Whether your baby is learning to crawl for the very first time or your toddler is awkwardly stumbling around the house face planting the walls and doors, children will always find one way or another of hurting themselves. You can’t be around your child 24/7 and restrict their freedom; they are curious and playful human-beings who will want to explore every nook and cranny of their home. So to prevent accidents from happening, here’s our checklist on how you can make your home stylish and appropriate for children.
Ditch the sharp corners and rough edges
If you have a coffee table or even a few small side tables with sharp corners and edges, swap them out for a couple of pouffes or even a rounded buttontufted ottoman as they will help to protect your child from knocks and bangs – we like this Hampton Small Round Pouffe (RRP £129) and this footstall with storage from IKEA (RRP £150).
As we all know, sharp corners and edges are hazardous for babies and toddlers who are learning to crawl and walk. With their unsteady feet it’s always a mystery as to when and what they’ll topple into, so it’s important that you remove any pointed corners and rough edges to avoid the risk of accidents happening. As well as helping to protect your child with their soft cushioned edges, rounded pouffes and ottomans are extremely stylish and can double up as a coffee table by simply placing a plastic tray on top of them to put any mugs or glasses on.
For dining or large sized tables that can’t easily be replaced, simply buy corner guards and place them over the table’s sharp corners to help protect your child’s little head. Whilst it may feel as though this preventative measure will ruin the aesthetics of your room it’s important to remember that they can always be removed once your child is older. Head to Clippasafe.co.uk where you’ll find a selection of corner guards in an array of colours to match your furniture.
On Guard
Safety gates are designed to keep your baby from entering areas that are off-limits and they are traditionally fitted at both the top and the bottom of the stairs to prevent your tot from clambering up several stairs on their own and falling down them. These gates are available in a variety of materials from metal to wood and they come in a selection of colours including black, white and natural wood so there should be no problem with finding one that matches your current décor. Take a look on Safety 1st where you’ll find an plenty of home safety products!
Blind cord safety
A child’s bedroom is their own little world, so treat it like one. It’s where they sleep, play make-believe and read their favourite books so it must be a place of refuge for them. If you have blinds with hanging cords or chains you must ensure that these are kept well out of your child’s reach to prevent your child from strangling or choking themselves. Children love climbing so you’ll need to move any pieces of furniture that are close to the window or hanging cords. To stop children from pulling on these hanging cords or chains, buy draw cord shorteners or winders that match the colour of your blinds so that your child isn’t drawn to them. Take a look at these ones from Clippasafe (2 pack £1.99).
A place to dine
You can also protect your furniture as well as your children. Don’t let the dinner table become a victim to drool, crayons and mushed up baby food, protect it and add style to the room by draping a table cloth over the table to ensure longevity. Now that you’ve got the table covered; literally, it’s time to think about what your child will plonk their bottom on once they’ve grown out of their high chair. Look for comfortable, padded wipe-clean furniture (typically leather) as this will encourage your children to sit and engage with you.
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