Home Safety Check Part 2: Keeping Your Home Safe for Kids

Last week, we told you that June is National Safety Month. We took that opportunity to outline some fundamental safety tips for keeping your home safe for kids. Of course, we couldn’t cover everything in one blog post. After all, there are many proactive safety precautions you can take to keep your kids out of harm’s way.

In fact, this topic is so important that we have several more tips to review with you. We’ll be dedicating this post to sharing more safety tips for keeping your home safe for kids. 

5 More Tips for Keeping Your Home Safe for Kids

1. Safeguard your doors.

Safety begins before your child even enters a room. Many times, the key to avoiding injury is preventing your child from getting into a potentially dangerous room in the first place. Last week, we discussed safety hazards often found in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. If you can keep a child from accessing those rooms, you’re one step ahead. For doors that you want to keep closed, consider a doorknob cover. Though easy for adults to maneuver, they can be tricky for your little ones. For doors that remain open, install a pinch guard. These simple devices will keep your child from getting their tiny fingers caught in the doorway.

Find out about doorknob covers and door pinch guards in these previous blog posts.

2. Secure your pool area.

Speaking of doors, you may want to install an alarm on any doors that give access to the outdoors. Forty-six percent of drowned children were last seen in their house prior to being found in the pool.  Kids are curious, stealthy and adventurous. It’s possible that they will want to explore outside. Be sure that you are warned when they try to do so. In addition to alarms on your doors, you will also want to secure your pool area with a pool fence. This fence can and should also have an alarm, as well as a self-closing self-latching gate to protect against drowning.

This blog post discusses why you should check the pool first if your child is missing.

3. Cover the outlets.

Outlets are small, but they can be very dangerous. After all, if a child is playing with the outlet, they can easily get shocked or severely burned. Not only that, but every room in the house has them. Luckily, there are many ways to protect your child from outlets. Even better, these options are affordable and easy to install.  When it comes to electricity, you’ll want to cover surge protectors as well.  

For a comprehensive review of the many childproof outlet options, check this blog post.

4. Make windows off limits.

There are a number of dangers when it comes to windows in your home. This is why we’ve covered the topic of windows several times in the past. Of course, the possibility of your child falling out of an open window is a real concern.  This is why you should avoid having items like furniture by the window that your child can climb. However, this isn’t the only danger when it comes to windows. There’s also a strangulation risk if you have corded window blinds.  These are no longer sold in American stores, but many households still have them installed.

Learn about the danger of blind cords and general window safety in these two blog posts

5. Beware of furniture that tips.

Consider the furniture in your home that a child can tip over. They may try to climb it, move it or shove it… if it is properly secure, it won’t budge no matter what. This includes items like a bookcase that can otherwise come crashing down.  In those cases, you should be sure to secure the furniture to the wall with a mount. Another risk is a standing television, which can easily topple over. Not only can that be an expensive disaster, it’s one that can truly injure your child.

For tips on how to avoid your television from tipping over, read this blog.

There you have it. Keeping your home safe for kids can be as simple as following these tips. It’s well worth the peace of mind and safety of your child!