Your kitchen is one of the most dangerous places in your home. With its hard surfaces, equipment, and sharp corners, the kitchen is especially unsafe for children. If you have a family that includes little ones, remodeling your kitchen with the kids in mind can help you avoid injuries in the future. Here are some tips for creating a safe environment for your children:
Choose anti-slip flooring
Kids like to run. No matter how well behaved your children are, when they get excited about something, they run. To top things off, when tiles or hardwood floors get wet, as happens often in a kitchen, they become even more slippery. Did you know, however, that there are actually anti-slip flooring options available? Tile companies make kitchen options that have slight textures, and while they still feel smooth on bare feet, they have a bit of grip to prevent falls. That way, when your kids are running to be the first in line for a fresh-from-the-oven cookie, they'll be less likely to fall.
Think about a “parenting†layout
If you have young children, you'll want to keep them in eyesight, even while you cook. Therefore, think about your kitchen layout and how it will work with your toddler's needs. Make sure you plan enough space so that your children can play while you cook. At the very least, make sure that you have rugs to lie down, booster seats for them to sit at the tables, and stools so they can stand at the counter and cook with you.
Include some high shelving out of the reach of small hands
Every kitchen has items that need to stay as far away from children as possible, like knives. Instead of keeping these on the counter, build in some high shelves to keep these items safely away from the kids. Later, when your children are old enough, you can move these items to a more convenient location and store seasonal items on the shelves instead. Make sure you don't keep things like candy or cookie jars on these shelves, as children will be tempted to try to climb on things to get them.
Stay away from easily stained materials
Not every material is easily wiped. In a kitchen, you should stay away from these kinds of porous materials, since they are hard to clean, but if for no other reason, make sure that your floors, benches, and other surfaces are stain-proof because kids will drop their cups and food often. With children, you'll have to deal with spills every day! Stone is definitely a product that is susceptible to staining, but other materials can also stain. If you find a surface that stains easily but you love and can't do without, look into sealants that can protect these surfaces.
Raise your oven or choose one with a lock
Ovens can be extremely dangerous for children. At the very least, you should choose an oven that locks, so that kids can crawl inside or even open the door. Make sure that the oven you pick has a cool door that doesn't get hot when the oven is turned on. If possible, consider lifting the oven. If you can build it into the wall, your kitchen will look fabulous and it is safer for kids. Fingers can't get stuck, the oven can't be tipped, and heat is not an issue.
Ensure that appliances can't be tipped
As I hinted in the tip above, appliances tipping can be very dangerous. Every year, hundreds of children are killed or injured when appliances tip and fall on them. Ovens are especially dangerous, but refrigerators and other top-heavy items could put your children at risk as well. Attach appliances to the wall when possible, and look for tip-resistant products. To go along with this make sure that smaller appliances such as toasters and coffee pots are far enough away from counter edges so that they can't be pulled down. Also remember to keep cords away from young hangs that can't resist yanking on them.
Build in locking mechanisms
Most parents use some kind of lock system to make sure that children, especially toddlers, can't open their drawers and cabinets. When you're renovating, why not build this system right into the lower part of your kitchen? Make sure the space under your sink is especially safe, and if possible, keep your dangerous cleaning products in the garage or on high shelves - away from children and your food.
No matter how safely you build your kitchen, there will still be dangers for children. Nothing can replace teaching your kids to be safe in the kitchen environment. When you're talking to your contractor and interior decorator, though, talk about your family needs. They can help you make your kitchen as soft and safe as possible to help protect your children today and your grandchildren in the future.
For more information on remodeling your kitchen consult our Contractor Directory or simply post your project. Local remodeling contractors are waiting to compete for your business.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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