This article includes a list of child safety tips to make your home a safer place to live for your children.
For more on child safety, watch this child safety video and have your kids play the fun and educational child safety games.
“Keep it Cool” Bathroom Child Safety
- Place grab bars and non-skid mats in your bathtubs and showers
- Set your Hot Water Heater to max temperature of 110-120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower
- Ensure small electrical appliances are out of child’s reach, unplugged, and kept away from water
“Out of Reach” Kitchen Child Safety
- If you kids help you cook, make sure they’re not wearing any loose flowing clothing
- Keep appliance cords away from the sink
- Keep a step stool by the counters for the kids to be able to reach for high shelves instead of counter hopping
- Keep all pot handles turned inward or toward the back of the stove during cooking so they’re not easily knocked or touched
- Any food that would attract kids is kept away from the stove top and away from knives
- Knives and sharp objects are kept out of children’s reach or in a safe drawer
- All cleaning supplies are stored separately from food and kept away from a child’s reach
“Lock it Up” Garage Child Safety
- Power tools have guards and are kept out of child’s reach
- Containers of liquids, are tightly capped and stored away from any heat or flammable device
- Appropriate locks to doors which contain hazardous equipment and materials
“Lights Out” Bedroom Child Safety
- At least one light switch is within the child’s reach
- Keep electric blankets laid out after use, any type of covering or folding can trap heat and cause a fire.
“Watch Your Step” Stairway Child Safety
- Toddler gates are used at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Keep the stairwell well lit with lights at both the bottom and top of the floors
- Each stairwell has a fixed handrail that runs the length of the stairwell
- Never store anything on the stairwell as it becomes a very dangerous tripping hazard
“Be Prepared” Child Fire Safety
- Every person knows “stop, drop and roll”
- Ensure children know that covering themselves in a blanket suffocates the flame and helps put it out
- When cooking with oil, water is NOT how to put out the flame. Keep baking soda close to stove to put out any type fire stemming from oil.
- Install at least one smoke detector on each floor of the house (each checked twice yearly)
- Store all matches and lighters away from child’s reach
- Inspect and clean chimneys annually
- The family has a planned emergency exit plan in the case of a fire.
- Keep a working fire extinguisher in your house to handle small fires.
Small Child Safety
- Keep all plants off the floor, due to the fact many plants can be poisonous if swallowed
- Ensure there are no loose tasty paint chips which contain led if swallowed
- All cleaners are purchased in child-resistant packaging when possible
- Keep all doctor/poison control/ and other important numbers close to the phone
- Small items and foods that could choke a child are kept out of reach.
- Pocketbooks (which contain many entertaining, yet very harmful items) are kept in high places out of reach of children
Electrical Child Safety
- Ensure all electrical cords do not run beneath furniture or rugs.
- Do not overload extension cords or else shortages and sparks will occur
- All outlets and switches have cover plates to protect small fingers
- Double check that light bulbs are appropriate sizes and watts for the lamps and fixtures.
Use these Child Home Safety tips to ensure that your child is really in a home sweet safe home.
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