Make every room in your home safe for a curious toddler. Covers kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedrooms, stairs, garage, and outdoor areas with specific hazards and fixes for each.
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Kitchen Safety
Install child locks on all lower cabinets and drawers
Magnetic locks are the most effective and invisible option — they mount inside the cabinet and open with a magnetic key. Adhesive strap locks work on most surfaces but toddlers figure them out faster. Install them on every cabinet that contains cleaning products, sharp objects, or heavy items.
Lock cabinets containing cleaning supplies and chemicals
Lock drawers with knives, scissors, or sharp utensils
Install a stove knob cover and oven lock
Toddlers can reach stove knobs by 18 months. Knob covers prevent them from turning on burners. An oven lock prevents the door from being opened during use — a 350°F oven door causes instant burns on contact.
Anchor the refrigerator and any freestanding appliances
A toddler pulling on a refrigerator door can tip lighter models. Use an appliance lock to prevent the door from opening and wall anchors on any top-heavy appliances. Move small appliances (toasters, blenders) to the back of the counter, away from edges.
Store trash can behind a locked cabinet door or use a locking lid
Use back burners and turn pot handles inward when cooking
A pot of boiling water pulled from the stove is one of the leading causes of pediatric burn injuries. Always cook on back burners when possible and rotate handles toward the wall. A stove guard rail adds an extra physical barrier.
Bathroom Safety
Install a toilet lid lock
Toddlers are top-heavy and can fall headfirst into a toilet, creating a drowning risk in as little as 1 inch of water. A toilet lid lock costs under $10 and takes 2 minutes to install. Keep the bathroom door closed and use a door lever lock as a backup.
Set your water heater to 120°F (49°C) or lower
At 140°F, water causes a third-degree burn in 5 seconds. At 120°F, it takes 5 minutes. Check your water heater's thermostat dial — many come preset to 140°F from the factory. An anti-scald faucet attachment provides an additional safety layer for the bathtub.
Move all medications and personal care products to locked storage
Lock away all prescription and over-the-counter medications
Move razors, nail clippers, and scissors out of reach
Store mouthwash, perfume, and hair products in a locked cabinet
Place non-slip mats in the bathtub and on the bathroom floor
Adhesive non-slip strips inside the tub prevent falls during bath time. A rubber-backed bath mat outside the tub catches drips. Never leave a toddler unsupervised in the bath for any reason — drowning can happen silently in under 60 seconds.
Install a door lever lock or door knob cover on the bathroom door
Living Room and Bedroom Safety
Anchor all furniture over 30 inches tall to the wall
Furniture tip-overs injure over 22,000 children per year in the US. Bolt all bookshelves, dressers, TV stands, and wardrobes to wall studs using anti-tip straps or L-brackets. Flat-screen TVs on stands should also be anchored — they weigh enough to cause serious injury.
Secure bookshelves and tall dressers with wall anchors
Mount TVs to the wall or anchor the TV stand
Cover all accessible electrical outlets
Sliding plate covers are safer than plug-in outlet caps, which toddlers can remove and choke on. Replace standard outlet covers with tamper-resistant receptacles (required by code in new construction since 2008) for the most permanent solution.
Pad sharp furniture corners and edges
Coffee tables, fireplace hearths, and end table corners are at toddler head height. Use adhesive corner guards or full-edge bumpers. Clear silicone guards are the least visible. Fireplace hearths need padded edge guards along the entire exposed surface.
Secure or remove cords from blinds and curtains
Corded blinds are a top strangulation hazard for children under 5. Replace them with cordless blinds or use cord cleats mounted high on the wall to keep cords out of reach. Wrap excess cord tightly and pin it at adult height.
Move breakable items, choking hazards, and small objects out of reach
Relocate glass decor, vases, and picture frames above 4 feet
Pick up coins, batteries, magnets, and small toys from floors daily
Move houseplants out of reach (many common plants are toxic if ingested)
Install window guards or window stops on all windows above ground floor
Window screens do not prevent falls — they are designed to keep bugs out, not children in. Install window guards that limit opening to 4 inches or less, or use window stops that prevent the sash from opening wider than 4 inches.
Stairs and Hallway Safety
Install safety gates at the top and bottom of all staircases
Use hardware-mounted gates at the top of stairs — pressure-mounted gates can be pushed out by a determined toddler. The gate at the top is the critical one. Mount it flush to the wall with no gap a child could wedge through. Choose a gate with a straight bottom edge (no horizontal bar to trip on).
