Wouldn’t that be wonderful if you could pick your child up one day and completely house proof him against all the hard corners and edges present in your home? Cover him in some protective foam to prevent any hard knocks and bumps. Since this is completely impossible, you should start looking around and start to think of ways to make sure that your little child is in the safest environment possible.

As soon as he starts to become mobile his curiosity will lead him to explore further and further, and you can guarantee that you will not be there all the time to watch him. Even if you think that you will only leave him for a second, this will be plenty of time for him to get into mischief. It is much better to be prepared for all eventualities so there will be no surprises.

It is now more important than ever to keep floors clean, swept and vacuumed. If there is anything lying within reach of little fingers then it will undoubtedly end up in his mouth, so it is best to avoid this situation all together. It is necessary to look out for even the smallest things which can get under chairs and tables, especially small beads, seeds or tiny bits of plastic which could pose a choking hazard.

The wastepaper basket should now be relocated as this will be an endless source of fascination. If it is possible to put it in a higher location off the floor then all well and good, but if not, then simply remove it from the room for a few months. If it cannot be removed, then it will be necessary to check it periodically for your valuables and car keys which might end up inside. Posting things in the rubbish bin can be a favorite game.

Once he is crawling, then it will be useful to look a little further afield. Make sure that there is some sort of secure gate across the stairs. It is surprising how even the smallest of crawling babies will be fascinated with the stairs, and, be able to haul themselves up even if they are not quite walking in a stable way. If you will spend any time upstairs, then there should be gates at the top and bottom of the stairs. This must be a secure, baby-proof gate. Also, every member of the family must be reminded to make sure that the gates are always closed properly.

All small ornaments must be put away out of reach and any hard surfaces and corners can be covered. Most good maternity stores sell secure foam or polystyrene corner protectors for hard furniture such as tables and doors. It is also possible to get something to make sure that your doors can’t be closed properly. This makes sure that little fingers cannot be trapped. In a similar way, child-proof cupboard locks can be used to lock away ornaments and cleaning products such as bleach and detergent.

If you are careful about all these then you will provide a successful and safe environment for your child to explore.