When online guides give advice for baby-proofing, toddler-proofing and child-proofing your home, the tips follow a common pattern. Often, they’re quite wise. They tell you to set up safety gates, add catches to your drawers and cupboards, make sure no cleaning equipment or chemicals are available where they can be reached (such as under the sink), keep the home well-lit, and try to be attentive. All of that is great.
But it’s also true that sometimes, the house itself could use improvement. For example, if the corners of your doorframes are sharp despite the open doorway, you may wish to sand the sharp edges down to make the corners more rounded and treat the wood after the fact.
This is just one example. But it shows that sometimes, structural changes in your home can have more impact than anything else. In this post, we intend to help you nail the best outcome:
Window Strength & Replacement
Old windows can be a real worry, especially when kids are around. It sounds cartoonish, but wobbling frames and loose catches might have been fine before, but they’re not so great with curious toddlers about, especially not if they press their body weight against them. Don’t take that chance. Double-glazed windows are much stronger than old single-pane ones, and they usually come with better safety catches too. Such windows don’t just slam shut either, as they have this slow-close feature that stops little fingers getting trapped. While you’re sorting the windows, getting some safety screens fitted means kids can’t push against them too hard, and don’t place climbable furniture in front of them if you can.
Driveway Visibility & Border Fencing
Driveways seem somewhat harmless but they’re not, as if think about cars backing out while kids are playing nearby, you can see the risk. A good fence between the driveway and the rest of the garden gives everyone their own space. You might put up those curved mirrors so drivers can see around blind corners, helpful if your little ones are coming around the corner on a bike. Low bushes or borders along the driveway edges make it clear where cars should and shouldn’t go too, or a sign to watch for kids when welcoming others can’t hurt and follows the same principle. Lighting is also important, especially motion-sensor lights, which means nobody’s ever backing out in the dark.
Garden Care & Pathways
Gardens need a bit more thought when kids are running around. Neat gravel paths can look great, but they’re not so fun when little knees hit them and can be loose if not well maintained. Smooth paving or wood-chipping paths work much better. Grass is always good, but some areas get muddy and slippery too. Adding drainage or putting in artificial grass in those spots stops accidents if you’re worried, or landscaping steep gardens can grant you some reprieve also. Also consider steps that you might not even think about but can be a lot for little legs, as adding non-slip strips and making sure they’re well-lit helps the entire family stay steady on their feet.
With this advice, you’re certain to keep your growing children safe in the best way.
