The kitchen is part of the home where you talk with friends, prep your food, and the first place you go to when you head in through the door. Unless you need the bathroom, of course!
However, while it’s a room that is full of gadgets that are fun for adults to prep food with, it’s a danger zone when you have a curious toddler. As any parent will tell you, you can’t really shut the door to the kitchen when you have a toddler, and it’s even harder when you have an open-plan kitchen!
So, what can you do to make this room safe? There are a few options, and this article will walk you through some of the most effective ones to make this room safe for your little explorers.
1. Install A Trash Disposal Unit
Bins, plus a toddler equal rummaging and pulling out bits of food that they shouldn’t be eating! So, what alternative is there to putting a lock on your trash bin? Well, when it comes to food morsels and scraps, it may be worth looking into something that’s out of their reach and destroys all the scraps.
A dog is one option, but garbage disposals are better, as they up the value of your home while also ridding your kitchen of food scraps that could be pulled out of the bin and eaten. Remember, larger bits of food can present a choking hazard to toddlers, so this is a safety measure that is well-warranted.
2. Cabinet and Drawer Locks
As mentioned before, toddlers love exploring, and those cabinets and drawers can be easily opened. This can, of course, reveal a lot of potentially dangerous items, such as knives, cleaning products, and even heavy cooking utensils.
So, it’s worth installing childproof locks on cabinets and drawers in your kitchen to keep tiny hands away from these materials and give you peace of mind when you’re not in the room Many popular kinds of locks include magnetic ones, spring options, as well as adhesive straps, which you and any older children can easily open.
3. Stove and Oven Safety
The oven and the stove are areas of particular concern when you have a toddler, as little ones don’t have the innate understanding that this area is hot and dangerous.
So, to prevent your toddlers from experiencing accidental burns, you can install stove knob covers; these can be easily removed by you and older children, but they’re challenging for those little hands to figure out. It’s also worth getting a stove guard, as this will act as a barrier between your toddler and hot surfaces in your kitchen.
4. No Hanging Cords
It’s a safety hazard in general to have cords that are hanging over the sides of the countertops. So, when you have toddlers, it becomes riskier as they love to pull stuff.
Make sure that all cords are secured to the countertop, and always be sure to unplug devices or appliances when they’re not in use and store them away if possible.
5. Clutter-Free Space
Toddlers can easily fall over, and it’s better that they fall in an open space than a cluttered one. Be sure to keep your kitchen floor clutter-free, as this will prevent them from tripping and, should they fall, it will reduce injuries.
