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Safe Steps for Toddlers
Going Beyond Basic "Baby Proofing"
By Kelly Burgess
- Replace outlet plugs with outlet covers that only an adult can remove.
- Screens are designed to keep bugs out, not to keep children in. Purchase window stops that keep the window from opening all the way.
- Double and triple check that blind and drapery cords are wound up and completely inaccessible.
- Remove dry cleaning bags from clothing and discard them before hanging the item in the closet. These bags hang down almost to the floor, and toddlers can be easily entangled in them and suffocate.
- Don't assume your toddler – especially at 3 or 3 1/2 years old – has a lot of sense. George says child safety around the home needs to be taken seriously until the child is at least 4 years old.
Sherri Albert from Kirkland, Wash., co-founder of Safety for Toddlers, says the first thing she tells parents when she walks into a house is that they are doing safety planning for the next few years, not just for the moment.
Here are Albert's top tips for parents:
- Don't rely on cupboard latches to keep children away from potential poisons and hazardous materials. Designate one closet in the house as a locking closet. Put all household cleaning products and any other hazardous materials on one shelf. Put all medication on another shelf. Keep the closet locked and put the key where only an adult has access.