Install a hardware-mounted gate at the top of stairs
Install a pressure-mounted or hardware-mounted gate at the bottom
Check that banister spindles are no more than 4 inches apart
If the gaps are wider than 4 inches, a toddler's head can fit through. Install a plexiglass or mesh banister guard to close the gaps without replacing the railing.
Remove tripping hazards from hallways and stairways
Secure loose rugs with non-slip pads or double-sided tape
Install night lights in hallways and near stairs
Garage and Outdoor Safety
Lock the door between the house and garage
Garages contain concentrated hazards: chemicals, power tools, sharp objects, and vehicles. Install a self-closing hinge and a lock or childproof door lever cover on the door leading to the garage. Toddlers can get into a garage in seconds while your back is turned.
Store all chemicals, paints, and automotive fluids on high shelves or in locked cabinets
Move antifreeze, pesticides, and fertilizers to locked storage
Store power tools and sharp garden tools out of reach
Install a fence with a self-latching gate around pools, ponds, or hot tubs
Drowning is the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4. A pool fence should be at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate. The house wall should not count as one side of the fence — the pool should be fully enclosed.
Check the yard for poisonous plants and remove them
Common plants that are toxic to children include oleander, foxglove, lily of the valley, azaleas, and castor bean. Mushrooms that sprout after rain are also dangerous. Walk your yard at toddler height and remove anything within reach that could be mouthed or eaten.
Verify outdoor play equipment is age-appropriate and anchored
Anchor swing sets and playhouses to the ground
Check for sharp edges, rust, and pinch points
Place 9-12 inches of soft material (rubber mulch or wood chips) under all equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
When should you start toddler-proofing your home?
Start at 6-8 months, before your child begins pulling up to stand and cruising along furniture. By 9-12 months, most babies can reach door handles, pull open drawers, and climb onto low furniture. A second round of proofing is needed around 18-24 months when toddlers master climbing, can reach higher surfaces, and develop the hand strength to defeat basic child locks. Re-evaluate every 3-4 months as your child's physical abilities grow.
What rooms in the house are most dangerous for toddlers?
The kitchen and bathroom are the most dangerous, accounting for approximately 80% of home injuries in children under 5. The kitchen poses risks from burns (scalds are the leading cause of burn injuries in toddlers), poisoning (cleaning products), and sharp objects. The bathroom's biggest threat is drowning — a child can drown in 1-2 inches of water in under 60 seconds. The living room ranks third due to furniture tip-overs, electrical outlets, and choking hazards from small objects.
How much does it cost to fully childproof a home?
A DIY approach for a typical 3-bedroom home costs $200-$500 for supplies: cabinet locks ($3-$8 each, about 15-20 needed), outlet covers ($15-$25 for a pack), stair gates ($30-$80 each, usually 2-3 needed), corner guards ($10-$15 per pack), anti-tip furniture straps ($5-$15 each, about 5-8 needed), and a toilet lock ($8-$12 each). A professional childproofing service costs $300-$1,000 for a full home assessment and installation.
Are pressure-mounted or hardware-mounted baby gates safer?
Hardware-mounted gates (screwed into wall studs) are required at the top of stairs because they cannot be pushed out by a leaning child. Pressure-mounted gates are acceptable at the bottom of stairs and in doorways between rooms on the same level. For extra-wide openings (over 48 inches), look for adjustable gates with extension panels. All gates should be at least 22 inches tall with vertical bars spaced no wider than 3 inches. Remove gates once your child can climb over them (typically age 2-3), as climbing over a gate creates a fall hazard.
What are the most overlooked childproofing hazards?
Five commonly missed hazards: (1) Furniture tip-overs — bookshelves, dressers, and TVs kill about 46 children per year; anchor all furniture over 30 inches tall. (2) Button batteries — they cause severe internal burns within 2 hours of ingestion; secure all remote control battery compartments. (3) Window blind cords — the leading cause of strangulation in children under 5; replace all corded blinds with cordless versions. (4) Dishwasher detergent pods — over 10,000 child exposures per year; store in a locked cabinet. (5) Toilet water — a drowning risk for top-heavy toddlers; install toilet locks.