5 Ways To Keep Your Child Safe In The Home And Beyond

This is a collaborative post

Ensuring the safety of your child at home can sometimes feel like a bit of a balancing act. You want to keep them safe, but without wrapping them up in cotton wool or growing rotors and becoming a fully-fledged helicopter parent. Failing to act isn’t an option, especially as figures from the Child Accident Prevention Trust show that around a million kids are taken to hospital each year following an accident at home.

The answer is prevention. Keeping risks at bay lets you take your eyes off your kids without the anxiety of wondering whether an accident will happen, so here are five things you can focus on to make your home that bit safer for your children and protect them while they’re out and about.

Keeping safe in the kitchen

There are typically lots of risks to kids in the kitchen, and here, the best defence is to keep washing detergent, cleaning products, and anything heavy like mason jars or bulk foods out of reach or in a locked or childproof cupboard. Always keep ovens and stovetops attended, keep kids away, and teach them early on what they can and cannot touch.

Making the living room safe

While the living room is the place to chill, make sure to keep any open fires or heaters protected with fireguards, and put child safety plugs in any sockets that are not in use. Also, keep clutter to a minimum to minimise any trip hazards.

Making your garden risk-free

Make sure garden tools and other garden equipment are kept safe and secured in a locked shed or outbuilding. And if there are any tripping hazards like tall plant pot stands or barbecues, secure them to the floor or wall so they don’t fall over if they’re tripped into.

Playing it safe at the playground

When at the playground, make sure to always supervise your child. If they’re new to a piece of equipment, show them how to use it, and keep a close eye on where they are so they don’t get bumped by swings or kids on roundabouts. Sometimes we aren’t able to fully protect our children and they may end up needing medical care after a scrape at a playground, but if your child suffered an accident due to faulty playground equipment, for example, you might be entitled to make a claim.

Traffic safety tips

Traffic is dangerous to kids, so make sure to hold your child’s hand or use a pushchair when near roads and busy areas. Teach them the green cross code, and set a good example when with them, waiting for the green man before you cross and explaining to them what the rules of crossing are.