Babies love to explore things in different places at home, and the kitchen is one of their favorite places due to the significant number of various appliances present in it. But the kitchen can be very dangerous for your growing baby. So, it becomes very important to do a risk assessment so that your kitchen becomes baby-proof. Here is the checklist for a baby-proofing kitchen you should keep in mind with your growing toddler.
Child proofing your home may help reduce the chance of injury from cabinets and storage areas that contain hazardous goods. Your child might be protected from injuries like smashed or pinched fingers by childproof cabinets. Additionally, it prevents kids from coming into contact with dangerous items and things, including electric appliances, open flames, knives, other equipment blades, harmful cleaning agents, etc. We’ve included a list of childproofing options in this post so you can protect your kids from potential kitchen injury.
Tips For Baby-Proofing Kitchen
Baby-proofing kitchen is not as hard as you think. To ensure that your kitchen gets secured from all the threats, it is mandatory to consider all the things provided below:
1. Get Down To Your Child’s Level
If you really want to know the troubles your toddler may get in the kitchen, you need to get down to their level. A little change in your perspective can help you to manage things according to your baby. It can be an amazing experience to understand what your baby thinks and what he is up to. So crawl like him and try to get things just like he does it.
2. Clean Up Spills
Due to cooking processes going in the kitchen, it becomes the prime area for spills. Don’t forget to clean them as fast as possible to avoid your baby tumbling due to spilled food items or water.
3. Create A Play Cupboard
Exploring things is a joyful act for babies. Never stop him from doing that. But exploring it in the kitchen can be quite dangerous for him. Don’t worry; we have a solution for it too. You can lock all the cupboards that contain sharp and electric objects that can be harmful to your baby.
Leave one cupboard unlocked that may contain wooden utensils like spoons, plates, etc. that is safe as well as noisy. Your child can enjoy playing with it. Just make sure to choose the unlocked cupboard away from the cooking area and somewhere that doesn’t interrupt your movement while cooking. Also, try to hide something new in the cupboard every day so that your child doesn’t get bored with it.
4. Cleaning Fluids
It is a bit obvious to keep cleaners in the kitchen. But we are well aware of the psychology of toddlers and babies to take everything in their mouths. These cleaners can be proved to be highly poisonous and toxic if consumed by your little one. So ensure to keep it out of reach of your baby and close it tightly so that he is unable to open it. Many of the cleaners in the market are available with tight openers. You can buy them, keeping in mind your child’s safety.
5. Keep The Edge Of The Counter Clear
Many often we keep our coffee mugs and utensils at the edge of the counter without thinking that our toddler may reach them. So, avoid keeping such utensils and other things at the edge of the counter as they may fall on your baby. Another thing to keep in mind is never making you babysit on the edge of the counter as he may fall down, getting some serious injuries.
6. Electrical Items
Electrical items are an essential part of the Kitchen. They do your work easily, helping you do tough tasks very easily in very little time. But these appliances can be very dangerous for your baby. Firstly, keep all the electrical items in a locked cupboard. Secondly, if they are kept outside, never forget to switch off them and get their plugs out. Other than that, you can also cover the sockets with socket covers available in the market and try to make sockets at a height where your child is unable to reach them.
7. Secure That Trash Can
Avoid keeping trash in your kitchen for a long time as your child may put their hands in that or take something undesirable in their mouth. Try to recycle it from time to time or simply keep it away from them. Also, opt for trashes that come with a lid. Make it more secure by inserting latches.
8. Sharp Or Breakable Objects
The kitchen is not less than a battleground for your child containing all the knives, forks, peelers, glass plates, and fragile crockery. Baby-proofing kitchen by applying latches to drawers and cabinets is a good idea. Alternatively, you can keep them in a safe place away from your mischievous one. Versatile straps are available in the market, which keep everything from cabinets and drawers to washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and even the toilet seat close for your toddler.
9. Stoves
Last but not least, it is a must to take care of the stove when your child is in the kitchen. If you are done with the cooking, keep a check to switch off the gas pipe to avoid an accident in the kitchen. Toddlers are most often burned by means of pulling pans with hot food and liquid placed on the stove. Try to place a stove at a height that is not easily reachable for your toddler.
10. Stove Buttons
Stove buttons, particularly those placed below the counter, are easily accessible for your little one. They may try to twist them, thereby releasing gas. Therefore, baby-proofing the stove is super important. Stove knob covers are available in the market. It can be very easy to attach and take out. Your baby will not be able to turn the stove knob anymore.
11. Kitchen Table
Remove the tablecloth that hangs out from the kitchen table. Even crawling babies tend to pull it out of curiosity or while trying to stand up. Whatever you placed on the table has a chance of falling on the baby. Also, attach soft table corner protectors to all corners of the table.
To Sum Up
All these tips can help you baby-proofing kitchen for your growing child. But never forget to supervise your child in the kitchen with open eyes and ears. No idea is foolproof until you pay full attention to it. Never forget to lock your kitchen while going to sleep. Moreover, never allow your child to enter the kitchen in your absence.
