Baby checklists
Baby's first year
Baby Proofing Checklist
31 items · 25 must-haves · Baby's weeks 20–28
General info, not medical advice. Your OB, midwife or pediatrician knows your situation; check with them. Learn more about our medical disclaimer
Home safety checklist for crawling babies
Electrical
- Outlet Covers InstalledSliding plate covers > plug-in caps. Plug-in caps come out and become choking hazards. Do every accessible outlet in the house, not just the nursery. Crawlers find outlets you forgot existed.
- Power Strips SecuredUse outlet cover boxes or furniture to block access. Babies yank cords and pull whatever is attached onto themselves. Secure with cord covers or route behind furniture permanently.
- Cords ManagedBundle and hide every cord — lamp, TV, charger, speaker. Use cord channels or adhesive clips along baseboards. A cord is a strangulation risk AND a way to pull a lamp onto their head.
Furniture
- Bookshelf AnchoredUse metal L-brackets or furniture straps screwed into wall studs — not drywall alone. One heavy book pulled from a low shelf can topple the whole unit.
- Dresser AnchoredAnti-tip kit with straps into wall studs. A dresser with open drawers creates a "staircase" babies climb. 1 child dies every 2 weeks from furniture tip-overs. This takes 10 minutes to install.
- TV Mounted or SecuredWall-mount is safest. If standing, use anti-tip straps anchored to the wall stud behind it. A falling TV on a toddler is catastrophic — this is not optional in any room with a freestanding TV.
- Sharp Corners PaddedStick-on corner guards on coffee tables, end tables, fireplace hearths — any hard edge at baby head height. They pull up on furniture and fall face-first. Clear silicone guards are least noticeable.
Gates
- Stair Gates TopHardware-mounted gates ONLY at the top of stairs — pressure-mounted can be pushed out. Must be at least 22 inches tall. Verify the gate meets ASTM F1004 safety standard. No accordion-style gates.
- Stair Gates BottomPressure-mounted gates are fine at the bottom of stairs since a fall from the bottom is not dangerous. Still verify the fit is snug — kids lean hard on these. Check tightness weekly.
- Room GatesOPTIONALBlock access to kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, garages — any room with hazards. Walk through your house on your knees to see what a baby sees. You'll find dangers you never noticed.
Kitchen
- Cabinet Locks InstalledMagnetic locks are invisible from outside and the most secure. Adhesive locks work but fail over time. Lock EVERY cabinet with chemicals: under sink, laundry room, bathroom vanity. All of them.
- Drawer Locks InstalledKnives, scissors, skewers, bottle openers — lock the drawers or move everything above counter level. Drawer latches ($8 for a 10-pack) install in 2 minutes per drawer. Don't delay this one.
- Stove Knob CoversToddlers can turn on burners and have. Knob covers pop over the existing knobs and require adult dexterity to operate. If you have a touch panel stove, use the child lock feature built in.
- Fridge LockOPTIONALHelpful once they can stand and open things. Babies eat random fridge items and pull heavy bottles onto themselves. A simple strap lock ($5) works fine. Not urgent until 10-12 months.
Bathroom
- Toilet LockA toddler can drown in 1 inch of water in under 60 seconds. Toilet locks prevent both drowning and the inevitable toy/phone burial at sea. Install in every bathroom they can access.
- Medicine Cabinet SecuredEvery medication, vitamin, and supplement goes behind a locked cabinet or door — not just "up high." Toddlers climb. Child-resistant caps slow adults down but don't stop determined toddlers.
- Hot Water TemperatureSet your water heater to 120F (48C) maximum. At 140F, a child gets third-degree burns in 3 seconds. At 120F, it takes 5 minutes. Check with a thermometer at the tap — don't trust the dial.
Windows
- Window LocksInstall window stops or guards that prevent opening more than 4 inches. Screens are NOT fall protection — they pop out under a toddler's weight. Falls from even a second-floor window can be fatal.
- Blind Cord SafetyCord strangulation kills children every year. Replace corded blinds entirely (cordless options start at $20) or install cord cleats 6+ feet high and wrap cords tightly. This is urgent.
General
- Small Objects RemovedGet on your hands and knees and crawl through every room. Coins, buttons, batteries, pen caps, small toys, rubber bands — anything smaller than a toilet paper tube is a choking hazard. Do this monthly.
- Fireplace GuardOPTIONALHearth padding ($30-80) around the fireplace edges. Lock or cover the fireplace opening even when not in use — ash is toxic if eaten. If gas fireplace, the glass reaches 400F+ and stays hot after off.
- Pool FenceOPTIONALPool fence with self-closing, self-latching gate is required in most states. Must be 4+ feet tall with no climbable features. Drowning is the #1 cause of death for kids ages 1-4. Non-negotiable.
- Button Batteries & Magnets Locked UpThink baby swallowed a button battery or magnet? Go to the ER now; don't wait for symptoms. Tape battery doors shut on remotes, scales and toys, and lock away spares and small magnets.
Garage
- Chemical StoragePaint, solvents, fertilizer, pesticides, antifreeze (sweet-tasting, deadly), gasoline — all on high shelves or in locked cabinets. If it has a warning label, it needs to be inaccessible. Period.
- Tool LockupLock the toolbox and secure the pegboard. Saws, drills, nails, screws — a garage is a toddler death trap. A simple padlock on a cabinet or a baby gate blocking garage access solves this.
Outdoor
- Yard HazardsCommon toxic plants: oleander, foxglove, lily of the valley, azaleas, mushrooms. Fill holes that can trap a small foot. Check for ant mounds and wasp nests at kid-height. Walk the yard monthly.
- Gate LatchesSelf-closing hinges + childproof latch on every yard gate. A toddler can reach a street in seconds. Test from inside at toddler height — if they can reach the latch, it's not childproof.
Pets
- Pet Food ElevatedOPTIONALBabies grab and eat pet food — choking hazard and bacteria risk. Feed pets on a raised stand or in a gated area. Also keep pet water bowls monitored — standing water is a drowning hazard.
- Litter Box AccessOPTIONALCat litter contains toxoplasmosis and clumping agents that swell if eaten — both dangerous. Baby gate around the litter area or use a top-entry litter box that baby can't access.
Bedroom
- Dresser Drawer LocksBabies pull open drawers and use them as steps to climb the dresser — this is how tip-overs happen. Drawer locks on the bottom 2-3 drawers prevent the "staircase" climbing pattern.
- Blind Cord SafetyEvery room with blinds needs this, not just the nursery. Walk through bedrooms, living room, guest room — anywhere with corded window coverings. Cordless replacement blinds are the permanent fix.
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