Safety Guidelines for Kids At Home: A Complete Guide For Parents

The journey from pregnancy to birth is just the beginning of what is yet to unfold in your chapter of parenthood.

Also, in case you think it is only the first six months that are exhausting, then do think again!

It is best to rest until you can. Once your child does their first rollover, you are bound for years of training, testing, and reprimanding your little one.

All this extra monitoring to teach them the most basic thing safety!

Talking about safety, it begins from your home space!

Why Are Safety Tips For Children At Home Important?

Our homes are considered the safest of all the safe places around the world for our well-being.

Children learn through exploration and are very curious during their initial years. Also, they need it to adjust into their new world.

This makes it mandatory for parents to create a safe environment for their little explorers.

Homespace is filled with certain objects like knives, plug holes, coins, electrical gadgets, etc. that might prove detrimental to their safety in case the kids come in contact with them.

According to a study, every year, almost 58.2% of parents report a home accident among their children. The most reported ones fall under head injuries, fire burns, drowning, falls, choking, suffocation, open wounds, and poisoning.

Although fatality is rare, falls are considered one of the leading causes of death in children, followed by burns, asphyxia, and poisoning.

This makes prioritizing home safety tips for children an important mandate for their overall well-being, growth, and development.

Monitoring children 24*7 is physically impossible; therefore, it is essential to create a safe environment for them to explore their little world and learn from it.

Let us dissect various possibilities for safety at home space against certain household items to guarantee a safe exploring space for your children.

1. Identifying Common Household Hazards

Despite all the household items being placed at their designated location, there are a few of them that must be kept away from children at all costs.

These might appear unnoticeable but carry a great potential to cause hazards if placed within the little ones’ reach.

Rule 1: Forget about home decor for some years.

Let us divide these potential dangers into different home zones to understand better.

I. Kitchen Hazards

This place has everything to be scared of, from knives to fire!

Red Zones

• Tools like knives, forks, slicers, peelers, graters, scissors, etc. have the ability to cause serious cuts, wounds, and bleeding.
• Stoves, microwaves, toasters, pressure cookers, etc. have a tendency to cause scalding or severe burns. Electrical appliances can also cause electrical shocks if manhandled.
• Spilling of hot water can also cause severe scaling.
• Accidental contact or consumption of dishwashers, bleach, and toxic cleaners can lead to severe irritation, breathing difficulty, nausea, vomiting, and sometimes abdominal pain due to internal injury.
• Small objects like bottle caps, flapper caps, plastic wrap, broken kitchenware, or edible items like nuts, popcorn, grapes, etc. can cause choking hazards.

II. Bathroom Risks

Water and electricity are a deadly combination to cause accidents in the bathrooms.

Red Zones

• Leaving the kid unattended in the washroom, especially while they are in the bathtub can lead to drowning incidents.
• High risk of slipping and causing head injury, internal bleeding, or even death.
• Ingesting bathroom cleaning products like disinfectants, toiler cleaner, etc. can cause severe irritation, vomiting, nausea, poisoning, etc.
• Electrical appliances like heating rods or plug holes can cause serious electrical shocks.
• Items like clutches, hair accessories, product caps, razors, etc. can cause choking hazards.

Rule 2: Never leave the children unattended in the bathroom space.

III. Living Area Dangers

This place contains tonnes of possible dangers due to the variety it can hold. Also, since children spend their maximum time in the living room, it makes safety a necessity at this homespace.

Red Zones

• High risk of tall furniture tip-over and sharp edges or corners have a potential to cause injury. Example: cup boards, bookshelves, center tables, side tables, etc.
• Swallowing small toys, coins, batteries, small decor items, etc. can cause choking and suffocation.
• Electrical wires of televisions, lamps, charging cables, etc. have the potential to cause electric shocks.

The above-mentioned potential dangers are one of the most important household items for survival.

This makes knowledge of safety tips for children at home, an important part of their learning to prevent avoidable mishaps at your home.

