The moment you turn your back, they are across the room with something mysterious in their mouth. If you’re a parent to a little explorer you know exactly what I mean. The quiet is never comforting. It’s suspicious.
Welcome to the world of parenting a newly mobile child. It’s a beautiful, chaotic, and sometimes terrifying phase. Your heart swells with pride as they take their first wobbly steps. Then your heart drops as those steps lead them straight toward an electrical outlet. The task of childproofing an entire home can feel just as overwhelming as any major life change. I know the feeling. When I decided to overhaul my life, losing over 110 pounds and breaking free from bad habits, the goal seemed impossible. I got there by breaking it down into small, manageable steps.
Childproofing is the same. You don’t have to do it all at once. It’s about making one small change at a time to create a safer space for your little one to thrive. Here are 25 practical hacks to help you do just that.
Kitchen and Bathroom Hotspots
These two rooms are full of potential dangers. A little prep work here goes a long way in giving you peace of mind.
- Use a Laundry Basket in the Tub. Forget fancy baby tubs. Place your little one in a large plastic laundry basket inside the bathtub. The water flows in but their toys stay close, and it prevents them from slipping and sliding around too much.
- Lock the Toilet Lid. Toddlers are fascinated by water. A simple toilet lid lock prevents them from playing in the bowl and protects their little fingers from getting slammed by a heavy lid.
- Move All Chemicals Up High. This seems obvious but it’s so important. Don’t just rely on a cabinet lock. Move all cleaning supplies, detergents, and chemicals to a high shelf or a locked closet completely out of reach.
- Try a Hair Tie on Lever Handles. If you have lever-style door handles, they are incredibly easy for toddlers to open. Loop a hair tie or a thick rubber band around both handles to keep the door shut. This works great for keeping them out of pantries or bathrooms.
- Secure Your Trash Can. A flip-top lid is no match for a curious kid. Use a strap-style cabinet lock to secure the lid of your trash can or move it inside a locked pantry.
Living Room and Bedroom Fixes
This is where your family relaxes, but it’s also full of sharp corners and tempting cords. Let’s make it a true safe haven.
- Anchor Your Furniture. This is non-negotiable. Bookshelves, dressers, and even TVs can tip over and cause serious injury. Use anti-tip kits to anchor all heavy furniture securely to the wall.
- Use Pool Noodles on Sharp Edges. Cut a pool noodle lengthwise and slip it over the sharp edges of a brick fireplace hearth or a glass coffee table. It’s cheap, effective, and easy to remove later.
- Cover Outlets with Painter’s Tape. In a pinch or while traveling, a strip of blue painter’s tape over an outlet is a great temporary fix. It’s hard for little fingers to peel off but easy for you to remove without damaging the wall.
- Put Tennis Balls on Sharp Corners. For sharp furniture corners, cut an X into a tennis ball and pop it right on the corner for instant padding.
- Tame Your Cords. Bundle and secure all electrical cords for lamps, TVs, and electronics. Use zip ties or cord organizers to keep them tight and tucked away behind furniture. A dangling cord is a major temptation.
- Remove Tempting Tablecloths. A toddler will see a tablecloth as a fun thing to pull on. This can bring everything on the table crashing down. It’s best to go without them for a few years.
- Secure Your Blind Cords. Dangling blind cords are a serious strangulation hazard. Wrap them up high around a cord cleat or use a clothespin to clip them up and out of reach.
Thinking Like a Toddler
Sometimes the best way to find hazards is to see the world from their level. This shift in perspective is powerful. I found in my own life that I couldn't truly tackle my bad habits until I changed my perspective and saw them for what they were. Getting on my hands and knees to crawl around the living room showed me all the little dangers I had missed.
- Do the Toilet Paper Roll Test. Anything that can fit through an empty toilet paper roll is a potential choking hazard. Get down on the floor and scan for small items like loose change, bottle caps, or old food that might have rolled under the couch.
- Put a Bell on Your Door. Attach a small jingle bell to the doors leading outside or to the garage. You’ll hear it a lot, but you’ll also hear it if your little one ever makes a break for it.
- Use Command Hooks Creatively. Place a Command hook upside down on the inside of a drawer or cabinet. Then loop a rubber band or hair tie around the knob and the hook. It creates a cheap and effective lock.
- Taste Test Your Houseplants. Okay, don’t actually taste them. But do look them up. Many common houseplants are toxic if ingested. Move them to a high shelf or a room the baby can’t access.
- Cover Your Power Strips. A power strip full of plugs is irresistible. Use a power strip cover box to keep it completely enclosed and safe from curious fingers.
- Create a "No-Go Zone" with Tape. Use blue painter’s tape to mark a perimeter on the floor around things you don’t want your toddler to touch, like the entertainment center or a fireplace. It’s a visual reminder for them (and you) of the boundaries.
- Keep Pet Food Out of Reach. A bowl of dog or cat food on the floor is a very tempting snack for a crawling baby. Keep pet food and water in a room blocked by a baby gate or feed your pets at specific times and then put the bowls away.
- Use a Tension Rod as a Low Gate. For a baby who is just crawling, a spring-loaded tension rod placed about 6 inches off the floor at the bottom of the stairs can be an effective barrier and reminder not to climb.
Simple DIY & Budget-Friendly Ideas
You don’t need to spend a fortune to make your home safe. A little creativity can go a long way.
- Soften the Bathtub Spout. A soft, silicone spout cover can prevent a nasty bump on the head during bath time.
- Pad the Floor. You don’t need wall-to-wall foam tiles. Simply placing a thick, soft rug in the main play area or under a small climbing toy can make tumbles much safer.
- Remove Small Fridge Magnets. Small decorative magnets can easily be pulled off the fridge and become a choking hazard. Stick to larger, one-piece magnets or keep the bottom half of your fridge clear.
- Use Baby Gates for More Than Stairs. A baby gate can be used to block off entire rooms like the kitchen or office. You can also use a wide, freestanding gate to create a safe, enclosed play area in the middle of a larger room.
- Check Your Doorstops. Many homes have doorstops with small, removable rubber caps. These are the perfect size for a child to choke on. Either glue them on securely or replace them with one-piece spring-style doorstops.
Childproofing isn't about perfection. It’s a constant process of observing, adapting, and creating a space where your child is free to explore safely. It’s an act of love and protection, a way of building a peaceful home where your family can flourish. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Just start with one thing.
What’s one small change you can make today to give yourself a little more peace of mind?
