It’s November and you know what that means: the holidays are upon us! The next two months will likely pass in a blur of planning family activities and rearranging schedules to get everyone together. If you’re hosting this year’s festivities, there’s a good chance your home will play host to a couple of kids. Whether you’re the cool aunt or the grandparents who spoil them rotten, your first goal is likely the same as the one their parents battle every day: keeping those precious little ones safe. That’s why this week, we’re providing a few handy tips to keep the kiddos safe when they’re over for the holidays without revamping your whole home to do so!
Large, open play spaces
If you normally don’t have children in the home, this is especially crucial. Designating a play space that’s open and free of trip hazards is a surefire way to avoid injury as kids run around and play together. Living rooms are ideal for this space, just move the furniture to the edges of the room and you’re on the path to avoiding catastrophe!
Closed Storage Areas
Everyone knows to keep certain items out of the hands of children. It’s why paint thinner and hammers never top a toddler’s Christmas list. However, having these items out in the open is often as good as presenting them to a child with a bow on top. While your open shelving unit may look industrial and interesting, keeping potentially dangerous tools or chemicals on it and within the reach of children can be extremely dangerous. Remember to take those items you wouldn’t want a child to get ahold of and lock them away safely in a closed storage area or the garage to deter little hands from taking an interest.
Up, Up, and Away!
The best way to keep your valuables safe around kids is to never have them around kids. Love that glass picture frame on your end table? Try moving it to the top of a bookshelf to ensure it makes it through Thanksgiving. In fact, you should move all precious items and breakables to higher shelving or lock them away for safekeeping if you’re planning to have children in your home for the holidays.
Steady, Stable Furniture Only
Littles that have just started crawling, walking, or pulling themselves up on furniture love exploring. Unfortunately, they also love pushing and knocking things around. Flimsy or lightweight furniture can be dangerous as tots who aren’t quite sure footed yet may push over an end table or knock over a chair and cause injury. If you’ll have any children at that stage during holidays, test the safety of your furniture by pushing it – hard. If you can push it over, rest assured that they can, and will, too.
Invest in Outlet Covers
Kids are naturally curious. They’re likely to put just about anything in their mouths and explore every nook and cranny of your home. Keep their little fingers safe by grabbing a pack of outlet covers. They’re a cheap and convenient way to make sure that you’re not responsible for the holiday that turned little Johnny into the nine-finger nephew of the family.
Search for Safe Accessories
Your home should be a reflection of your personality, so it’s important to find pieces that bring a room together and make you smile. When there’s little ones about, however, you may need to stash the coffee table centerpiece made of spiky metal and the sharp-edged statement pieces on the hearth. Remember that keeping the holidays incident free means removing potential hazards from the access of children. Opt for soft, colorful pillows and throw blankets to amp up the style in your space. They’ll look great and are far less likely to poke an eye out.
Love our home tips? Keep up with the J-Tech Construction blog where we put out new content every week! If you need help with a larger project this fall, call our offices. We’d be happy to provide the expert opinion you’ve been needing.