2. Essential Safety Measures by Room

Considering the threats at home, it is important to secure them in time and to embrace a risk-free setting for your children.

This would not only keep them safe but would also make you stress-free about their safety.

Let us now understand how to create a safe home environment for kids by dividing them into different home zones.

I. Kitchen Safety Tips

• Keep the sharp objects away from children’s reach or in high drawers.
• Use safety latches or childproof racks in the lower drawers, containing red zone items.
• Ensure that the handle of the hot kitchenware is turned inwards, where the children cannot reach.
• Keep the toxic kitchen cleaners on higher racks to prevent consumption and poisoning.
• Use safety gates to keep your children away from the kitchen, if required.
• Keep the small items that could cause choking on higher racks and towards the inside.
• Store the heavy kitchenware or glassware in safety locks.
• Chop the fruits and vegetables that have the potential to cause choking.
• Always remember to turn off the electrical appliance when not in use.
• Keep the plastic away from children’s reach.
• Ensure the kitchen is clutter-free to avoid avoidable accidents.

Rule 3: Be very clear about the "no-go zone" to your child, where you have stored heavy kitchenware or electrical appliances.

II. Bathroom Precautions

• Place non-slippery mats in and around the bathtubs and at the entrance.
• Keep the small items like hair accessories, soap pieces, cotton swabs, etc. on higher shelves.
• Install corner guards on sharp edges of bathroom furniture to avoid bumps, falls, cuts, or serious wounds.
• Ensure to latch or lock the toilet lid to prevent small kids from falling into the open toilet bowl.
• Install child-proof bathroom and shower doors, especially if you have a sliding door. This will prevent their small fingers from getting caught in between the doors.
• Store cleaning supplies, tools, and medications on the above shelves or locked cabinets.
• Ensure to keep the plug holes locked and the electrical outlets of hairdryers, razors, etc. covered with safety caps.
• Place an anti-slip bathing chair for infants in the bathroom and ensure they remain seated there when in the bathroom.
• Use soft faucets and anti-scald devices on taps and showerheads to regulate water temperature and prevent head or body injuries.

Rule 4: Maintain a "no-run zone" in the bathroom.

III. Living Room Protections

• Use furniture anchors or anti-trip straps to prevent large furniture from trip-offs like book shelves, tables, cupboards, etc. on kids.
• Cover the sharp edges of furniture with padded guards to prevent injuries.
• Children are very curious about climbing. So, place their toys, books, or games on reachable shelves, to prevent climbing.
• Keep small showpieces or the ones with sharp edges away from children’s reach.
• Avoid placing houseplants away from children’s reach or teach them strictly not to touch them.
• Keep the remote controls of TV, AC, etc. covered with plastic to prevent the kids from ingesting the loose small buttons.
• Try placing the furniture towards the wall to avoid falling or tipping over.
• Secure the large vases, mirrors, or frames with a putty or other heavy glues and wall anchors to prevent their falling.
• Use non-toxic and flame-retardant furniture fabrics in the living room to prevent poisoning of any form.
• Ensure that any small object, like batteries, dice, coins, pebbles, etc., is not anywhere near the kid that could cause choking.
• Secure the loose power cords of lamps, TVs, or any other electrical appliance with anti-shock tape or tuck them away to prevent slipping and tripping.

Rule 5: Make a “kids zone” with a playpen in the living room. This will make them excited about their new personalized play area.

Also, if you are looking for a safe play pen for your kids, do check out R for Rabbit’s Playard, especially designed to keep the little ones safe and occupied.

