Child Proof Checklist

Bathing:

  • Never, ever leave child in tub unsupervised, not even for a few seconds.

  • Put a non-slip mat in bathtub.

 

Nice to have:

  • Soft cover for bathtub spout

  • Covers for bathtub knobs

 

Bed:

  • Use a detachable rail to prevent falls from bed and/or put padding on the floor next to the bed.

  • Preventing burns:

  • Don't carry hot food or drink and your child at the same time.

  • Keep hot food and drink away from edges of tables and counters.

  • Don't hold child while cooking at stove.

  • Turn pot handles toward back of stove.

  • Secure oven door with an appliance latch.

  • Install a stove guard and knob covers.

 

Car:

  • Install car seat properly, preferably in the middle of the back seat.

  • When driving, engage door and window locks if your car is equipped with them.

 

Clothing:

  • Don't use clothing with drawstrings.

 

Doors:

  • Use doorstops and door holders to protect child's fingers.

 

Electrical outlets, cords, and appliances:

  • Put safety plugs or outlet covers in unused outlets or block with furniture.

  • Hide electrical cords behind furniture or use hide-a-cord device.

  • Keep blow dryers, toasters, and other appliances unplugged and out of reach.

 

Preventing falls:

  • Never leave child alone in high chair or let him climb on furniture from which he can fall.

  • Use window guards and safety netting on windows, decks, and landings.

  • If railings have openings wider than 4 inches, block with plastic garden fencing, Plexiglas, or other material.

  • At the store, use safety belts on shopping carts (or bring one of your own).

 

Fireplace:

  • Install a fireplace grill and keep it in place when a fire is burning.

  • Move gas fireplace keys out of reach.

  • Stow logs, matches, and fireplace tools out of reach.

 

Fire prevention:

  • Check batteries on smoke detectors monthly.

  • Review fire escape route and start talking to your child about it.

 

First aid:

  • Take a CPR class.

 

Forbidden territory:

  • Keep knives, breakables, heavy pots, and other dangerous items locked up or out of reach.

  • Control access to unsafe areas with safety gates, door locks, and knob covers.

  • Put locks or latches on accessible cabinets and drawers that house unsafe items.

  • Keep trash cans in inaccessible cupboards or use ones with child-resistant covers.

  • Cover or block access to hot radiators and floor heaters.

  • Secure refrigerator with appliance latch.

  • Keep small fingers out of VCRs with a VCR lock.

  • Don't use tablecloths or placemats — your child may pull them and what's on them down.

  • Distract child from forbidden places by keeping one cupboard unlocked and filled with lightweight, safe items.

 

Furniture:

  • Remove clutter and move protruding furniture that child could trip on.

  • Attach corner and edge guards to furniture that will become a hazard as child walks, climbs, and grows taller.

  • Secure furniture that can topple (bookcases, chests of drawers) to the walls.

  • Keep televisions on low, stable cabinets, pushed back as far as possible.

  • Secure tall, tippy lamps behind furniture.

 

Guns:

  • Don't keep them in the house — they're not safe around children.

  • If you must have guns, store them, unloaded, in a locked and inaccessible spot.

  • Store the ammunition in a separate locked and inaccessible spot.

  • Use additional gun safety devices such as trigger locks.

  • Start teaching your child that guns are weapons, not toys.

 

Playgrounds:

  • Make sure surface under equipment is rubber, fiber, wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel — not asphalt, concrete, or grass.

 

Poison-proofing:

  • Survey your house and move cleaning agents, medicines, vitamins, toiletries, mothballs, and other potentially toxic items out of reach or lock them up.

  • Remember that your purse or a visitor's purse can hold medicines, toiletries, and other toxic substances — keep them out of reach.

  • Get rid of toxic houseplants such as philodendron or move them out of reach.

  • Post the American Association of Poison Control Centers' national emergency hotline number, (800) 222-1222, near phone.

 

Sun:

  • Keep child out of the sun as much as possible.

  • When child is outside, protect skin with hats, light-colored clothing with long sleeves, and sunscreen.

 

Toilet:

  • Install a lock on the toilets (tots can fall in and drown).

 

Toys: The Safest

  • Are securely put together and in good condition.

  • Have no buttons, eyes, beads, ribbons, or other pieces a child could pull off and choke on.

  • Are not too heavy (if a toy would harm child if it fell on her, it's too heavy).

  • Have no strings or cords longer than 12 inches.

  • Are appropriate for your child's age and physical skills.

  • Can't be hung around a child's neck.

 

Street:

  • Teach child to be wary of cars and to hold grownup's hand in street or parking lot.

 

Water:

  • Don't leave child unattended even for a moment in or near a pool or other water.

  • Around your pool, erect fencing at least 4 feet high with a self-closing, self-latching gate.

  • Don't leave even small amounts of water, cleaning solutions, or other liquids in buckets or other containers.

 

Windows:

  • Cut off or tie up dangling cords on drapes and blinds.

  • Mark sliding doors and other expanses of glass with colorful stickers.

  • Install window locks so windows can be opened for air but not far enough for child to climb out.

  • Don't depend on screens to prevent falls.

  • Avoid putting furniture that child could climb on near windows.