Children and stairs are generally not a good combination. In fact, staircases tend to be one of the most dangerous places in a home for young kids. As soon as they start crawling, you need to be extra vigilant they don’t go anywhere near the stairs. As they grow older, the chances of them tripping and falling from the stairs also increase just a little. Of course, it’s the responsibility of the parents to make stairs safe for children. Therefore, in order to help you out, we’ve brought you a detailed guide on stair safety measures for kids that you will definitely find helpful.
So, how can you ensure stair safety for children? Let’s find out.
How to Make Stairs Safe for Children
Here are some easy-to-follow tips to make your staircase safe for children.
- Clear the clutter
- Hold on to the railings
- Avoid using baby walkers
- Install baby gates
- Secure the runners and carpets
- Refrain from polishing the floors
- Secure cords
- Keep the stairs well-lit
Let’s further discuss these ideas for a child-friendly staircase.
Clear the Clutter
The first step to make stairs safe for children is to keep them clutter-free at all times. You must also train your kids not to leave their toys on the stairs or near the staircase to reduce the risk of someone stepping on one of the stray toy cars and falling down.
Keeping potted plants on the stairs is also not a good idea if you have young children at home. Moreover, leaving items such as grocery bags or school bags near the stairs when you come home can also cause kids to trip over them.
Hold On to the Railings
If you are having a hard time figuring out how to make a staircase child-friendly, you must start with training your kids to be extra careful while climbing or descending the stairs.
When carrying kids up or down the stairs in your arms, you must always hold on to the railing for additional support. In addition to that, avoid carrying anything else while doing so. As your children begin to grow, always hold their hands to help them cover the length of the staircase without any accidents.
Older kids who can walk without anyone’s help must be taught not to run or jump on the stairs. They must also be taught to hold onto the railing while using the staircase or ask an adult to accompany them if their hands are busy carrying something.
Avoid Using Baby Walkers
Baby walkers with tiny wheels may look cute and be rather convenient for the parents, but they can be very dangerous if your kid ends up near the staircase without any adult supervision.
Therefore, if you live in a double-storey house with a staircase that is easily accessible to a child, you must avoid using baby walkers altogether. Instead, opt for stationary activity centres for your toddlers and install them as far away from the staircase as possible to ensure stair safety for kids.
This is one of the top tips to make your staircase safe for children.
Install Baby Gates
The best way to stop a toddler from going upstairs is to install baby gates at the top and bottom of your staircase. This is one of the best ways to childproof your stairs.
You can easily find baby gates for stairs in the market. In fact, you can even order them online.
These gates essentially make stairs safe for children by rendering them unable to access them. Just make sure to measure the space between the two railings of your staircase (or the space between the wall and the railing) before buying the gates.
It is recommended to mount each gate at the top and bottom of your staircase either at floor level or maximum three inches from the floor. In addition to that, ensure the gates are not easy to be unlocked. Moreover, you should consider installing baby gates that don’t have gaps, as children may accidentally get their heads stuck inside them.
Secure the Runners and Carpets
Installing a carpet on the stairs is a great way to instantly upgrade your staircase. The same goes for runners.
However, if carpets and runners are not secured properly, they pose a huge danger to everyone inside your home – especially the kids. Therefore, always make sure your stairs are in their best condition and the carpet isn’t coming loose from any end.
Moreover, if there are any rugs placed near the top of the stairs or on the landing, immediately replace them with the ones that have non-slip backs for added safety. It will also help make stairs safe for children.
Refrain from Polishing the Floors
You can also try making stairs safe for kids by switching your regular floor polish or wax with their anti-skid or anti-slip alternatives.
Whether you have tiled or wooden flooring in your home, it can get rather slippery after being cleaned. Walking on them while wearing socks can make them even more hazardous.
If you are someone who likes to take care of their home by keeping the floors clean and shiny, you may want to cut back on your use of polish and floor wax. Basically, anything that makes the staircase or the area around it slick and slippery should be eliminated from your cleaning routine.
Secure Cords
This is one of the most important yet widely ignored measures to ensure stair safety for kids.
Having loose cords lying around in high-traffic areas is never a good idea. So, if you have any telephone cords or other cable wires anywhere on your stairs, secure or tuck them away as soon as possible. You can hire a professional to help you out with these cords if needed.
The absence of any cords will definitely help make a staircase child-friendly.
Keep the Stairs Well-Lit
Last but not least, one of the best tips to make your staircase safe for children is to make sure the stairs and hallways are always bright and well-lit.
Depending on the layout of your home, you can consider hanging a bold pendant light atop your staircase to illuminate it or opt for elegant wall sconces to light up the way. If a bulb goes out, replace it immediately.
It is also suggested to install light switches and night bulbs on the top and the bottom of the staircase so they can be located easily. Similarly, emergency torches and flashlights must be placed near the stairs so your kids can easily locate them in case of a power outage.
Of course, the best way for childproofing the staircase is to keep your kids away from them until they are able to walk properly. You can also check out these child-friendly home décor ideas to keep your kids safe and your home accident-free.
Furthermore, this ultimate checklist for a kid-friendly home might also come in handy.
If you have any questions about childproofing the staircase or how to ensure stair safety for kids, feel free to share them with us on blog@zameen.com.
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