Children are naturally curious. They will taste and touch everything that sparks their interest. The kitchen may be especially fascinating to toddlers because of the colourful items being taken out of the cupboards and the refrigerator. However, there are also many dangers in the kitchen, including sharp tools, heavy appliances, and various sources of heat. Since young children don’t understand these dangers, the kitchen is one place at home where child-proofing is a must.
Every home is different and child-proofing needs to be customised according to the layout that you have. For example, in Singapore where condo living is a popular choice, getting an induction cooker hob Singapore residents trust is more practical than cooking in a gas stove because it can keep the flat cooler. The lack of gas to fuel the stove means parents won’t need to install a carbon monoxide detector but they may want to install a hob cover to keep their child from accidentally turning the stove on.
While you want to encourage learning and curiosity in your child, you also want to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries in the kitchen. To learn more about how to child-proof your kitchen, here are some practical tips.
Practice General Kitchen Safety
Evaluate your kitchen and identify the objects that can potentially cause toddler injuries. Adding these practical preventive measures will come in handy, especially when you have a very active toddler. To help you, here are some general kitchen safety you can do:
- Install protective guards or bumpers on sharp edges and corners where your kids can bang their heads or injure their eyes.
- Use non-skid rugs and wipe up spills right away to keep your child from accidentally slipping and falling.
- Keep all breakable items on higher shelves or in storage spaces where young kids can’t reach them.
- Place safety plugs in all electrical outlets. Your child might mimic your action of plugging appliances and plug their fingers into the outlet instead.
- Store spices in a secure place where your children won’t be able to reach them. Some spices are toxic if young kids ingest them in high doses. For example, nutmeg can have hallucinogenic effects in small children.
- Keep the boxes of aluminium foil, waxed paper and plastic wrap away from children. They often come with serrated edges that can cut your child’s fingers.
- Make sure to keep all alcoholic drinks away from your child’s sight and reach. They might mistake the colourful liquids for juice or water and swallow them.
Secure Lower Cabinet Doors
Kitchen cabinets can be very interesting for young children because they want to explore what’s inside. You – or a handyman near me in Hudsonville and elsewhere – need to secure them with locks or child-proof safety latches, especially the lower cabinets and drawers that your little one can easily reach. The locks will prevent them from accessing the items inside and accidentally getting their fingers caught between the doors. However, some children eventually figure out how to open and close the safety latches.
As an alternative, you can install a magnetic locking system. It can be attached inside the cabinet and opened using a magnetic key. This is a great solution for under-sink cabinets where household cleaners are commonly stored. Since it is not visible from outside the cabinet, it is also aesthetically pleasing. To help you easily open and close the cabinets, you can place the magnetic key on the fridge.
Promote Burn and Fire Safety
Preventing burns and fires is one of the reasons many parents choose to child-proof their kitchens. To do this, you need to pay special attention to your stoves and ovens. If your cooking appliances are fuelled by gas, check them periodically to make sure there are no leaks. This is not a problem for induction cookers since the appliance only heats the pan or pots without an open flame. While this reduces the risks of fires, it doesn’t guarantee your child won’t get injured from touching the hot pan.
Another common accident that occurs in kitchens is when a child grabs a pot and spills the hot content over themselves. To avoid this, use the burners at the back of your stove whenever you can. If you need to use the front burners, turn the pan or pot handles toward the back, so they are harder to reach. It’s also a good idea to put child-proof covers on stoves and oven knobs. This way, your child won’t be able to easily turn the appliances on.
When using the oven, remember to inspect the outside if it’s warm or hot to the touch. Some units are poorly insulated and can get extremely hot, causing burns. In case the oven door becomes too hot, place a safety gate to keep your child from entering the kitchen while you are cooking. Be careful when opening the oven door if your child is nearby. They might try to touch the inside of the door or their face can get blasted with very hot air if they get too close. After using the oven, always turn it off.
Set Up a Dedicated Play Area
Setting up a safe play area by the kitchen is one of the best solutions to keep an eye on your toddler while you are cooking. Depending on your child’s age and how easily they can get entertained, you can place them in a high chair and let them play in their seat. As they grow older, you can set up a playpen and fill it with their favourite toys. Some parents dedicate a kitchen drawer filled with toys for their children to safely play with. This keeps the toys within easy reach and distracts children from trying to play with kitchen items.
The kitchen can be an interesting yet hazardous place for young children, which is why you must take all precautions to child-proof the room. Limiting their access to certain parts of the kitchen is the best way to keep young kids safe from injuries. As they get older and understand dangers better, you can start educating them about kitchen safety and enjoy cooking together.
