Creating and decorating a child’s room involves much more than pretty toys and bright colours. Those are great, but safety is of prime importance.
Unsplash/Sarah Dorweiler
Millions of children are rushed to hospitals each year thanks to accidents at home, including their rooms. Kids can be super reckless when unsupervised in their rooms, and it’s impossible to patrol your child’s room 24/7 to keep an eye on them. But you can count on creating a safe space to minimise accidents and keep them from danger. Here are some safety considerations when creating or designing a kid’s room.
Sharp edges are an absolute no-no, even in an adult’s room. They’re the most harmful, especially when left exposed. With kids jumping around the room and being their usual playful selves, sharp edges are the ultimate nightmare. Table and bed corners, door knobs, cabinets, and sharply textured surfaces are common culprits of unhappy endings.
Always use decor items with blunt or smooth edges when designing your child’s room. Furniture sets with soft, round edges pose less risk than hardwood alternatives with sharp edges. Some toy designs can even pose a risk. Yes, that’s a lot to pay attention to, but you can’t overlook them.
Watch Out for EMF Radiation
Like every part of your home, your child's room should prevent overexposure to radiation and electromagnetic fields (EMFs). That means Wi-Fi devices, smartphones, computers, and other devices that emit radiation should be away from this area. These devices emit high doses of ionising radiation. While the jury is still out on EMF, the scientific consensus is that it’s dangerous for kids. Some studies have linked childhood leukaemia and brain tumours to prolonged exposure to EMF. Therefore, invest in EMF protection devices to create a safer home for your kids.
Cage Those Power Outlets
Whether or not kids’ rooms should have power outlets is a discussion for another time. But if outlets are exposed in your child’s room, please place them in a protective case as soon as possible. You can never underestimate a child’s curiosity. So, covering an outlet with a furniture piece alone will not work. Some kids can crawl under chairs to push an item into a power outlet just to see what happens. Ensure that every power socket has a child protection cover. Replace existing outlets with child-safe alternatives where possible. Various options are available on the market. You can speak with a certified electrician to help you find one.
Avoid Glass Doors and Mirrors
Some parents add dressing mirrors to their kids' rooms, especially for little daughters. They may look cute, but you’re better off avoiding them for safety reasons. Also, avoid glass doors on or for wardrobes and cabinets and keep mirrors out of your child’s room. An item can hit a glass door or mirror, shattering it. Your kids can get hurt when sharp shards of these shattered items litter the floor. And, yes, that goes for glass vases and decor items, too.
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