Posts Tagged ‘Childfriendly’

How to Make Your Home Child-Friendly

Parents and caregivers want to provide a safe place for their children to live and play but too often child proofing these areas gets put off. This has caused thousands of household accidents that could have easily have been prevented. The good news is that child proofing is not difficult and can easily be completed in one day.

It is important to protect your child from common household dangers before you bring your newborn home from the hospital. If you wait, things can become hectic and easily get put off until later. Below are some of tips on how to childproof your home.

On your first visit to the store you will likely be overwhelmed by all of the products on the market designed to child proof or baby proof your home. There are literally hundreds of different choices.

Some child proofing requires no devices, just common sense. Other areas definitely require the use of a child proofing device. Not all children are the same. If you feel a certain product would help protect your child from a situation they are more likely to get into, you may consider adding that to your arsenal as well.

Here are some basic steps for child proofing your home.

Move Cleaners, Medicine and Other Poisons

You need to move any poisonous substance out of the reach of your children. A common mistake is to keep cleaners under the kitchen sink or bath products on the ledge of the tub. While you might think that child resistant caps will protect your children, you should be aware that the requirements for a child resistant package may mean that at least 80-85% of children couldn’t open them. That means your child might. All poisons and medicines should be stored in a high cupboard or locked area.

Block Stairways

Not surprisingly, falls are one of the biggest causes of injury to young children. Stairways are particularly dangerous and should always be properly gated. Never use pressure mounted gates at the tops of stairs since your child may be able to put enough pressure on them to give way.

Despite having a gate it is important for parents to keep a close eye on children around staircases. No safety device outweighs the importance of adult supervision.

Keep Children out of Dangerous Rooms

The bathroom, garage, and office can all be dangerous areas for you child. To keep them safe, use door-knob covers and door locks. Place a slide lock or hook-and-eye latch hign on the door, out of child’s reach.

Keep Windows Safe

Lock windows or use guards to prevent them from opening too far. Screens will not keep your child from falling out of a window.

Make sure that blind cords are out of reach and the beds, cribs and other furniture are moved away from windows where a child could climb up and reach. You’d be surprised what they are capable of.

Outlets, Drawers and Cupboards

There is a huge assortment of products aimed at protecting your children’s fingers from being caught in door hinges, slammed in drawers or by closing cupboard doors. Test out several products in a children’s store that demonstrates how different products are used. The main purpose should be to prevent an accident but if you find the products difficult to use you may end up not using them at all.

Small Toys and Other Choking Hazards

Another major cause of hospital visits for small children is choking. Small toys, batteries, buttons, coins and other objects go straight into the mouths of babies and toddlers (and even some preschoolers). Prevention is the key. If you have older children they should be taught to keep small toys out of the reach of younger children. Keep a keen eye for objects on the floor where your baby is present.

Monitor New Dangers

You will need to be constantly aware of what your child can get access to. As you child grows and develops they may suddenly be capable of reaching or pulling down items you didn’t think of.

Don’t forget that most child proofing devices you can buy are temporary solutions to prevent the most disastrous accidents. Your children should also be taught how to behave and where to be especially careful. After all, your children will likely be in many homes that are not child proofed like yours and their safety will depend on understanding what’s not safe.

A Guide To Child-Friendly Holidays In Devon

Holidays in Devon offer the perfect destination for those wishing to take holidays in the UK. The temperature is favourable all year round, with possibly the best sunshine in the UK during the summer months. Holidays in Devon offer rolling countryside situated next door to beautiful beaches, sites of historical interest, outdoor pursuits, family attractions, fine dining and much, much more. Self-catering holidays in Devon are the best way to holiday on your own terms: you are not subject to the strictures of hotel meal-times, you need not worry that your children are making too much noise and travelling time is cut down considerably. Where children are concerned, holidays in Devon are a convenient and relatively inexpensive way to enjoy time together as a family and immerse yourselves in that ‘holiday feeling’.

If you are planning your holidays in Devon with children, there are a few things you will need to bear in mind in order to get the best from your time away.

