Childproofing the Kitchen

Parents have a natural instinct to protect their children from harm. This explains bundling them with extra layers of clothing during the colder months, and teaching valuable safety skills to keep them protected while playing outdoors. Unfortunately, some parents are a little lenient when it comes to protecting children within the house. Most children who are rushed to the emergency room and doctor’s offices received injuries at home. This may included falling down the stairs, getting burned with hot water, or swallowing chemicals.

Sometimes, parents have a tendency of becoming too relaxed while inside the home. Thus, smaller children are allowed to roam freely. Because it’s difficult for parents to keep an eye on their children at all times, it is important to safeguard children from areas of the home that could become dangerous. One such area is the kitchen.

Even if your child is rarely out of sight, childproofing the kitchen area may prove beneficial. When parents are cooking or preparing meals, children may wander into the kitchen to observe. It only takes a second for a small child to ingest a deadly chemical or touch a hot object. To avoid accidents, consider the following tips for childproofing the kitchen.

Keep Cleaning Products Out of Arms Reach: The majority of adults prefer to store their cleaning products in the cabinets beneath the sink. This allows easy and convenient access. However, because most cabinet doors open with little effort, chemicals stored in this area are easily accessible to small children. Youngsters may crawl or walk into the kitchen, sit next to the cabinet, and become curious. Although mom or dad is present, their attention may be directed elsewhere. This presents the perfect opportunity for children to explore. Instead, store chemicals and other cleaning supplies in a higher level cabinet or pantry.

Put a Padlock on Bottom Cabinets: If not able to store chemicals in a different location, invest in a lock and key. This way, you can store cleaning supplies without worrying about the children harming themselves. Most cabinet locks and keys are sold at home warehouse stores. For bonus protection, consider locking all lower cabinets. This would include additional cabinets in the kitchen, and also the bathroom lower cabinets.

Avoid Dangling Cords: Young children are fascinated by objects that dangle. Mobile toys are capable of captivating a baby and toddler’s attention. Likewise, a dangling cord from the toaster or electrical can opener may do the same. To avoid serious injuries, do not keep cords hanging from countertops. If crawling or walking in the kitchen, young children will be drawn to any string-like object. Constant tugging or pulling up on the cord will eventually cause the appliance to fall.

Keep Hot Liquid Away from Children: Extremely hot liquids are capable of seriously burning children. If you leave a cup within arms reach of a toddler, they will likely knock the glass over or attempt to drink from it. Because of this, adults should be extra aware of cups containing hot liquids. When drinking coffee or hot teas, never leave cups on the edge of tables or countertops. Curiosity will lure children. Likewise, keep a close eye on children when boiling water or cooking stovetop. It only takes a second for a child to bump against the stock and knock down a pot. Another approach for protecting children against hot liquids entails utilizing the back burners while cooking, and turning pot handles inward.

Install a Safety Gate: Although some parents do allow their young children easy access to the kitchen area, the best way to prevent kitchen related injuries is to block the entranceway. If cooking or cleaning the kitchen, parents may choose to install a safety gate. Consequently, the kitchen becomes off limits.