As a parent, you have multiple responsibilities. Not only does that include loving and nurturing your child but also protecting them at all costs. You might think most threats come from outside of the home. But in reality, there are plenty of dangers inside, too.
That’s why from the minute you bring a new baby home from the hospital, you need to start childproofing. Sure, you can go with more traditional products like baby gates and cabinet door locks but as you’re about to discover, you have a lot more options.
These solutions for keeping your child safe aren’t just ordinary…they’re genius. All of these items listed work great for childproofing your home.
1. DIY fabric baby gate
Although a metal baby gate works fine, when placed at the bottom of a staircase, it could cause an injury if a child were to fall against it. Instead, you can make a gate from soft fabric. Not only is it effective and safe but it also looks better. Here’s an easy-to-follow tutorial.
2. Safe floor vents
A lot of older homes have floor vents for both air conditioning and heating systems. But a metal cover gets hot, creating a risk of a child getting burned. For childproofing, consider replacing these with a cool-to-the-touch material.
3. Conduit for lamp cords
You need lamps to brighten the various rooms in your home but once a baby begins to crawl, the cords become a serious problem. Rather than use tape to keep the cords in place, you can run them through a conduit that sits flush to the floor.
4. The Christmas tree
Along with a lot of cords, you might use breakable or sharp ornaments as decoration. With twinkling lights and sparkly objects, small children naturally gravitate to Christmas trees. To prevent an accident from happening, set up a portable fence around it.
5. Remove cabinet knobs
Especially when they look cool, kids love cabinet doorknobs. But that means they gain access to potentially dangerous things inside. The easiest fix is to remove them. Of course, you can also purchase childproof latches.
6. Take the refrigerator handles off
The same goes for opening the refrigerator door. When determined, which most kids are, they can open just about anything. Just like cabinet doors, the quickest and easiest childproof solution is to temporarily remove the handles.
7. DIY indoor fence for designated areas
Whether you want to keep your baby out of a room or in one, there’s no reason to spend a lot of money on a special indoor fence. Instead, you can buy inexpensive pieces of PVC pipe that you cover with fabric
8. Plumbing pipe insulation for furniture
It’s nice to have glass-top tables but those create a problem. To protect your child and still enjoy beautiful furniture, you can cover the edges with plumbing foam pipe insulation.
9. Tennis balls to cover sharp edges
For furniture and countertops with sharp edges, here’s a great solution. Simply cut a small hole in a tennis ball, sliding it over the corner. Instantly, any risk to your child is gone.
10. Cushy throw pillows for a soft landing
When you have a baby who’s just learning to crawl, either make or buy throw pillows to place on the floor. You can put them in front of a fireplace, furniture, and other problem areas. To save money, get pillows from a local thrift shop.
11. Plastic hanger to keep doors closed
To keep your child out of closet doors, all you need is a plastic hanger. By placing it upside down on top of the knobs, they can’t get them open. Super easy.
12. Plastic links for cabinet doors
For just a few cents, you can buy plastic links that keep cabinet doors securely closed. For an adult, removing them is easy but for a child, it becomes an impossible task.
13. Dog collar for cabinet doors
If you keep cleaning supplies below the kitchen sink because you don’t have any other storage solution, you can keep your child out using a dog collar. With the right type of handles, you can connect the two so the doors won’t open.
14. Pool noodles for edges
Yes, pool noodles are great when swimming but they serve another purpose. You can cut a slit in them and then slide them over the inside edge of doors. That’ll prevent accidental bumps and getting fingers getting pinched..
15. Band-Aids to cover outlets
Along with fixing “boo-boos,” you can stick Band-Aids over outlet covers. Although this becomes less of a deterrent for older children, it works great to keep babies safe.
16. Hair ties to keep cabinet doors shut
Here’s another way to prevent a little one from getting a bathroom or kitchen cabinet open. Just loop a hair tie around the knobs. Not only does this work great at home but you can take these with you when visiting family or friends.
17. Screws or nails to secure furniture
As kids get older, they go from crawling to climbing. To prevent dressers, bookshelves, and other free-standing furniture from tipping over on them, secure the item to the wall using nails or screws.
18. Belt to keep the fridge closed
If you don’t want to remove the handles on your refrigerator, you can always secure a small belt through them. That way, your child won’t be able to open the door but at the same time, adults can easily gain access.
19. Stove guard to prevent burns
For very little money, you can invest in a stove guard. With this, you can cook while feeling confident your child isn’t going to accidentally pull hot food down from the stove top.
20. Baby pool for bath time
This childproofing hack will help prevent accidents and make life easier at the same time. If you don’t have a bathtub, place a portable baby pool inside the shower. That eliminates the risk of slipping and lets your child have a blast while getting clean.
21. Baby gate for grilling
Instead of using a baby gate more traditionally, you can set one up around your barbecue grill when cooking. Especially when outdoors, it’s hard to keep an eye on a little one. Now you can grill without worrying about your child getting burned.
22. Toys in the tub
It’s hard for parents to find time to shower when there’s a small child in the house. To keep your toddler safe and take care of personal needs, fill the bathtub with toys instead of water. While you shower, your kid’s in a safe area with all their favorite things.
23. Scissors to cut blind cords
A simple pair of scissors could be all it takes to save your child’s life. Today, it’s common for people to have blinds in their homes but those long cords to open and close them are extremely dangerous. Sadly, too many children have died due to strangulation. Cut them short and snip the ends so there’s no loop…you can still open the blinds but without risk.
24. Stove knob covers
For as little as $10, you can purchase knob covers for your stove. These are particularly beneficial if you have a gas stove although they’ll also prevent your child from turning on one that runs on electricity.
