Although they’re safe for us, our homes are full of all sorts of things that could be dangerous to a baby, toddler, or small child. Your newborn might not be able to get into much trouble now, but he or she will be curious, mobile, and getting into things before you know it. Before you bring your new bundle of joy home, be sure you check off all the items on this home baby proofing checklist.
20 Baby Proofing Essentials for Your Home
- Take general safety measures by making sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are up to date and located on every floor of your home. Get a fire extinguisher for the kitchen and make sure your hot water heater isn’t set higher than 120-degrees.
- Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs.
- Cover electrical outlets.
- Make sure hazardous substances (even located in areas you don’t expect your baby to be) are stored out of reach and securely sealed. This includes cleaning supplies or other chemicals stored in bottom kitchen cabinets. Move them to upper cabinets.
- Keep your medications stored in hard-to-reach cupboards, too. The bottles seem like fun rattles and the pills look like candy to a baby.
- Put away any choking hazards, like refrigerator magnets.
- Unplug small appliances, but don’t let the cords dangle over the countertop.
- Install cabinet latches and knob covers on doors and on the oven.
- Place non-slip pads beneath rugs.
- Purchase foam corner cushions to pad all sharp furniture corners.
- Move furniture away from windows, so that babies climb up and fall out.
- Replace windows that slide up from the bottom or always keep them closed.
- Install cordless blinds.
- Baby proof your door handles, especially those for the bathrooms and entrances to your home.
- Install toilet locks.
- Never leave your child alone near standing water — not even a few inches.
- Be sure your houseplants are non-toxic.
- Install pinch guards on door hinges
- Store batteries in a safe place.
- Be ready to vacuum regularly to so there’s no debris for your baby to put in his or her mouth.
Baby Daycare in a Safe and Enriching Environment
At Creative Corner Child Care Center, we provide infants, toddlers, and preschoolers with daycare in a safe, enriching environment. If you’re in need of baby childcare, we welcome you to schedule an appointment to visit Creative Corner Child Care Center! We’ll show you around our baby daycare center and introduce you to all of our early childhood education and care specialists. For more information, call us at (615) 581-0157!
You can also learn more about babyproofing your home at Mom Loves Best
