11 Tips for Toddler-Proofing a Bedroom

As a caregiver, making sure that your home is a safe environment for your child is of utmost importance. And, as your baby grows into a toddler and moves into a more curious and adventurous season of childhood, you must make sure that their baby-proofed room is turned into a toddler-proofed room. 

For parents uncertain about where to begin, we provide a guide to help you start. Keep reading to find out how to make your little explorer’s room safe.

The protection of young children can be a thorough process. It is a never ending process as your child grows from one stage of childhood to the next. And knowing the curious nature of toddlers, it’s important to give them spaces where they can play and explore while also being safe.

A toddler’s room is where they spend most of their time, which means it has to be the safest place in the house for them. While each bedroom is unique, there are some general aspects that should always be covered: 

Your child's bed is where they will spend—at least—half their time. For this reason, it should be a safe and comforting place. If your child still has a baby crib, there are some measures that can be considered to prevent escapes and serious injuries, while also making the transition to a kid’s bed smoother. Having a convertible crib is a good example of it.

If your child is determined to move from the crib, the first thing to do is talk to them about replacing it with a bigger bed. 

To make this change easier and safer, at Nurture& we have designed a convertible crib  that can turn into a kids bed, making the change process more amicable for your child. We also have created a Kids Bed with side rails that prevent any kind of tip over situation while your baby sleeps, as well as a Daybed with rounded corners. Both items have satin-resisting fabric and are made with non-toxic materials.

Some parents leave an old crib mattress on the floor next to the bed for cushioning in case their toddler falls while sleeping. This way there is an extra layer of safety for their child. 

Besides inspecting your child's toys for choking hazards, it's essential to also account for tripping risks. When a toddler has started walking or is in the process of learning, they might trip or stumble over toys in the dark.

This is why it's advised to store certain toys overnight, but also to keep items like stuffed animals and teething toys accessible (for example, in a low shelf) so they can play if they want to. It is important, however, that these items are kept away from the floor where a toddler could trip over them. Also avoid keeping toys on high shelves, because it can tempt your child to do something dangerous to get them.

At Nurture&, we offer a storage ottoman with rounded corners that can help you keep your toddler’s room organized and safe, with their toys out of sight during the night. It is also great to keep diapers and other objects handy.

A toddler’s exploring abilities will take them roaming all around the room, and they’ll want to touch everything in their sight. This means they’ll want to climb on top of changing tables, chairs, dressers and any other furniture in their room. Make sure that all heavy furniture will stay in place when your child puts their full weight on or against it.

Some measures you can take include fixing the heavy furniture to the wall with brackets and bolts, as well as installing locks on drawers to avoid getting their little finger pinched.

At Nurture& we have our own line of furniture that meets and exceeds the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Safety Standards, making it safe for your baby.

Toddlers still take things to their mouth when exploring their surroundings, although not as much as babies do. This means you should be very mindful about which objects could be choking hazards and remove them from your toddler’s reach.

As a practical rule, anything that can fit inside an empty toilet paper tube could cause suffocation and therefore should be kept out of sight and out of reach.

A toddler might see an open window as an opportunity to climb up and explore. A good way to prevent this is getting window guards or a window stopper to prevent your child from opening it and from getting out through it. Window coverings should also be secured, since a toddler might try to pull them or climb them.

It’s also important to secure window blind cords, as these might accidentally become a strangulation hazard. And, of course, to monitor your toddler whenever they are near windows.

When childproofing a room, most people get outlet covers that plug into the outlet. Although these can be very helpful, kids can learn how to remove them.so you should also consider installing safe plates for the electric outlets. 

During playtime, toddlers could try to pull the electrical cords they see in their room. This means they could accidentally pull a big object (like a lamp or a humidifier) and it could fall on them. For child safety, it is necessary to make a toddler’s room as cordless as possible, which can be achieved using a wire ward to conceal them. 

Shelves can provide displaying and storage space all at once. But even if the shelf itself is well secured, the items on them might not be. Avoid placing heavy or fragile objects (like glass) in shelves, since they could cause a serious injury.