Firstly, you will need to consider the size of the accommodation you require. Many holiday companies offer details on the website of how many the property will accommodate, but it is worth checking out the ‘small print’. A property might state that it will sleep 4 people but this might take the form of a double bedroom and a single room with bunk beds. With teenagers or babies in the party, this might not be a desirable option. Some websites will provide this sort of information but if they do not, a simple phone call will allow you to make a more informed decision.

You might also want to consider the property’s location. With small children in the party you might want to be near local amenities, in which case it might be better to be situated in or close to the nearest town. This might also appeal to teenagers who can take in shopping centres and other attractions with limited supervision. Running out of your favourite foods in the middle of the countryside might not be an experience you want to put yourself through. Alternatively, if you’re looking for an experience where everyone has to ‘muck in’ – perhaps to cement bonds between you and your children – a remote cottage might be just the thing you’re looking for.

Children always need entertaining, so it’s also a good idea to check which attractions are close to your location and how long it will take to get to them. Devon offers a variety of attractions for almost every interest you can imagine. Holiday companies may provide some details, but it is always worth checking with the local Tourist Information board to uncover hidden gems. There is also the potential for children to make friends with children from other holiday parties; some cottages are rented in groups and so you may find yourself holidaying next door to a family with children of similar ages. Again, ask the holiday company for any information they might be able to give you.

A good rental company can also provide you with information on the facilities that the property has to offer. You may want to ask about the availability of high chairs, stair-gates, pushchair hire and whether any ponds or swimming pools are covered up. A little time spent researching the property and its surroundings can help to make your family holidays in Devon a time you will cherish for years to come.

For more information about Baby Friendly Holidays and Child Friendly Holidays here

How to Find Child-friendly Properties For Your Holiday

Trying to organise a holiday with a small child or baby can be a nightmare – you want to stay in a charming, family-orientated location, and yet every cottage you want to stay in has a treacherous spiral staircase, a frighteningly accessible pond or swimming pool, or no space for a travel cot. Baby or child-friendly properties can be like gold dust but fortunately, some astute landlords have seen the gap in the market and are beginning to tailor their holiday lets to suit families.

It is ideal for a family with a new baby or young children to look to the UK for their holidays, as there is much less disruption and organisation required, travel times are more manageable and one can be confidant of finding the right baby milk, should it run out, or an NHS doctor (should it be required) who speaks the same language, and can get in touch easily with your GP if required. Every parent however will need to ensure that the holiday home they are renting is a child-friendly property and there are a few questions they will need to ask before committing to the lease.

You will need to ask whether the property is on a single or multiple storeys and, if the latter is the case, whether there are stair-gates available to prevent any unwanted tumbles. A surprising number of holiday apartments or cottages now provide these, if requested. You will also need to ask about any outdoor or indoor swimming areas or water features; and ascertain whether they are secure or not against roaming toddlers or crawling babies. It is now a legal requirement for landlords to ensure that they are made secure if they are advertising their holiday home as a child-friendly property, so you would be well within your rights to ask before making a booking.

On top of the security aspect to choosing your holiday home, it is also worth checking to see whether the landlord can provide equipment for your baby or child; such as high chairs or cots, to save you packing so much and giving you an outside chance of actually fitting everything you will need into your car! You will certainly want to hire somewhere that has a washing machine, to save trekking out to find a laundrette, and good kitchen facilities. A microwave can be extremely useful for defrosting your baby’s food quickly and some thoughtful owners supply microwave sterilisers for all those baby bottles in their baby-friendly property.

If you are looking for a really upmarket and relaxing stay, why not find out whether a local babysitter can be pre-booked to give you some time off, or a taxi service to drop you in to town? Some child-friendly properties list all of these ‘luxuries’ on their websites, so it is really worth shopping around. Others go so far as to supply caterers or fitness instructors if you want.

Whatever your budget, or your taste, it is certainly worth doing your research and explaining carefully to the property’s owners what your requirements are — you will find that many do genuinely want to help families, as they tend to be the most conscientious guests, and more likely to return if the holiday was a success.