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How to Make Your Home Grandchild Proof

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It may be that your grandchildren only visit you once or twice a year, or it could be that you're lucky enough to have them living nearby with frequent visits.  Either way, when they're at your house you want to keep them safe.

Even though it's been a while since your own children were young and you stopped child proofing your home after they reached a certain age, the safety issues are still the same today as the ones you encountered all those years ago.

To help refresh your memory I've included several items that need your attention, although it is not an exhaustive list.  But first I'd like you to remember how young children are.

* They are curious.
* They like to put things in their mouths.
* They can climb.
* They can't read warning labels.
* They can get into more stuff than you think possible in a very short time.


Now let's look at what you need to do to address your grandchildren's safety, keeping in mind the very best safety device is having a watching adult present at all times.

Use baby gates to keep young children out of rooms you don't want them in, or in rooms you want them to stay in.  Use the gates to block off stairs as well.  If your grandchild comes infrequently, you may be able to borrow one from a neighbor when you need it.  You can often pick one up cheaply at a car boot sale, but do make sure that it hasn’t been damaged and is safe to use.

For children under three, you need to raise the level of possible choking hazards.  Make sure there is nothing smaller than a tennis ball lying around within reach.  These could be anything from small ornaments to your favorite hard sweets or your glass beads.  

Household cleaning supplies need to be locked away from curious children.  This is something you surely haven't been doing with just adults living in your home for the last umpteen years, but it is very important to do now.  Go through all your cupboards and move anything dangerous to a central location where they can be locked away.  The same goes for hazardous chemicals and materials in your garage.  Don’t just rely on child-proof tops.

Move your knick-knacks and memorabilia (Americans call them ‘chotchkies’) onto a high shelf.  Don't assume a child won't drag a chair over to a shelf or climb up the back of the sofa if they see something very tantalizing just out of reach.

In the kitchen, remember to practice safe cooking - pot handles should be pointed inwards so little hands don't reach up and pull them down.  Electrical cords from appliances should not be hanging over the edge of a work surface either.  

Speaking of cords, make sure your window blind cords are not hanging down within reach of small children.  Not only can children pull down something heavy, they could also accidentally injure themselves if they get tangled up in the cord. This also applies to long electrical cords.

Secure your TV if it isn’t already screwed to the wall.  Many TVs are top heavy on their stands and when small children pull up on the TV stand or older children bump into it when they're playing, the heavy TV can possibly fall on them.

It may be convenient to have your medicines and vitamins sitting out on the kitchen worktop or by bathroom washbasin, but they need to be locked away safely.  You can install safety latches on your cupboards and cabinets so you can access them but children can't.

Other safety measures include protective covers on your garden taps, decals on your perfectly clean sliding glass door so they don't walk into it, corner bumpers on sharp corners of your furniture or raised fireplace hearth, and working smoke detectors.

Welcome your grandchildren knowing you've made your house as safe as possible.  Remember though, there’s no safer way to protect small children than by keeping a watchful eye on them at all times, even if that means bringing them into the bathroom with you.

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