A Safe-Home Tour to Outsmart a Curious Child

To make your home a safer place for your family, get down on your hands and knees to take a “child’s-eye” tour. Then, take these steps to keep your young ones safe and sound.

Throughout Your Home

• Install window guards to prevent falls.
• Keep cords from curtains, drapes, and blinds out of reach.
• Cover unused electrical outlets with child-proof plug protectors.
• Store plastic bags where your tikes can’t get to them.
• Keep cleaning supplies, toxic chemicals, medications, and cosmetics out of reach or in cabinets and drawers with child-proof safety latches or locks.
• Place electrical cords out of reach.

Kitchen

• Turn pot handles to the back of the stove when cooking.
• Keep matches, knives, and other sharp objects out of your child’s reach.
• Post the phone number for your doctor and the poison control center.

Living or Family Room

• Cover sharp edges on furniture, such as coffee tables, with corner and edge bumpers.
• Place plants where your child can’t reach them.

Child’s Bedroom

• Use a crib with a tight-fitting mattress and slats no more than 2³/8 inches apart.
• Remove toys, pillows, and stuffed animals from the crib when your baby is able to push up on her hands and knees. She could step on these items and climb out of the crib.

Bathroom

• Make sure all medicines have child-proof caps and are stored in their original container.
• Unplug appliances, such as hair dryers, when you’re not using them. Keep them out of kids’ reach.