How to Secure Your Home When Toddlers Learn to Open Doors

There’s no doubt about it; toddlers are extremely curious about the world around them. Although this curiosity is often encouraged by parents and pre-school teachers, it can also lead to dangerous situations where they go and open a door and walk into an area where they shouldn’t be in. This, of course, can be extremely dangerous, especially if they can gain access to the pool area or a very cold/hot garage. The following includes the essential steps you need to take in order to secure your home during the period when your toddlers discover how to open doors. 

Preventing Pinching 

One of the most common concerns of a toddler opening a door is that they are going to gain access to a room which may pose a danger to them. However, experienced parents know that the area is not the only thing that can harm a toddler. Often times the door itself is what poses the most risk. For example, a toddler may see a slightly open door and charge towards it placing their fingers in the middle. But what if you need to continually come in and out of that door? By adding pinch guards, you are able to keep the door slightly open without the risk of your kiddo getting their fingers crushed in the gap. Unless your child has incredible strength, they won’t be able to open it or pinch their fingers. 

Electric Door Lock

One of the worst doors for your toddler to open is the front door, and yet it won’t be long before they’re doing just that. Before these kind of locks were available, many children of previous generations have grown up with stories of how the neighbors would often knocking at the door with a naked toddler in tow that nobody knew had left the house. While these stories are funny to tell later, it is incredibly dangerous for toddlers to go wandering the neighborhood on their own, especially near busy streets or in areas where you may not actually know the neighbors at all. 

Electronic locks can be controlled by your phone so you always know when they’re locked, and can come with door sensors that tell you when the door is opened at hours when it isn’t supposed to be. These can be installed by a professional locksmith who can give you a manual key as well as program it to open from your phone or fingerprint.

Test Out Various Baby-Proof Products 

The reason why it is highly recommended that you try out a variety of baby-proof products is the fact that every toddler is going to be different. What may work for one child may not be the safest for another. For example, a doorknob cover may work for a younger toddler, but it may not be the most effective after a certain age. Products are also changing all the time, becoming more effective and safe with each upgrade.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your home is as safe as possible for your child. That often includes gaining access to particular rooms where various dangers exist. Therefore, it is imperative that you utilize the information above to decrease your toddler’s chances of opening doors.

By Meghan Belnap