In-home Safety Rules For Kids

Nearly 50 percent of childhood deaths caused by unintentional injuries take place in the home, according to the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Whether your children are toddlers or teens, establish a set of household safety rules to prevent accidents, such as falls, poisoning, drowning and suffocation while the kids are playing, doing chores or exploring at home.

Don't Touch Hazardous Substances

Keep children safe from poisoning or burns by storing cleaning supplies and insecticides in a high bathroom cabinet or in a locked cupboard. The University if Missouri Extension recommends keeping substances in their product packaging instead of transferring them into recycled toy or food containers. Remind teenagers to put supplies back into their designated spots and keep the household chemicals away from sources of heat or flames.

Take Care in Kitchen

In addition to remaining in the kitchen at all times while you're cooking, avoid kitchen accidents by reminding children to keep hands away from open flames, hot pots, boiling water and food recently heated in the oven or microwave. The National Network for Child Care instructs adults to cook on the stove's back burners, and keep scalding foods and liquids out of the childrens' reach. Keep sharp kitchen items, such as cutting tools, toothpicks, corkscrews and cooking gadgets, on high shelves or in drawers with child-proof locks.

Avoid Small Spaces

Prevent suffocation accidents by following a suggestion from the Safe Kids website---instruct children to steer clear of small spaces, such as closets, car trunks, toy chests and dryers where they can become trapped and suffocate. You can also keep toddlers safe from strangulation and suffocation by not dressing them in clothing with drawstrings or accessories, such as necklaces and scarves that can snag on furniture, keeping plastic bags out of reach and by shortening the cords on curtains or blinds so the children can't slip the strings around their necks.

Follow Pool Rules

If you have a swimming pool in your backyard, the University of Michigan Health System recommends establishing pool rules to keep your children safe from drowning accidents. Tell children to avoid riding bikes, skateboards and scooters near the edge of the pool, stay out of the area unless an adult is supervising and stay off of pool slides or diving boards unless an adult approves of the activity. Parents can help keep children safe by installing a locked safety gate around the pool, keeping electrical equipment away from the water and ensuring rescue tools, such as a safety ring, rope and phone are available at all times.

Watch Step

Take a tip from the Neb Guide of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension and tell children to walk indoors, avoid playing on the stairs and pick up toys that they might trip on later. You can also prevent slips and falls by installing no-slip mats in the tub and shower, keeping doors to balconies locked, lighting stairwells and installing safety gates to keep toddlers from climbing stairs unsupervised.