On the other hand, if your shelves have sharp edges, you could get soft padding to cover them up. This way, displaying bookcases and toys will be safer. 

Childproofing every room in your home could become an (unnecessarily) strenuous process. It’s easier to limit the access your child has to some of the rooms in the house, as well as limit their access to stairs if you have them.

For this purpose, you could install safety gates, also called baby gates, to keep them from going into places that are not toddler-proofed. These can include the living room, the kitchen or the basement, for example.

Another way of keeping your toddler from going into unsafe rooms is getting a door knob cover. This item will prevent them from opening doors to rooms they’re not allowed to go into, while also keeping their little fingers from getting hurt with the knob lock.

An extra safety tool is having a sound or video monitor in your child’s room to supervise their movements even when you’re not with them. It might also be useful to have a carbon monoxide detector in their room, in case a short circuit or something else starts a fire. 

Each parent is different in terms of how nervous they get about toddler safety, and what it takes to give their children a safe environment. That’s why you must think outside the box to cover all the angles involved in creating a safe room for your toddler. Here’s a little guide on how to get more ideas to make your toddler’s room safer. 

In order to know what aspects of your child’s room you must change, first you must inspect the room thoroughly, checking all of its content and putting yourself in your toddler’s shoes. If you were a curious child, what would you try to pull and grab, where would you try to climb, and what might harm you in the process?

After this, you can take inventory. It might help to ask yourself: Are there any items that I should get? Do I need additional tools to complete childproofing? Were childproofing products gifted during our baby shower?

Once you have answered these questions, you can move on to the next step and make a shopping list.

If you have limited time, you might not have the opportunity to shop online and find exactly what you need. That's why it's better to start childproofing as early as possible, even before your child is born. It will allow you to spend less and give you peace of mind.

You can find most toddler-proofing products online. All you need is to be proactive and creative and trust your intuition. Some of the childproofing items you should keep in mind are:

• Furniture anchors to prevent the shelves, dressings, changing tables and other heavy furniture from falling over your toddler if they try to climb or pull it.
• Electrical cords and outlet covers to avoid electrocution.
• Covers for corners and sharp edges (as in dressers and shelves) to prevent cuts or bruises.
• Window guards and covers for the window blind cords to avoid falls and strangulation hazards.
• Baby gates to keep your little one from going to unsafe places within your home.
• Door knob covers to protect their little fingers and stop them from trying to leave their room unsupervised.

It’s impossible to predict what your toddler will think is part of their playground and what their next move will be, so the more cautious you can be, the better. You can also get toddler-proofing suggestions from your child’s pediatrician or from other parents.

Once you have purchased and installed the additional safety features, you can begin testing your child's room for any shortcomings. This means to supervise your child’s behavior in their new space while letting them explore freely.

This kind of test provides the child with an opportunity to become acquainted with their new childproofed environment, explore their surroundings, and discover any potential areas of interest. At the same time, it gives you a chance to identify any flaws in your plan, and to promptly address them.

Talking to your child and explaining to them in ways they can understand is crucial to keeping them safe. Toddlers are explorers, and that makes it essential to teach them about potential hazards and how to avoid them. Here are some tips to help you in this process:

The rules must be simple enough for a toddler to understand. Use easy words, keep your sentences short, and repeat the rules as much as possible to help them remember 

Celebrate and praise your child whenever they follow the rules. This will solidify the idea that following the rules is a good thing. 

The best way to make your child follow a rule is by following it yourself. If they see a parent, or any figure of authority, following the rules, they will try to imitate it. 

Children learn faster if you turn the rules into a game! For example, you can ask your toddler to sit and clap each time they want something that’s too high for them to reach.

Some examples of rules you could teach your toddler:

• Never jump in bed.
• Always ask an adult to open the windows.
• Don’t put small objects in your mouth or nose.
• Never play with cords or cables.

At Nurture& we want your children’s environment to be as safe as possible. Discover our products and create the toddler-proof bedroom ideal for your baby!