When our children say their first word, pull themselves up to stand, take their first steps – these are milestones we hope to capture and remember forever. Each milestone also brings new challenges in keeping children safe, happy and engaged. How do we encourage their increasing skills and exploration without losing sleep over them being harmed? Check out the fun and safety-oriented options we discovered for pinched fingers, sharp corners and more.
Along with a child’s first steps comes increased mobility, with them going quickly from a few steps to qualifying for the baby Olympics 100 foot dash. And what happens when they round the corner at full speed? It’s inevitable that falling down and tears are a part of the bigger celebration of growth. Because floors and coffee tables are not made out of Nerf-like material, check out these clever ideas.
Ranging in color and kinds of animals, these back packs aren’t meant for books. Instead, they are meant to protect a toddlers back and head when they fall backwards.
If you like the animal theme but not the backpack idea, how about head, knees and feet protection in one package? The adorable hat offers protection around the head, tying under the chin and Velcro in back for a custom fit. The non-skid socks and knee pads could make carpets and hardwood floors more comfortable for newly mobile toddlers on the go.
Crawling, walking and racing babies and toddlers often fall forward, not just backward. If there is a corner or edge of furniture nearby, it seems inevitable that accidental contact will occur. Clear corner protectors have been around for a while and still work well for glass, metal or any other material you want to see through to the surface. Now, you can also protect the entire edge of a fireplace or long coffee table with edge protection in rolls. Coming in a variety of colors and lengths, mix or match at will.
Worried about little fingers getting pinched in a closing door? These pinch guards are in cute animal characters but others come in brown, white and a mix of solid colors. These sit on the edge of a door, preventing closure and little fingers being caught between door edge and frame. Approximately a half inch width of foam and a little more than an inch space inside creates a nice, snug fit on the door. Maybe you like a more modern vibe. We found a sleek design that attaches to the edge of door front. You can position it to stop the door from closing, or turn the other direction to let the door close fully. It’s nice to have such a variety of choices!
Worried about little fingers getting pinched in a closing door? These pinch guards are in cute animal characters but others come in brown, white and a mix of solid colors. These sit on the edge of a door, preventing closure and little fingers being caught between door edge and frame. Approximately a half inch width of foam and a little more than an inch space inside creates a nice, snug fit on the door. Maybe you like a more modern vibe. We found a sleek design that attaches to the edge of door front. You can position it to stop the door from closing, or turn the other direction to let the door close fully. It’s nice to have such a variety of choices!
Even day-to-day activities like watching TV take on new meaning when spending time with your toddler, sharing a bowl of Cheerios. Things can get messy when that bowl of snacks is turned over to watch the pieces fall like confetti. Consider a gyro bowl. The outer grip can be turned back and forth and sideways while the inner bowl remains upright, to a point. Being used for fetch by the toddler and family dog may cause spillage. If it’s dinner time with a solid surface available, suction bowls may be the answer. They come in different sizes and colors, but most have grip and lids, making carrying and storage easy. Once suctioned to the surface, it’s unlikely the bowl will be removed by toddler or pet.
Not to be outdone, a non-spill mug (we have not tested this) is available in fun colors and unique design. With a 360-degree drinking lip, your toddler can hold on with one or both hands, sipping from any spot along the edge. When done, the valve automatically closes, preventing spillage. We also found fun and functional bottles with screw off tops, drinking spouts and clear bodies. These are convenient for monitoring hydration, and the handle makes it easy to be carried by small hands or clipped to backpacks. Coming in a variety of colors and designs makes it easy to designate a specific color or design to each child in a family or group.
At Kids Incorporated of the Big Bend, we care about you, your children and your family. We focus on pregnant women and children 0-3, knowing that early childhood development is key to building learning and comprehension skills used throughout the child’s life. We count on volunteers and donations to continue our critical mission. We have a donate button on our Facebook page here. We are also part of the Smile.Amazon program. If you are an Amazon shopper, please consider logging on to Smile.Amazon and following the instructions below to make Kids Incorporated of the Big Bend your charity of choice.
Note – we have no affiliation with any of the product vendors used in this article, nor do we personally endorse them. We searched for fun and practical items on Amazon that can help with child safety and comfort.