25. Distraction
Sometimes, childproofing a home is more about creating a distraction than it is using an innovative solution. By having a special drawer in the kitchen for toys, you can keep your child busy and within your sight while cooking.
26. Nursery artwork
Instead of hanging even semi-heavy artwork near or above your baby’s crib, use paper décor. You can buy something, create drawings, or even cut out pages from a book of cute graphics. That way, there’s no concern about anything falling.
27. Rubber bands to secure toilet paper
Here’s a way to childproof your home that’ll prevent both a choking hazard and a mess. Simply place a rubber band around the toilet paper roll. Once your little one starts exploring, they won’t be able to unravel the TP.
28. Puff craft paint or hot glue to prevent falls
Once your child starts to walk, you can expect a lot of bumps and bruises from falling. Especially if you have non-carpeted floors, there’s no way to stop accidents from happening. For this, apply either puff craft paint or hot glue to several pairs of socks so they can move around but without slipping.
29. Soft fabric for a DIY crib rail
As soon as those little teeth start coming in, your baby is going to chew on everything, including their crib rail. To prevent a choking hazard and damage to the furniture, you can make a soft rail guard out of fabric.
30. Non-slip rugs
Area rugs are a great way to enhance the beauty of your home. But unless they have a non-slip backing, they pose a risk. So, either buy non-slip rugs or purchase backing that’ll keep securely them in place. No more accidental slips.
31. PVC pipe and Plexiglass for bath time
If you enjoy DIY projects, you’ll love this one because it helps protect your baby. To keep your little one from reaching the hot water faucet in the tub, make a barrier using pieces of PVC pipe and a Plexiglass screen.
32. More rubber bands to keep doors from locking
If you worry about your toddler locking him or herself in a room, here’s a quick and easy childproofing fix. Just place a rubber band on the knobs as shown in the photo. Problem solved.
33. Plastic containers for power strips
Sure, plastic containers are great for storing food and keeping toys organized. But they’re also good for something else. First, cut out a hole on one end. Second, place a power strip inside the container with the cord coming out through the hole.
34. Duct tape to cover electrical outlets
Another great way to keep your child from putting something inside an electrical outlet is by covering the holes with duct tape. You can even buy the extra-duty kind if wanted.
35. Fabric and foam for a DIY fireplace seat
A brick fireplace can cause serious injury to a child. If you don’t want to use pool noodles to cover the edges, you could make a seat for the hearth. Just buy fabric and four-inch foam. Now, there’s nothing for your baby to hurt themselves on and you have extra seating.
36. Anti-tip straps for televisions
You can purchase specially-made straps that attach to large televisions to prevent them from tipping over. Especially if you have a child who loves to reach for things, this $15 investment is worth every dime.
37. Magnetic locks for cabinet doors and drawers
With a simple magnetic lock, you can keep cabinet doors and drawers securely locked. Now, if you’re handy, you could make something like this without too much trouble.
38. Locking medicine case
This product is incredibly affordable. With this, you can keep medication safely out of your child’s reach. Without a key, there’s no choking hazard or you don’t have to worry about getting locked out.
39. Toilet lock
A lot of parents, especially new ones, don’t realize that a child can drown in as little as one inch of water. This is why constant supervision during bath time is so critical. But small children can also fall into the toilet. You can prevent that risk with a handy toilet lock.
40. Cookie cutters for cabinet doors
Depending on the type of knobs on your cabinets and the design of your cookie cutters, you might be able to use this simple holiday item to prevent your child from opening the doors.
41. Plastic container for doorknobs
Well, this is cool. To keep your child from turning a doorknob, cut an x-shaped slit in the top of a threaded lid for a plastic container. Make it just big enough for you to push it over the knob. Then, screw on the bottom part of the container.
42. Snap-together foam squares for the fireplace
This is another great solution for a brick fireplace. Use colorful snap-together foam squares to cover it. No more accidents while giving your child a fun place to play.
43. Baby wipe container top for outlets
You can cut the round plastic opening off of any brand of baby wipes (with the lid attached) as a cover for electrical outlets. Attach the flat portion of the lid with an adhesive so it covers the outlet. Snap the lid closed and your child can’t get to the plugs.
44. Fabric and Velcro to hide cords
To keep cords, DVDs, and other items associated with your TV stand hidden, make a wrap-around curtain. Then, secure it in place with Velcro. You know what they say, “Out of sight out of mind.”
45. Heavy-duty plastic sheeting and zip-ties to secure railings
Considering little kids are so small, they can easily fit in between stair railings. That creates a dangerous situation. But with sheets of heavy-duty plastic and zip ties, you can prevent the risk.
46. Remove dishtowels from the oven door handle
There’s a good chance you hang dishtowels through the handles on your oven door just like a lot of other people do. But what seems innocent could be hazardous to a child. One hard tug and they could fall or force something on the stove to crash down on them.
47. Sugru for bathtub faucets
You might be asking what in the heck is Sugru. This is dough-like material similar to polymer. When applied and molded, it dries in place, preventing your child from turning the faucets on or off.
48. Bungee cords or yardsticks for cabinet doors and dressers
Here’s another way to prevent your child from opening cabinet doors and dresser drawers. You can connect the handles using bungee cords. If the handles have openings, you can also slip a yardstick through them.
49. Command hooks and hair ties for the refrigerator
Who comes up with these ideas? This is brilliant. By attaching two Command hooks on either side of the refrigerator door and then securing them with a hair tie, your child won’t be able to open it.
50. Elastic cord for a bookshelf
To prevent your child from pulling books down off the bookshelf, you can run a bungee or elastic cord around it. That’ll keep everything secure while also preventing an accident.
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Source: Moms, Kid Spot, Simple Most