Guide to Childproofing Your Kitchen

Next to the bathroom, the kitchen is the most dangerous place in the house for a small child. You should be thinking about childproofing your house before you even bring baby home from the hospital. There are many products on the market today that have been designed with your child’s safety in mind. By using the tools available to you, you can make your kitchen a safe place for you little wanderer to be.

First and foremost, children should never be left unattended or unsupervised in the kitchen. Safety gates are one of the best ways to keep your little one from entering rooms without you. There are several types of wonderful child safety gates to choose from and are well worth the investment. You can position the child safety gates between door ways to block entry into the kitchen. This is especially useful when you are cooking and may need to focus your attention on the things you have on the stove. If your child is anything like mine, they want to mimic what you do. This includes cooking dinner! Lucky for us all, stove knob covers are available. These wonderful little gems slip either around or over the knobs, making it impossible for a little to turn on the burners. Stove and burner guards are also available in stores. These will safeguard against burns. Remember to never allow your child around the oven or stove when you are cooking!

Speaking of the stove, there are child safety latches that are specifically designed to fit your oven doors. When properly installed, child safety latches will prevent your curious child from opening the oven door. Child safety latches are excellent investments and can be used all over your house, but are especially useful in the kitchen. You should buy several size latches so that you can effectively secure all cabinets in your kitchen. Be certain to install latches on all cabinets, especially low cabinets where baby can easily get into them. Many people store their kitchen cleaners, dish detergents and other chemicals or household cleaners under their kitchen counters. These products and chemicals can be deadly to baby if ingested.

Never underestimate your child. Children can often get into cabinets and spaces that we do not think that they can. Many of the accidents that involve ingestion of chemicals or products are due to the fact that parents simply did not think their children could get into the spaces where those items were stored. No matter where you store such items, you should responsibly secure these areas. Remember to place child safety latches on even your higher cabinets that you feel are out of reach of your child. You would be amazed at just how quickly a little one can find trouble! Keep all medicines out of sight and out of reach of your children, medicines are often confused with candy.

Lastly, be aware of the appliances that you use regularly. Children love to operate home appliances just like mommy and daddy. Some companies manufacture appliance latches that will keep your child from being able to operate your appliances. A good rule of thumb is to keep appliances unplugged and stored when not in use.

With a little planning, your kitchen can be a safe and enjoyable place for your little one. Always remember to never leave your child unattended.