Your baby may only be a few months old, but in no time at all, she or she will start to crawl – and want to explore your entire house. Children are naturally curious and, as a result, want to touch new and unfamiliar things, but while you may know not to touch an open outlet or put a penny in your mouth, does your baby? Don’t let curiosity get the best of your child, and make sure that, by the time your baby is six months old, your home is baby-proofed.

If you are unsure about which products are necessary for baby-proofing a home, think about all large and small aspects: the stairs, toilets, windows, outlets, and tables, just to name a few. Writer Elizabeth Weiss McGolerick for Germantown Patch has a few suggestions for baby-proofing a home, including what to proof and standard safety products:
• Protect your stairs with hardware-mounted baby gates at the tops and bottoms. Pressure-mounted gates, however, fall down more easily.
• Make sure all furniture and television sets are secured in place. Furniture that moves can become a fall hazard – especially if your child tries to climb.
• Add window guards and cordless blinds to all windows.
• Use slide plate covers over outlets. Outlet plugs can become choking hazards for babies and small children.
• Lock all cabinets and drawers.
• Use a toilet lock.
• Pad the corners on tables.
• Make sure small objects are out of sight and reach.

McGolerick also gives another helpful suggestion to parents: think about your home from a child’s perspective. To go about this, ask yourself, “What would I want to touch, climb on, or put in my mouth?” All homes are different, and each has its own set of hazards. To address those specifically in your own home, decide what a child could potentially go after and make sure it is secured, covered, or locked.

If you’re a parent, you know that children get into everything. As children have a natural sense for curiosity, they want to explore and touch things. Unfortunately, what seems like commonsense to you isn’t always to your child, and in any case, you’ll need to childproof your home for safety precautions. Stairs and outlets, in particular, need to be equipped with childproof devices, and the Nemours Foundation recently released some tips through Bloomberg Business Week. Some of their suggestions include:

• Always supervise children when they’re near stairs, even if a gate is present.
• Keep the area around the stairs uncluttered. Objects like books and toys can become a tripping hazard to young children.
• Many staircases have large spaces in which a child can put his or her head through. Use rail guards to cover these spaces.
• Have safety gates at both sides of the stairs. Gates installed with hardware are preferred, as pressure gates can become lose easily.
• Older accordion gates are unsafe for children. A child can stick his or her head inside and get stuck.
• Once your child is old enough (usually, the toddler years are time), show him or her how to move up and down the stairs backwards.

Retailers like Designer Baby carry several safety items to proof a home. Baby safety gates are the most commonly requested products for this need, although smaller products are often needed around the house. Covers can be placed over any open outlets, while several hard edges and hot areas can also be safety by guards. Parents, even when supervising, can’t notice their child’s every move. In this case, having a childproof home keeps your children safe and gives you peace of mind.