Best Way to Childproof Your Kitchen

One of the best things you can do is get down on the floor and crawl where your baby crawls (or will crawl—you’ll want to childproof before your child starts moving).

Carefully examine everything within reach. You’ll discover objects your baby can choke on, sharp edges on the undersides of furniture, and loads of things that might break off or fall over.

When you’re visiting someone else’s home, remember that childproofing (and child-watching!) is your responsibility.

Kitchen Stove

• Turn all saucepan handles to the rear of the stove.
• Turn on the oven light when the oven’s in use, and teach chil­dren that “Light on means hands off.” Leave the light on until the oven is cool.
• Remove stove knobs, if you can, or tape them so children can’t turn them. Or use stove knob covers.
• Lock the oven, fridge, and freezer doors with plastic latches that attach with adhesive.
• Back a high-back chair up to the stove for a young cook, and let your child stand or kneel on it. The chair back provides a barrier. (You’re right there, of course.)
• Let an older child stir food on the stove with a long-handled wooden spoon. (Wood doesn’t conduct heat.)
• Set a timer when you’re cooking with kids around. Children are distracting, and you can easily ruin your food or cause a fire.

Around the Kitchen

• Use safety locks on drawers and cupboards. Several brands are available in hardware stores.
• Run a yardstick through suitable drawers and cabinet handles, or use metal shower rings or blanket clips to hold them shut.
• Secure cabinets with bungee cords, pieces of rope, or even a dog collar.
• Use wet paper towels or paper napkins to pick up small pieces of broken glass the broom doesn’t get, so young crawlers won’t cut their hands and knees.

• Let your child use plastic or paper cups instead of breakable glasses and china mugs. Store plastic cups in a drawer rather than a cupboard, so a child who’s able to reach the faucet with a stool will be able to reach them.
• Attach a paper cup holder to the side of your refrigerator so kids won’t keep using new glasses.
• Move all cleaning supplies out from under the sink, and lock j them up. (Replace them with plastic containers and pans your kids can play with). If you don’t use Mr. Yuk stickers, paint the caps of dangerous materials with red nail polish, and teach; your children that red means danger.
• Beware of a child tasting detergent from the soap cup in the dishwasher. Add detergent only when you’re ready to start the machine.