A Toddler Safety Checklist
It is essential that a parent create a safe and yet stimulating environment for toddlers to explore. Their explorations are geared for learning and they are very eager to do so. All of his or her senses are being used to test the different items by looking, smelling, listening, feeling and tasting. A child does not necessarily want to eat things but wants to learn about them by tasting. Parents should also set limits firmly and calmly and act as a consultant rather than a formal teacher. Parents should provide safe experiences and remove dangerous items from reach. A toddler will not remember which items are safe or not safe.
Here is a general checklist to use around the hom to ensure that a child is as safe as possible. However, this checklist does not mean that a toddler is safe if everything is done on this list. Children are unpredictable and have a way of getting into things we though impossible or creating situations that a parent did not foresee.
General Home Check
1. Are electrical plugs covered with safety caps?
2. Are cords out of reachof children?
3. Are fireplaces screened?
4. Do smoke detectors have fresh batteries (check at least once a
year).
5. Are emergency phone numbers by the phone (parent’s work
numbers, 911, police, poison control)
6. Are rugs securely fastened to the floor to prevent slipping?
7. Are windows securely and properly screened?
8. Are safety gates in place where baby should not go or to block
stairwells?
9. Are small objects, fire hazards or chemicals out of reach?
Kitchen Check
1. Do drawers and cupboards have child locks on them?
2. When cooking, are pan handles turned inwards from stove (a
child can grab pan handle turned outwards; resulting in a nasty
burn.)
3. Are cleaning agents kept on shelves above children’s reach?
4. Are electrical cords out of reach?
5. Are knives kept out of children’s reach?
6. Is there a table cloth on the table (a child can pull on this and if
there are other objects on table they may land on a child).
7. A turned on stove should not be left unattended (baby can open
oven door or reach up and touch the burners)
8. Are knobs of stove above a child’s reach? If not, knobs can be
removed to prevent a child turning them and replaced when ready
to cook.
Stairways and Hall Check
1. Are stairway approaches and stairs kept clear of other objects?
2. Are gates covering the top and bottom of stairs?
3. Are night lights provided in hallways and bedroom or bathroom
areas?
4. Are handrails on stairs in place and secure?
5. Are carpets or rugs secured on the floor to avoid trip hazards?
Bedroom Check
1. Is the child’s mattress firm with no pillows?
2. Are trash can liners and other plastic bags out of children’s reach?
3. Are diaper pails securely closed and locked?
4. Make sure closet or bedroom doors cannot close from inside, locking a child inside.
5. Are there smoke detectors outside the bedrooms?
Bathroom Check
1. Is toilet lid kept closed?
2. Are all medications and cosmetics out of reach of children?
3. Are infants and toddlers watched at all times when in bathroom?
4. Are all electrical appliances kept away from water and left
unplugged?
5. When bathing, make sure the water is no more than an inch high
and never leave a child unattended.
Yard check
1. If a fenced yard, are all fencings and gates intact?
2. Never leave a child unattended in a yard.
3. Are garden sprays and plants non-poisonous?
4. Are all tools locked away?
5. Are dangerous pets kept secure in a cage or pen?
6. Are all water areas (streams, fountains, pools) covered or fenced
in to keep a child out?
By following this simple checklist many household accidents can be prevented from happening. But the best advice is to never leave a child unattended and expect the unexpected.
