Discovering new objects can be a delight for toddlers, but nightmarish for parents because of danger of injury. Therefore it’s important to design safe rooms for youngest children – K.P. Malini 

As your child grows out of infanthood and enters the next development stage, life becomes exciting but challenging for parents. Toddlers will want to explore the world, starting at home. Discovering new objects can be a delight for toddlers, but nightmarish for parents because of danger of injury. Therefore it’s important to child-proof your home and design a safe room for youngest children.

Toys

• Before purchasing toys, check them for non-toxic paint labels and small parts choking warnings. Be especially careful when toys require tiny round batteries. These can cause severe chemical reaction if ingested by children.
• Purchase toys that encourage imaginative play such as building blocks rather than battery-operated toys.
• Inspect every pillow and soft toy to ensure that they don’t readily shed fibres. If your child has cold or cough allergies, avoid carpets, blankets and soft toys that shed fibre.

Colours

If play is main purpose of a toddler’s room, choose pastel shades of yellow, orange or off-white. If the room is often used for sleeping, light blues and greens are soothing and calming. Colourful decals can be added to make the room attractive. Red increases energy levels but can trigger aggression.

Safety

Hemna Prit, a Chennai-based freelance interior designer, shares some ideas on designing a cheerful and safe toddler’s room:

• All furniture should be blunt-edged so that the children don’t hurt themselves while playing. Cots also must be blunt-edged. There should be no sharp wooden corners on any furniture.
• Avoid tables or chairs as youngest children don’t engage in formal learning. But if they must be used, they must also be blunt-edged and low height.
• Decorate the room with cushions and pillows and roll out mats. Good lighting should be provided.
• If children sleep in this room night lights must be provided so that they aren’t scared and/or stumble if they walk at night.
• In playrooms, cotton tents are safe. They cannot be climbed and children won’t suffocate inside them. Toys can be arranged inside tents.
• Electric switches must never be located below five feet height. If there are any, child safety plugs must be used to cover the sockets.
• It’s best if a toilet isn’t attached to a toddler’s room. This will rule out accidental injury in toilets . Children can drown in a bucket with even a few inches of water. So if there is a toilet, it should always be bolted.