A Room-by-Room Guide for a Toddler-Friendly Environment

Living Room/Family Room:

• Secure Lamp cords
• Anchor or remove floor lamps
• Cushion corners on coffee tables, end tables, hearths
• Cover electrical outlets
• Move plants
• Reorganize decorations to keep breakables out of baby’s reach
• Clear important books and photo albums for bottom rows of bookshelf

Dining room/eating area:

• Keep chairs pushed in unless eating
• Push items on the tabletop to the center
• Fold tablecloth to keep it out of grabbing distance
• Install latches on cabinets holding dishes and fine china

Kitchen:

• Use a latched cabinet to store cleansers, bleaches, detergent, solvents and other poisons
• Store breakables, things your baby can choke on, plastic bags, knives and other potentially dangerous items out of your baby’s reach. Remember, toddlers can climb on kitchen counters.
• Unplug all appliances after use and don’t leave the cord dangling
• Use the back burners while cooking and keep the pot handles toward the back
• Cover stove controls or even remove them
• Keep items that are hot or potentially harmful away from counter edges

Bathroom:

• Keep razors, medicines, pins, mouthwash, perfume, cosmetics, scissors, nail polish and remover and other dangerous items out of reach
• Place locks on medicine cabinets
• Place non-skid mat in tub
• Keep toilet seat down and latched
• Use plastic soap dishes and cups rather than glass or ceramic
• Empty the tub after use and never leave children unattended in the tub
• Use bathmats or rugs with non-skid backings
• Keep the bathroom door shut

Windows and Doors:

• Keep sliding glass doors closed, or screens locked
• Lock windows and be sure screens are secure
• Shorten cords on blinds and draperies to keep them out of children’s reach
• Enclose the rails on porches and balconies with netting to keep your baby from squeezing through
• Place decals at toddler eye level on glass doors

Don’t forget about your garage; take the steps to secure any hazards from paint thinners to gardening tools.

Additionally, use a safety gate at the top and bottom of stairs and to block off any rooms that require heightened supervision, such as the kitchen or a formal sitting room. If your stairs are carpeted and not too steep, have your baby practice crawling up and down them with close supervision. As with everything else, toddler proofing your home does not mean that it is safe to leave your baby unattended, but these steps will help you keep your valuables out of reach and help keep your baby from harms way.