Children are curious! As they start to tick off major developmental stages such as walking and talking, they will begin to explore the world around them. Whilst this is an exciting time, it can also be daunting for parents who are constantly making sure that their little ones can explore safely.
So why is baby proofing your home beneficial, and how can you equip each area of your home to prevent accidents? Luckily for you, this blog will answer these questions and give recommendations of some products that have been tried, tested, and recommended by many parents along their baby proofing journeys.
This blog will cover:
- Why Babyproofing is Essential
- Babyproofing Your Home
- Babyproofing Your Kitchen
- Babyproofing Your Living Room
- Babyproofing your Dining Room
- Adapting as Your Baby Grows
Why Baby Proofing is Essential
Did you know that children under five are most likely to have an accident at home? The largest number of accidents happen in the living or dining room, but the most serious ones occur in the kitchen and on the stairs. It is everyone’s duty to make sure that children can learn and play safely. An accident is a preventable event. Making sure that your home is proactively equipped with items to help prevent accidents will decrease the likelihood of a mishap happening in your home.
Baby Proofing Your Home
There is no exact time that you should begin baby proofing, and it does not need to be completed all at once. Some people will start baby proofing before their little one has arrived, and some will not start until their little one is in their arms. Whilst there is no exact timeline that baby proofing must be completed by, it is recommended that by the time your child begins to crawl, most of your baby proofing is done.
Described by one parent as ‘Everything you need in 1 pack!,’ the Fred Safety Home Safety Starter Pack contains a mix of individually designed safety products to protect against common risks. It also has a safety-check tool for parents to test small objects that could be a choking hazard. Throughout the Fred Safety range, modern and discreet design techniques have been used, helping you keep to the aesthetics of your home and make sure your little ones are safe!
Baby Proofing Your Kitchen
The kitchen is full of potential hazards, and burns are among the most serious injuries that can happen here. With 30 children a day being admitted to the hospital seeking medical assistance with a burn from a hot drink, it is important that your kitchen is baby-proofed to avoid any nasty scalds (Children’s Burns Trust).
A baby’s skin is 15 times thinner than an adult's. In fact, water from a hot tap could burn a child’s skin in as little as 5 seconds (National Childbirth Trust). As babies do not have the reflex to move their hand away from something that is burning them, it is important that all potential sources of burns are kept well away from children. The Fred Safety Hob and Stove Guard allows you to carry on cooking safely while keeping your children away from any pans, hot surfaces, and stove controls. The Fred Stove & Hob Guard is suitable for all electric, gas, ceramic, and induction hobs extending from 57 – 90cm. It is reassuringly child-proof with side and front protection, which stays cool to the touch. It is made with ExtremeHold™ adhesive that has such a durable bond, it can withstand a toddler hanging from it! The Hob and Stove Guard is discreetly designed with easy installation.
The Fred Safety Kitchen Kit is one handy box that contains some of our Fred family’s most loved home safety products. The Kitchen Kit contains a mix of individually designed safety products to protect against common risks in your kitchen. The kit features an array of 8 modern and discreet products that allow you to keep to the aesthetics of your home whilst preventing accidents.
If you would like further guidance on how you and the Fred Safety range can help prevent burns within your home, read more here.
Baby Proofing Your Living Room
The living room can be an exciting place for your child to learn and play, but it can also be filled with lots of items that could potentially cause an accident. For example, a coffee table is a great item for adults to put mugs on, but it could also be the right height for a child to accidentally bang their head. Babyproofing items, like corner protectors, can prevent an injury from happening in a situation like this!
The Fred Safety Living Room Kit includes many Fred essentials. This 20-piece pack is a great place to start when baby-proofing your living room. It includes many loved babyproofing items in the Fred range, including 2x Anti-Skid Tape, 8x Corner Protectors, 2x Door Slam Stoppers, and 2x Anti-Tip Straps. For anyone looking to start babyproofing their living room, this is the perfect kit.
Baby Proofing Your Dining Room
The dining room is a fantastic place for the family to come together at the end of the day. However, it also features a lot of things that could potentially cause an accident within the home. The Fred Safety Dining Room Kit contains a mix of individually designed safety products to protect against common risks in your dining room. This 20-piece pack includes many of our most loved Fred range, including Fred Corner Protectors, Door Slam Stoppers, Anti-Tip Straps, and Invisible Magnet Locks. This handy kit is a great place to start when babyproofing your dining room.
Baby Proofing the Stairs
Falls are the leading cause of accidental injury to children, with around 58,000 injured on the stairs each year (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)) . Whilst the stairs are a fun and exciting challenge for children, they must always be supervised when they are near or on the stairs, even if a stairgate is in use.
Described by one parent as ‘an absolutely beautiful and practical safety gate,’ the Fred Safety Pressure Fit Wooden stairgate is crafted with a beautifully carved single piece of Poplar wood and features unobtrusive fittings that complement home aesthetics. Classic, strong, and durable, it ensures a safe haven for your little ones.
Adapting as Your Baby Grows
As your child grows, they will begin to explore more of their environment. This does mean that your babyproofing will have to adapt as your child begins to reach for things they once could not. It is important to remember that not all accidents can be prevented. Scrapes and minor falls are a part of growing. However, we must prevent major accidents before they happen. Simply installing a safety gate could prevent a serious fall. Placing a cup of tea out of the reach of children could prevent a burn. Keeping household cleaning products out of the reach of children could prevent a life-changing accident.
As your little explorer begins to search for treasure in your home, make sure they do not come into contact with any nasties along the way. No matter how old your child is, it is never too late to babyproof your home. Remember, accidents are preventable events.
For further information on child safety and the latest guidance, please check these resources:
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Child Accident Prevention Trust (https://capt.org.uk/)
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Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (https://www.rospa.com/)