Once your toddler or baby is on the move, you will quickly become aware of all of the hazards that exist in your home. Furniture has the potential to be one of the more hazardous items in a home with a baby or toddler given its ability to tip over and tendency to have sharp corners. It doesn’t help that toddlers are naturally curious about everything and may even try to climb furniture items. 

For this reason, it is incredibly important to take some time to assess the safety of your furniture and take steps to keep your baby and toddler safe when playing inside the home. Below, we’ve broken down some of our top recommendations for keeping your toddler safe by ensuring your furniture is toddler-proof. 

6 Ways to Ensure Your Furniture is Toddler-Proof

1. Check for tip-over hazards
2. Wall-mount TVs and larger mirrors
3. Look for loose screws or bolts
4. Lock cabinets
5. Cover sharp corners
6. Consider safety when buying new furniture

1. Check for Tip-Over Hazards

When it comes to keeping your furniture toddler-safe, you’ll definitely want to assess for anything that could be a tip-over hazard. Check your furniture to see if it is top-heavy or unsteady. You may need to reorganize items on shelves to ensure that the weight is evenly distributed. Ultimately, when it comes to bookshelves, cabinets, dressers, or any other larger pieces of furniture, you should always look for pieces that are sturdy and stable. 

Anything that seems wobbly is a definite hazard to your child. If you have items that aren’t stable and you aren’t able to replace them right away, ensure that they are kept in a room where your toddler doesn’t go in or always supervise your child when they play around these furniture items. 

2. Wall-Mount Televisions and Mirrors

If you have a large TV or mirror, it is best to mount these items to your wall when possible. Toddlers look to play in front of mirrors and may be interested in tapping on the mirror or touching it. This is why it is important to have mirrors securely mounted to the wall or in a very stable area. Large mirrors that are simply leaning against the wall may not be safe since they have the potential to fall over. 

Televisions can present a similar risk. Your child may try to tap on the screen, potentially knocking over TVs that aren’t secure. Mounting the TV to the wall where it is out of your child’s reach is one of the safest alternatives but if this isn’t an option, you can also get tension straps that secure your TV to the table to prevent it from tipping over. 

3. Look for Loose Pieces

Another furniture safety concern is the risk of loose screws and other pieces. Babies and toddlers tend to go through a phase when they stick everything in their mouths and small furniture pieces can pose a choking hazard. When constructing new furniture, always make sure that all small pieces are accounted for and that screws, nuts, and bolts are tightly secured into place. 

4. Lock Cabinets and Store Chemicals Properly

For any kitchen or bathroom cabinets, you can install cabinet locks to keep your toddler or baby from opening them up and playing with whatever is inside. We recommend always storing any cleaning solutions or strong chemicals in high places where your children cannot reach, just to be extra safe. 

5. Cover Sharp Corners

If you have any furniture with sharp corners, you may want to cover them with rubber corner protectors. Sharp corners can present the greatest risk for babies who are just starting to walk and stand and aren’t yet steady on their feet. However, older toddlers can easily fall into a sharp corner so it is best to keep them covered or choose furniture with rounded corners for your home. Luckily, there are a variety of different corner covers you can choose from, many of which offer discrete designs and won’t damage furniture when later removed. 

6. Consider Safety When Buying New Furniture

Although you may not be able to replace hazardous furniture with safer options right away, it is important to consider child safety whenever it does come time for you to buy new furniture. Consider round tables rather than square or look for rounded corners when possible. Always look for furniture that is sturdy and not top-heavy. Some parents have even replaced their coffee table with an ottoman to make for a softer and safer furniture piece that serves the same purpose.  

Other Tips for Toddler-Proofing Your Home

Furniture safety is incredibly important in the home of a young family, but it doesn’t stop there. Below, we’ve listed some additional tips to help keep your home safe for your toddler or baby. 

• Consider using a baby gate or playpen to keep your child in a safe area when you aren’t near them. 
• Cover power outlets and keep loose wires out of your child’s reach. 
• Keep shelves filled or blocked off to prevent your toddler from climbing them. 
• Utilize higher shelves or wall shelves for breakable items.
• Have a safe, toddler-friendly play area set up where your child can play and you know there aren’t any safety hazards. 
• Keep the doors to bathrooms shut when possible.
• Always supervise your child if they are freely roaming the house and could end up in an unsafe area. 

Final Thoughts

Keeping your home safe is one of the most effective ways to have peace of mind as a parent. Toddler-proofing your home is a fairly simple process that is entirely worth any amount of effort it requires. As your baby gets older, you’ll quickly be able to tell which parts of your home present a hazard and adjust those areas accordingly. Remember, if you’re ever uncertain about a furniture piece’s safety, it is always best to keep this item out of your child’s reach. Keep your child contained in a safe area such as a playpen when you aren’t able to be directly supervising them.

The Pop N’ Go Playpen is easy to set up and offers a fun, safe area for toddlers to play.