The kitchen is often the room in the house where the magic happens – where family meals come together, where birthday cakes and holiday dinners are made, and where lifelong memories of cooking with your kids are created. For growing families with small children, however, kitchens can also be one of the more hazardous rooms in the home.
When it comes to staying safe and avoiding dangerous accidents, don’t miss this quick kitchen safety checklist:
The Stove
Hot burners, 400-degree ovens, boiling water . . . the risks of burn and scalding accidents is highest around the stove. As young children grow up, they are bound to become more and more curious about what Mom is doing at the stove and want to see, touch, and get near it. Remember to:
- Always remain in the kitchen with your child when the stove is on
- Turn pot and pan handles away from reach and towards the back of the stove when in use
- Use burners closest to the wall when possible to put hot things further out of reach
- Install knob protectors and a stove lock to prevent kids from accidentally opening oven doors or turning burners on
- Check that your fire extinguisher is up to date and useable and make sure all grown children and adults know how to use it
- Make sure chairs and step stools that provide extra stability for users and allow kids to climb up closer to the counter to watch you cook are positioned away from hot stove tops and ovens
The Counters & Cabinets
You may be surprised at the number of dangers your kitchen counters and cabinets can pose. Sharp scissors in easily accessible drawers, knives, appliance cords, toxic chemicals, the list goes on. Don’t forget to:
- Childproof cabinet doors and drawers with appropriate locks if you have small children
- Store appliances with sharp components (food processors, blender blades, etc.) out of reach of small hands
- Keep glass objects (that can break) and knives on the counter out of reach
- Make sure hazardous chemicals and cleaning supplies are kept out of reach and not readily available under the kitchen sink
- Check that alcoholic beverages are stored where kids can’t accidentally find them
- Bundle and reorganize appliance cords so they can’t be grabbed (accidentally pulling a large appliance down on top of your child). Even consider storing appliances in a high cabinet when you are not using them.
- Put scissors, box cutters, matches, small objects (choking hazards), etc. in a locked drawer
The Dishwasher
A large kitchen appliance, the dishwasher is a lifesaver for families with small kids but it can also increase the risk for injury if not properly protected. Make sure to:
- Keep poisonous detergent pods or packets out of sight for children (and pets) who can mistake them for treats
- Load sharp utensils (forks, knives, etc.) with the points down and not sticking up where small hands can accidentally touch them
- Use a child safety lock to prevent kids from opening the dishwasher door on themselves, standing on it, running into it, and so on
- Load glassware and crystal carefully to prevent cracking or breaking which could potentially leave small shards in the machine
- Allow your dishes to dry and cool down before opening and unloading the dishwasher to avoid a release of extra hot steam that could possibly leave a burn
Last but not least, don’t forget the all-important slips and spills! Water, oil, and other common kitchen substances are bound to make their way to the floor sooner or later. Even one slick spot can result in you or your child slipping, falling, and potentially hurting yourselves. Make sure to clean up spills as soon as possible, and keep pet dishes away from common walkways where dogs can drip and drool when eating.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
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