using safety gates. Keeping your child in a specific room or just keeping them away from specific rooms (like the bathroom or the kitchen) is easy with safety gates. If you’re using safety gates to block the top of stairs, make sure to use the type that can be secured by screwing them into the door frame rather than just pressure. You can also place your baby into a playpen or even a Little Playzone, for the peace of mind that your newborn won’t go too far.
You really never can be too safe when childproofing your home, considering the risks involved. Build a safe play haven, cover your electrical outlets, assess your furniture situation, and evaluate every inch of your household. These few steps are a great beginning to create a safe environment for your child to play.
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