Make Your Home More Child-Friendly with These Practical Tips
As your family grows, you may be wondering how to combine creating an environment in your home that suits your tastes but is also suitable for your kids.
Statistics reveal that as of 2019, about 5% of homes available for rent in major US cities are designed to suit growing families.
It’s essential to make your home child-friendly to make it safe for them and help them to create unforgettable memories with you.
Here are some practical tips to make your home more kid-friendly without breaking the bank.
- Incorporate more eco-friendly options
Being more environmentally conscious in your home could also help make your house more child-friendly. Many eco-friendly options provide many benefits not only for you but your kids as well.
For instance, opting for solar power to provide electricity in your home will help make your environment cleaner, as they don’t emit any harmful gases your kids could inhale. Additionally, it allows you to teach your kids about renewable energy and its impact on the environment.
You can also bring nature into your home by getting more child-friendly houseplants to bring a fresh touch to your home and teach them responsibility.
- Create an environment that minimizes trips and falls
Kids love to run around the house, and usually, no area in your home may be spared. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure that the chances of your kids tripping over are as minimal as possible.
If you’re building from scratch, you can keep this in mind by making your areas more spacious to make it easy for them to run around. However, if you’re renting, you can factor this into your house search.
That said, you should also ensure that they clean up often by picking up their toys, for example, so they don’t fall over them.
You can also teach them some handy safety tips such as holding the rails when going up and down the stairs and not climbing everything they see, such as furniture.
- Consider your flooring
Your flooring is an essential aspect of your home you also need to consider to make your house more child-friendly. It’s best to choose options that make it difficult for your kids to slip.
Kids usually love to play on the floor, so it’s vital to ensure these surfaces are as clean as possible so your children don’t end up putting harmful objects into their mouths or catching germs.
One budget-friendly option you can explore is area rugs, which you can quickly move around so your kids can sit on them comfortably while playing, especially if they’re toddlers. You can also try less prone to dirt options, such as wood flooring and cork flooring.
If you want to create a luxurious look without compromising your kids’ safety, vinyl and laminate flooring are worth considering. You can also make your bathrooms safer and less slippery by getting some sticky bathmats.
- Invest in dual-purpose furniture
Your kids will most likely leave several of their toys in your living area, making it one of the most likely places to get cluttered. Therefore, getting creative with your furniture will help make your home more child-friendly.
Apart from adding to your interior decor, dual furniture will also make it easy for you to store your kids’ items, so you’re able to put their stuff away quickly. This step is also handy if you’re hard-pressed for space, as it helps you maximize the space you have.
For instance, you can get a sofa that also has a compartment for storing things.
As you choose your furniture, keep the material it’s made from in mind, so you select one that doesn’t stain easily and you can quickly clean.
It would help if you also chose furniture pieces that don’t have sharp edges, to reduce the likelihood of them injuring your kids.
For example, you can opt for a round table instead of a rectangular one with sharp corners.
Drawers and built-in shelves will also come in handy to help you store your kids’ stuff, keep things out of their reach, and make your home look more organized.
- Involve your kids in your interior decor
One great way to make your kids feel you value their opinion is by involving them in your decor decisions. Doing this will also make things fun as it allows a part of their personality to reflect in your interior design.
For instance, you can let them choose their favorite colors for some throw pillows in your living room or their play area, or items with their best-loved animated character.
Doing this will make your home feel more welcoming for them and teach them a thing or two about what making choices involves, as they’ll need to make some decisions when you involve them in your decor.
- Mount your gadgets on the walls if you can
Your electrical stuff, such as your television, could be a great source of entertainment for your kids but could also pose a hazard to them if you don’t place it at the right place.
A helpful alternative will be to mount your TV high up on the wall out of your children’s reach. It’s best to get a professional to do this to ensure that it’s installed properly.
Doing this will prevent your kids from getting hurt and will also help save you some money you’d have otherwise spent if they had damaged your TV by pulling it down and accidentally smashing it in their excitement, etc.
It would help to put some protective barriers around your tv cords and that of your other electronic gadgets, so your kids can’t easily reach them. It would be best if you also hid any extension cords, so they’re out of your kids’ view and reach.
Shelves will come in handy if you want to store other gadgets such as your music player, hairdryer, etc.
- Give them their own space
One great way to teach your kids to be independent and give them room to grow is by giving them their area where they can play, read, get creative, and spend quality time. It also helps to reduce the clutter around your home.
An added advantage of this space is that it allows you to focus on your tasks if you work from home. It’s ideal to have this space close to yours; doing this will enable you to keep an eye on your kids and get involved in some of their activities.
This area doesn’t have to take up much space; you only need to set up a place with suitable surfaces that are generally scratch-resistant, with a few colorful tables and chairs, educational supplies, toys, etc., and you’re good to go.
Installing cameras around your home can also make it easy for you to keep an eye on your kids even when you’re not in the same room.
- Get durable locks and covers
Locks and covers are essential in ensuring your kids aren’t exposed to harmful items. They’re one of the most common ways parents make their homes safe and friendly for their kids.
For instance, you need to lock your windows and cabinets, especially when your kids are around, so they don’t go outside without your knowledge or have any objects falling on them in your absence.
It’s vital to cover any electrical wires and plugs with a safety cover to prevent any electric shock or other dangers to your children and minimize the possibility of them yanking any cords out of any electric outlet.
Additionally, it’s best to ensure that these locks and covers are in good condition, so they serve their purpose and last you a long time.
As a tip, you should avoid plugging in many wires at once into one outlet and always ensure that you neatly arrange your cords to prevent them from getting entangled or even causing a fire.
- Try child-friendly paint
As your kids grow, they’ll get more creative and explore different ways of expressing themselves. This stage often includes drawing on walls using crayons, paint, etc.
However, you don’t need to be too worried; this could be a fun experience for you and your children. You only need to get kid-friendly paint that will make it easy for you to wash off any marks after your kids bring out their inner artist.
These interior paints come in a wide variety of colors and allow you to clear up any mess your kids make without much hassle.
As a plus, you can encourage your kids to draw on paper, cardboard, a sketch pad, etc., frame them, and hang their craft in your favorite areas to show them you’re proud of their work.
As you design your home, it’s essential to keep your kids’ comfort and safety in mind.
These practical tips will help you create the best home environment for your kids without compromising safety or style and make your home your favorite place to create memorable moments with your family.