3. Safety rules for specific scenarios

Apart from the above-mentioned precautions in the kitchen, bathroom, and living space, there are a few more specified safety tips for children that are important but might go unnoticed. These are:

I. Handling small objects and choking hazards

• Create a “choking hazard check” for any potential choking items like beads, hair clips, rubber bands, hair pins, small toys, etc. before placing your baby anywhere.
• Teach your kids to strictly “stop, look, and show" before putting anything in their mouth.
• Ensure the kids learn the “one-bite rule” for large chunks of food and why proper chewing is important.
• Always ensure that the kids’ mealtime is choke-free, that is, they remain seated at one place while eating. Avoid feeding them while they are running, jumping, etc. Also, use choke-free dishes.
• Create a kids-friendly meal zone where you store all the snacks for kids and also make them aware of the "no-kids zone” at home.
• While dressing the kids, make sure there are no loose buttons, beads, zips, etc. to prevent the kids from plucking and putting it in their mouth.
• Always do a coin test with different items to assess the choking hazard.
• Have a “choke hazard bin” in your living space to immediately store the small parts of broken toys, games, etc. into it.

Rule 6: You can also use color-coded containers and store edibles for your kids by keeping a green sticker for “safe food,"  yellow for “little hard chew,” and red for “big no." Teach your kids to opt for green and yellow sticker containers only. They will not only learn about their safe food but also learn about different color coding.

II. Pet Safety

Although pets are an amazing addition to the family, there are certain safety tips for children when dealing with them at home. It is mandatory to teach kids:

• Pets can become aggressive, and hence, approach them slowly.
• Tell them to stay away from the pets, especially if they are irritated or when they are dealing with their offspring, to avoid any kinds of bites or scratches.
• Greet the pets from a distance and let them come to the kids, rather than startling them or pouncing on them from behind.
• Pets can be possessive about their toys, and hence, never play with or tease them with it.
• Pets need their personal space too and should be left alone if they want to.
• About 'good touch’ and 'bad touch' with the pets to make them feel comfortable.
• To understand a pet’s body language by different role playing and by showing them live examples.
• Handling pets—that is, holding, playing, sleeping, etc.
• To stay away from roughhousing pets like wrestling, tug of war, etc.
• To clean themselves after playing with the pets to avoid any contamination.

Rule 7: Make sure the kids keep their meal away from the pets and also to give the pets "no disturb time” during their mealtime to prevent any aggressive incidents.

III. Treadmill and Exercise Equipment Safety

• Ensure to unplug the machines or use a safety lock or childproof your exercise equipment when they are not in use.
• Make sure the loose wire cords are either properly assembled into the corner or taped together to avoid tipping, falling, or any other serious injuries.
• Ensure the plug holes near the equipment are either hidden or out of children’s reach.
• Cover the machines after your workout session if they do not have a safety lock mechanism.
• Store the dumbbells, weights, or other gym accessories locked in a cabinet.
• Lock the gym remote controls of various equipment locked in a cabinet.
• Check for any damage or loose parts in the machines to avoid any accidents.

Rule 8: Divide your workout space with the other home space using a safety gate to create a clear barrier for the kids and specify it being a “no kids zone.”.

Also, if you are seeking a safety gate, do take a look at R for Rabbit’s Safety Gate, with amazing features.

IV. Suffocation Safety Guidelines for Kids at Home

In terms of suffocation, ASSB marks almost 51.2% of incidents in infants causing serious breathing issues due to narrowing of the airways. Almost 92.8% of inhalation suffocation occurs during co-bedding or bedsharing with the infants.

Therefore, Various child safety rules for Indian parents to prevent suffocation include:

• Keep the empty cardboard boxes away from children. This is because children have a natural tendency to try to fit into different spaces. Remember, their exploration mode is always on.
• Keep the washing machine door locked when not in use.
• Try to put your baby to sleep in a bassinet or cradle to give them a comforting sleeping space.
• Avoid the use of heavy quilts on babies.
• Always try to breastfeed by sitting upright to avoid falling asleep.
• Avoid loose bedding.
• Make the kid sleep on the backside to avoid SIDS.

4. Fire and Carbon Monoxide Safety

Fire accidents are one of the most common incidents around the world. According to a study, children under the age of 10 are the most vulnerable victims in any fire-related incident.

Also, the potential for fire accidents cannot be escaped at homespace due to various electrical appliances, stoves, charging plugs, etc.

