As a baby, playtime is simply a rite of passage. As a parent, it’s your responsibility to ensure your children have a safe and comfortable place to play. It’s a fear that everyone has, having your child get hurt while they’re using their favorite toys. There are plenty of ways that you can avoid disastrous accidents, especially if you follow the below tips to learn how to create a safe play area for your baby.
Tip 1: Assigning a Supervisor
Even if you think you’ve created the safest play area possible, there are thousands of children that die in the world from getting into the wrong things at the wrong time. To maximize the safety of your children, it’s important that you assign someone to supervise them during their playtime. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to play with them, but either yourself or a family member should keep an eye on the baby at all times.
Tip 2: Limiting Access to Dangerous Household Items
When you’re designating where you want to set the play area, ensure that it has zero access to potential household hazards. For example, you wouldn’t want to set their playpen up right in front of a staircase. It’s equally important to make sure that the play area is away from furniture, as it can easily fall over and injure your child. There also shouldn’t be anything that your baby can try to climb up on.
Tip 3: Baby Proofing the Area
If you’ve decided you’re going to allocate an entire room to your baby’s play space, you need to take the time to properly baby proof everything. You would be surprised to learn just how agile and intelligent babies can be, especially when they set their mind to something.
First, make sure you cover all electrical sockets, or an even better suggestion is to set the play area up where there aren’t any sockets at all. Second, ensure that all cupboards and drawers are properly sealed. Finally, keep your baby away from any hanging items such as cords, drawstrings, or anything they could wrap around themselves.
Tip 4: Keeping the Area Clean
As tempting as it might be to curl up into a ball at the end of the day and worry about cleaning the play area in the morning, it’s better if you make sure it’s clean the entire time your child is playing. You should have absolute clear visibility of everything they are putting their hands on because even the least dangerous item could become hazardous in a matter of seconds.
You never know what could be hiding underneath your baby’s favorite blanket or behind a stuffed animal. This is especially true when it comes to dirt. Even the smallest crumb or dust bunny can easily get into your baby’s mouth and cause infections.
Tip 5: Creating a Smooth and Easy Surface
Imagine being a delicate baby and then having to play around on hardwood floors. Not only would it be incredibly uncomfortable, but also quite dangerous. This is especially true if your baby is getting to the age where they’re trying to learn to walk.
There are plenty of options you can choose from to create a smooth and easy surface. You’ll want to avoid silky blankets as they will easily glide across the floor and can be a tripping hazard. Instead, opt for interlocking foam mats that are specifically designed for children and babies. They are soft, plush, and easy to assemble and disassemble.
Tip 6: Cautiously Buying Toys
It’s common to hear that parents always know best, and in most cases they certainly do. That is until you consider toy manufacturers. Although you might assume that your infant is able to play with toys aged for children between 6 and 7 because of their mental acuity, it’s better to stick to the age limits.
Remember, toy manufacturers have been creating items for children of all ages for many years. They have a clear and educated understanding of which items are safe for certain ages and it’s always best to adhere to their strict guidelines.
Tip 7: Finding a Natural Light Source
This is particularly important for parents that might not have the time for regular daily outings with their babies. Vitamin D is essential to the production of a healthy baby, and if the weather is too poor or if you’re too busy, you’re going to need to find a way to get your baby the sunlight they need.
Choosing to place your safe play area near a source of natural light is a phenomenal way to help your baby grow and develop. Also, it has been proven that natural light is a great way to lift spirits and bring more positivity into your home.
Tip 8: Keeping the Baby Busy
Above all else, the best way to create a safe play area is to make sure that you’re able to keep your baby busy. Idle hands always have the tendency to make the worst decisions, and the more affixed your children are to certain toys, the less likely they are to get into things they shouldn’t be touching.
The best way to find the best toys for your baby is to choose a variety of different ones from a toy store. A few examples include an activity mat, a book, a doll or action figure, and a stuffed animal. Allow your children to play with each item and it’s guaranteed they’ll find a favorite toy that will keep them entertained.
Aside from making sure that your children are safe, giving them an assortment of toys helps to tune their fine motor skills, their imagination, and their physical capabilities.
Whether you’re a first-time parent or if this isn’t your first rodeo, it’s important that you take the time to create a safe play area. Once your baby is ready to become more active, they’re also going to become more curious. By establishing safe boundaries you’ll be able to rest assured that they will stay safe while having fun.
