How to Make Your Child's Room Safe

If you are a parent or grandparent, you are no doubt always looking for new ways to keep your children and grandchildren safe. There are many places that our kids go where we have little control over their safety, such as at school.

However, there is one place where you can have full control over your childrens' safety, and that is in their very own bedroom. You may not have considered that their room could ever be unsafe, but think for a second about all the dangers that lurk behind their door. Electrical outlets, heavy furniture, unlocked windows can pose a significant hazard to a child too young to know how to practice safety.

Consider these few suggestions for making your child's room safer for him or her.

Securing Furniture

A child's bedroom is most often considered a safe place to play, but did you know that children are killed every year by falling bookcases, dressers, and televisions? Securing these items to the wall behind them prevents children from pulling the furniture down on top of them. Kids don't know any better when climbing for that book on the top shelf, the box of crayons sitting on top of the television, or the lamp on top of the dresser that they can't reach. Simply tether the back of the furniture to the wall with a large screw or bolt, preferably into a wall stud so it cannot easily be pulled out.

Evaluate Windows, Doors and Locks

Even if you have made the inside of your child's room safe for play, have you considered the ways in and out of your child's room? Many parents forget to check windows and doors for problems, which can be deadly. Windows should be locked, preferably with a child-proof latch. This is especially important if the bedroom is on a second story. Doors should have working knobs that don't stick or lock. Children can easily lock themselves in their room and become stuck. The same goes for closet doors and locks.

Other Safety Precautions

Lastly, be sure to take the smallest but most obvious steps toward safety in your child's room. Install protectors over electrical outlets. Make sure there is a smoke detector inside the room, preferably above the door toward the ceiling. If smoke pours in from the other side of the door that is the first place it will go. When your child is old enough, teach him or her how to unlock the bedroom window for escape during an emergency.

Using these safety precautions will help keep your children safe while playing in their room and give you some peace of mind.