This makes teaching the home fire safety tips for children very important, which includes:

• Explaining to them about the serious consequences of fire.
• Installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. This is because the carbon monoxide cannot be seen or smelled. Teach kids about the difference between both.
• Having mini drills to prepare them for an emergency fire exit.
• Avoid lighting a matchstick or lighter in front of them to prevent their curiosity.
• Keep all the potential fire equipment away from children.
• Prepare them to remain calm by breathing exercises in case of a fire.
• Never leave the children unattended in the kitchen or near any electrical appliances.

Rule 9: Teach kids to “stop, drop, and roll" in case their clothes catch fire.

5. Safe Storage for Dangerous Items

Every home has certain medical and cleaning supplies that are essential, but their storage requires precautions in case you have a little explorer.

So, the safety guidelines for kids regarding this at home are:

• Store the cleaning items like disinfectants, bathroom and kitchen cleaning supplies, etc. at a higher shelf.
• Keep the medicines away from children’s reach, and always look on the floor in case they do fall. These medicines can cause choking hazards in children.
• Keep the firearm safety equipment at a higher cabinet and away from children’s reach.

Rule 10: It is best to keep all the dangerous items in the “no-kids zone” and strictly ask them to stay away from there.

6. Outdoor Safety Tips

Although providing safety tips for children at home may give you the comfort of their well-being, they cannot always be tied into their homespace.

Children are required to indulge themselves in physical activities and endless explorations. This is for them to learn essential motor, cognitive, social skills, etc., along with understanding about the world around them.

Hence, instructions about the outdoor safety tips for children are equally important. This includes:

• Make it their habit to ask your permission while stepping outdoors, and make it a rule of “no means no.”.
• Ensure to learn about their friends and their respective families for their safety.
• Teach your children about the “bad touch” and “good touch” and encourage them to come to you in case they face any discomforting touches outside or inside the home.
• Strictly advise them to never accompany the strangers, irrespective of their lucrative offers.
• Tell your children to never let anyone inside home, except for the family, in an adult’s absence.
• Encourage them to talk to you about their day at school or with their friends in the playground before their bedtime.
• Ask them to play with the pets in the restricted zone but not follow them, in case the pets want to explore outside.
• If you have an independent house, ensure a secure and high fence around your backyard.

Rule 11: Create a “no-cross zone” and make it a rule for kids to never cross it in any circumstances.

7. Emergency Preparedness and First Aid

Once the kids grow up to understand certain basic safety necessities, it is time to teach them about emergency preparedness.

This starts with enlightening them about the knowledge of first-aid kits and their ability to recognise an emergency.

• Teach them about the usage of common items like dettol, cotton, etc., in case of a cut, wound, or bleeding.
• Provide them basic knowledge of common meds for fever, vomiting, cold, cough, etc., but tell them to always ask before taking or giving one.
• Have small drills to train them in case of a burn, fall, concussions, or any other manageable accident.
• Teach them to save a choking person with back blows or abdominal thrusts.
• If they are big enough, teach them CPR.
• Encourage them to immediately seek help in case the accident is severe, like a fracture, severe bleeding, unconsciousness, etc.

Conclusion

With today's busy lifestyle, keeping a watch on your child all the time has become challenging. This makes it mandatory to naturally provide them a safe environment to learn and grow.

Hence, this blog serves as a comprehensive parental safety guide for Indian households in order to build a safe, family-friendly home environment.

Training them for safety since their childhood would also make them responsible adults and reliable citizens in the future.

Lastly, remember that no matter how safe, there is no shortcut to supervision.

Worth to Read:

1. Baby High Chair Safety Guide & Usage Tips
2. Baby Walker Safety Guidelines for Indian Parents to Prevent Injuries
3. Bicycle Safety for Kids: Tips to Ensure a Secure Ride
4. Top 10 Scooter Safety Tips for Kids
5. 5 Common Mistakes Parents Make While Dealing With Kids Scooters
6. Safety Tips for Travelling with a Baby Car Seat

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