Through the eyes of an innocent baby the world of your home is fascinating. Things that are mundane to us are a joy for a small child. The toilet bowl is a play pool, and brightly colored cleaners look like candy. That’s why it’s very important that parents do everything in their power to create a safe environment for exploration.
Here are some simple steps to create a safe environment for your little monkeys:
Get on all fours and crawl all around your home. You my find accidents waiting to happen. Pretend you are as small as your baby. Do you need to block off areas such as banisters, balconies, and decks?
Make sure dangerous or breakable items are out of reach or locked away. Store all chemicals and medicines out of your children’s reach and use child proof cabinet and drawer locks. Remember that kids are avid climbers – so, “out of children’s reach” should really mean “out of baby monkey’s reach.”
Keep things like toys and art material within you children’s reach. A busy baby is a happy baby that’s not getting into trouble. Also, make sure the toys and items in reach are appropriate for their age. Some toys for older kids will have sharp edges or small pieces that can be dangerous if swallowed.
Show your children how to safely use their toys and books. For example, teach them to turn the pages of books slowly and away from the eyes. A great way to teach your child about a new toy is to explore it together. Pretend to be surprised and excited by the way it works to ignite your child’s natural curiosity.
Make sure all electrical outlets are covered. Install child safe gates for stairs, hallways and play areas. Also, keep things like jacuzzis and pools covered or blocked off with a fence.
Install the Door Monkey child door lock on bathrooms and other rooms that are not safe for your baby.
If you put effort into creating a safe place for exploration – full of toys and books – your child will be safe to learn and grow.