Kids are a fantastic addition to any household. They will certainly fill the home with joy and laughter! But laughter can quickly turn to tears if there’s an accident or hurt themselves somehow. Having a child-friendly home is a must once you start your family. Not only will this create a safe environment in which they can play, but it also gives you the peace of mind that not too much can go wrong. It could even make things easier for you when it comes to tidying up! Interested to know how to make your home super child-friendly? Read on to find out more!
Keep Things Out Of Reach
If you have any surfaces or tables your kids can reach, make sure you don’t keep anything fragile or dangerous on them. One of the best ways to see if your child can reach something is by sitting on the floor. What can you see at eye level? These are the things that your kids could potentially get a hold of. So either move them to a higher shelf or take them into a different room. Obviously, you won’t be able to move every single item at this height. Prioritize and just move things that can break easily or things that could potentially hurt your kids. Once you have done this, you will quickly notice that you won’t need to shout “don’t touch that!” so often!
Child Locks
Are you kids always rummaging through your kitchen cupboards and making a mess? There is one easy solution to that problem: child locks! You can buy locks that clip onto the back of your cupboard doors. They don’t lock the door exactly, but they will make it much harder for a child to open the door. You won’t need a key to open them. Usually, you simply open the door by pushing it back first. This will then release the lock. Just make sure your children don’t know that trick! So if you want to reduce the mess your kids make and ensure that they don’t help themselves to snacks, install some child locks!
Keep It Simple
A simple decor will lead to a clutter-free home. And no clutter is exactly what you need when you have kids! Your kids will be making a lot of messes anyway, so there is no point adding to it all yourself. It’s also a good idea not to clutter up your room with too many pieces of furniture. It just gives your kids more things that they could possibly hurt themselves on. Especially small children, who could quite easily fall off high sofas or chairs. Some of the most child-friendly pieces of furniture are bean bag and foam chairs. They are soft enough for kids to get cozy on, and as they are very low to the ground, there isn’t much chance of them falling off! If you want to see the different kinds of foam chairs available, check out http://www.comfysacks.com/foam.html
Windows And Patio Doors
Windows and patio doors can be particularly dangerous for kids, especially if you have blinds. The cords you use to roll up the blinds can be extremely dangerous. This is because young children can easily become tangled in them and strangle themselves. To make sure your children are completely safe, remember to always roll up the cord and tie it somewhere high on the blind so that it doesn’t dangle down. It is also a good idea to stick a colorful sticker or seasonal gel clings onto the bottom of patio doors. Kids can sometimes forget that the glass is there and try to run through them. Pick a bright sticker of their favorite cartoon character and use it as a reminder for them! Try to keep small furniture away from windows and glass doors. Your child may be tempted to climb on them and could end up toppling over through the glass!
Keep Small Fingers Safe
Toddlers and young children will be discovering the world by touching and feeling everything. This can be very dangerous if you have lots of electrical outlets. If your child sticks a finger or toy into the outlet, they could electrify themselves. There are some ways you can prevent this and protect your children. One of the easiest is to place large pieces of furniture in front of the outlets. This way your child won’t be able to reach them. But this isn’t always possible, as you may need easy access to the outlets. In this case, you can buy some outlet covers. They need to be plugged into the outlet when you are not using it. This way, your child won’t be able to get to the holes. You can see what they look like online: http://www.screwfix.com/search?search=plug+socket+covers
Limit Carpet
It is best for your bedrooms and living room to be carpeted, as this will provide your children with a soft space to play on. However, it is a good idea not to have fabrics on the floor in your kitchen. Your kids could spill food or make a mess in the kitchen, and having to clean carpet will only make more work for you! And, depending on what is spilt, a carpet could be permanently stained. Instead, opt for a wood or tiled floor. As kids rarely play in the kitchen, you won’t have to worry about it not being a soft floor for them. If anyone does make a mess while cooking or baking, you can quickly wipe the floor clean and get back to your food preparation!
It’s easy to make your home child-friendlier. Use your common sense while you are decorating and arranging your home. You’ll find that you’ll create a beautiful and safe space for your whole family.
Jeena Bittenbender says
I didn’t start teaching my kids early enough how to cook. When they were older I tried, but by then it’s too late. They don’t want to learn. Don’t get me wrong, they can all cook, but it’s taken years for them to trial and error it. My kids played in the kitchen often, we had carpet in there until I demanded it be torn out and replaced.
Heather W says
Thank you for all these wonderful tips. I had four children, and its amazing how your child proofing needs to change depending on the child. 2 of my children wouldn’t have touched a thing they shouldn’t have, 1 of my children would be considered fairly normal in her desire to explore, and my one son we needed to make custom gates that were 5ft tall because he would literally push furniture to the baby gates and climb over. I used to say my job as his mother is more to keep him alive daily then anything else. lol