Top Tips for Keeping Your Children Safe in the Kitchen
Kitchens have many appliances that are potentially dangerous, especially to inquisitive young children. They may see you using the hob, dishwasher or fridge and want to copy you without understanding the consequences of touching a hot oven or grabbing for something that might fall off. If the appliance is on, they are much more likely to be interested in it. We have compiled a few ideas to keep your kids safe in the kitchen, but there are many other steps you can take to prevent accidents.
Keeping Children Safe Around the Hob
Your hob may be just low enough for your kids to explore. Whilst they may not be able to see over the hob, the dials and gas rings or hot plates might be within reach. Prevent injury by using the rings closest to the back wall and turning your pan handles away from the front of the stove. These steps will help to ensure that children cannot reach the hot pans and rings, and prevent them from being tempted to try and reach the pan handles.
Keeping Children Safe Around the Oven
If you use the oven as frequently as your hob, it can be just as dangerous – if not more. Once again, the knobs may be positioned where your children can reach them. A handle on the door of an oven could be a temptation for young minds – which could cause injury as they may open it and get burned or scalded by the heat. Burns caused by ovens are amongst the most common causes of injury in the kitchen.
This advice is also pertinent for dishwashers, as young children could be scalded by the hot air and hot plates when the dishwasher is opened.
Keeping Children Safe Around the Fridge Freezer
Fridges are a popular target for curious kids to explore because they are usually tall and, of course, are where food is stored. If a child manages to pull the door open, it may cause heavy items to fall out and hurt them. Avoid placing products in the fridge doors if you think they are likely to fall out. To child-proof your kitchen, we recommend using a lock or latch to ensure they cannot get in.
Keeping Children Safe Around Kitchen Cabinets
The cabinets themselves are unlikely to be the cause of harm (especially our sturdy solid oak cabinets) but the products inside could be dangerous. Keep items such as knives, scissors, alcohol, medicine and cleaning products out of sight and reach. If you are using base cabinets to store some of these things – cleaning products under the sink, for example – then it is advisable to use childproof latches and locks.
All of these steps may seem like common sense, but children can be unpredictable and it is easy to forget that they do not know the dangers. As children get older, hopefully all these measures will not be necessary. Children will begin to understand the dangerous aspects and potential causes of injury, and will have learned how to safely use these appliances.
For an easy-to-cook recipe that you can create with your children, read our pancake recipe here. How do you keep your children safe in the kitchen? Tell us in the comments section below or start a conversation on our Facebook and Twitter pages.