All babies begin crawling according to their own time frame, but usually this happens between 6 and 10 months of age. Thus, it is vital to prepare your house for this event to ensure your child’s safety!

Below is a home safety checklist for kids that will help you go room by room in your home and look for potential child safety hazards.

1.  Edge & Corner Protection

Every room in your home should be checked for sharp edges and corners. These objects should be aloof or covered with edge and corner cushions or bumpers. End tables, Coffee tables, and fireplace hearths are the typical items to consider. Other household items to check for sharp edges in your baby safety checklist are desks, shelves, cabinets, entertainment centers, window sills, stone or marble stairs, statues or other decoration pieces.

 2. Stairway Protection

All stairways should have Stairway Safety Gates so that your baby has safety while crawling. As falls are associated with a child’s curiosity and development of motor skills, babies and toddlers are at the greatest risk of fall-related death and injury. So research and install stairway safety gates. Also inspect the slats in your stairways and banister to determine if banister guard is needed.

 3. Choking and Ingestion Hazards

Check your home for small objects that could potentially be within your child’s reach, such as small marbles or stones that are often used as decoration around candles or other coffee table center pieces. As part of normal development, toddlers learn by putting things in their mouth. Remove glass or other breakable/valuable objects and use extreme caution.

 4. Electrical Hazards

 All unused electrical outlets should have outlet plug covers and cords. All these should be placed out of the way as much as possible. In bathrooms, never abscond blow dryers or other electrical items plugged in and unattended near the sink or bath tub. This is one of the important things to include in home safety checklist for children.

5.  Falling Furniture

Check your home for large items that could fall over and attach them to the wall. Too many child injuries have occurred because of televisions, entertainment centers, and bookshelves falling over on children. Kids like to climb! Additional things to consider as potential falling hazards are computer monitors, plant stands, large vases, and dressers.

Child proofing your home is an ideal way to keep your child contained and safe. A child can quickly crawl or run if you turn your back for a minute to attend any house hold chores. Give yourself that piece of mind knowing that your child is learning by exploring his world, but restricted to safe areas of your home!