Toddlers & Preschoolers - Safety
Indoor Safety
Babies and toddlers are curious by nature! Developmentally, their job is to explore the environment around them, and, depending on their age, that could mean crawling, running, climbing, and putting anything and everything into their mouths. As a parent, you will need to create a safe environment within your home, so that your little one can get to the important work of exploring.
Baby or toddler-proofing your home will probably mean covering outlets, moving dangling cords or tablecloths, installing gates and window latches, and moving breakable or dangerous items, such as plants or vases, out of your baby's reach. There may even be certain areas of your home or apartment that are off limits for a while. It can be helpful to get on your hands and knees, and see things from your baby's view!
One of the most important things to do when baby is on the move is to keep an eye on him! Babies move fast, and are very good at finding interesting – and sometimes dangerous – things to play with. By keeping your baby within your view at all times, you will help ensure she stays safe.
Baby proofing can be challenging, but with some hard work, you can ensure your child is safe from accidents, burns, poisonings, and other accidents in your home. Check out the links below for more information.
- Quick baby-proofing tips to get you started
- Baby gates – Information from Health Canada about the safe use of baby gates in your home.
- Baby Bottles and Pacifiers – Tips on the proper care and use of baby bottles and pacifiers.
- Baby Slings and Carriers – While slings and carriers can be a wonderful addition for parent and baby, learn about the correct way to use a child carrier or sling and know the potential risks associated with their use.
- Biting in Child Care – Find out what you can do if your child bites or has been bitten by another child.
- Blind & Curtain Cords – Babies and young children who have access to looped or long blind and curtain cords can strangle or become entangled.
- Choking Prevention – Find out which foods, shapes, and textures are the most dangerous to babies and young children.
- Cribs, Cradles and Bassinets
- E-cigarettes: A danger to children and youth – An electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) is a small battery-operated device that can look like a real cigarette. Some look like small flashlights or fountain pens, often with a large clear chamber for storing liquid. Instead of burning tobacco, the e-cigarettes vaporize a so-called e-liquid, which is then inhaled. E-cigarettes are often advertised as a 'safer alternative' to cigarettes since they don't fill the lungs with toxic tobacco smoke. But e-cigarettes haven't been scientifically tested or proven to help quit smoking. Because of this, no positive health claims for e-cigarettes can legally be made. On the other hand, e-cigarettes can be dangerous to a person's health in many ways.
- Electronic Cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and the Health and Safety Risk for Children
- Food safety information for children ages 5 and under
- Gun Safety: Information for families
- Healthy Pets, Healthy People – How to avoid the diseases that pets can spread to people.
- Household Chemical Safety – Household chemical products are among the top products responsible for injuries and deaths in children under the age of five years. Bad taste and odours often do not keep children away from household chemical products. Even a small amount of a chemical product can be harmful to a child.
- Injury Prevention – Information about how to prevent common childhood injuries.
- Is your child safe? – Baby and toddler-proofing proofing tips, from using wall anchors to window safety.
- Keep Your Baby Safe – Tips to prevent the most frequent child injuries.
- Never Shake a Baby – Shaken Baby Syndrome can have serious effects including injury and even death.
- Pet Safety – There are things you should consider before bringing a pet into your home.
- Playpens – Information about the safe use of playpens.
- Poison Information Centres in Canada
- Preventing Tap Water Scalds – Many burns come from hot water, not fire. Find out how to prevent hot water scalds to your toddler.
- Safe Sleep Tips – Recommended practices for how and where baby is safest for sleeping.
- Second Hand Smoke Fact Sheet – Children are particularly vulnerable to secondhand smoke because they breathe faster than adults, and absorb higher amounts of the toxic substances found in secondhand smoke.
- Toddler Safety – Comprehensive PDF with information for safety at home and on the road.
- Toy Safety – Information from Health Canada to help make your child's toy-playing safe and what to watch for as potential dangers.