Play experts Foamë offer a ‘how-to’ guide on taking the right steps towards creating a safe home environment for children which still looks great
While children should always be monitored, their curious nature means that it can seem impossible to protect them from hurting themselves every second of the day. But, by child-proofing your home as much as possible, you can eliminate avoidable hazards which may cause your little ones harm so you can spend time at home with peace of mind your children are out of harm’s way.
Round edges & fixed furnishings
While your beautiful cream cushions may look like the perfect springboard for jumping on the sofa or a tempting item to chew or throw, they can also be a hazard to little ones. To prioritise safety in your living space opt for a sofa design with fixed cushions. This way you can avoid any potential danger of suffocating or crushing when younger kids start building forts with cushions or using the sofa as a bouncy castle – plus it’s a great way to ensure your living space stays looking neat and tidy.
For babies and toddlers learning to walk, table edges are often the ideal height for banging their heads, so it’s best to avoid having glass side or coffee tables with sharp edges in areas where your child spends a lot of time exploring.
If moving a side table is unavoidable, consider purchasing corner protectors to cover sharp edges. With a wide choice on the market, it should be easy to find protectors that match the material of your side table to seamlessly blend into the surrounding decor – meaning you can protect children from injury without spoiling the overall aesthetic.
Alternatively, for playrooms opt for fun corner protectors in bright colours that will highlight sharp edges and encourage your child to recognise these as a hazard.
Choose safe storage solutions
Where children are concerned, the more storage you have the better and savvy storing techniques could work wonders in reducing the risks in your home, too. For instance, in the living room, opt for a side cabinet with cubby holes to make separating toys, books and stuffed animals easy. This way, you can divide the cubby holes between your children, keeping their individual toys all together or separate living room items such as magazines or TV remotes. To avoid a cluttered look, utilise baskets or boxes that complement your decor and will slide into the cubby holes – providing a place for stowing away items while still delivering a chic finish.
Alternatively, in playrooms combine storage with play by choosing standing baskets that allow your children to remove toys themselves, but be sure to keep toys that may need monitoring during child-play out of reach. If you’re feeling a little creative, spruce up old cabinets with colourful paint or attach wooden crates to the wall to create a fun, farmhouse feel.
While it may be your child’s dream come true to have stuffed toys scattered all over the home, it’s not ideal when it comes to tripping hazards. To combat this, designate a stuffed animal bin in their bedroom – ensuring they’re all in one place and aren’t taking over the entire house.
Select child-friendly structural surfaces
Children with sticky hands are often magnetically attracted to walls and freshly cleaned carpets, but there are some measures you can take to minimise the mucky handprints and free-hand artwork. Semi-gloss paint is great for painting areas where your children spend a lot of time. Be it food, marker pen, chalk or anything else your child may love to spread over the walls, this paint can simply be wiped clean – leaving paintwork looking as good as new.
When it comes to flooring, wooden floors are a popular option for parents. Its non-toxic qualities and easy maintenance make it a perfect choice for those with messy young ones. Alternatively, laminate flooring offers a more budget-friendly solution, while still delivering the same luxurious feel. Like wooden flooring, it’s scratch resistant, so won’t be damaged by plastic toys.
However, both of these flooring choices can be slippery, particularly if your child wanders around the home in socks or has a habit of running around the house. Falls are one of the most reported injuries for children in the home, so consider purchasing an area rug with a non-slip mat underneath to combat trips and tumbles – with the added benefit of providing a warm and comfortable designated play area.
While you may feel confident that you’ve done a great job of childproofing your home, with so many considerations to account for it’s easy to miss something. However, equipped with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to designing a safe haven for little ones to explore and play in, with minimal risk.