Toddlers - and babies once on their feet - aren’t particularly stable and will frequently slip, trip, stumble and fall as they gain strength in their legs and develop a sense of balance. Even as they get older, children take a tumble because they’re so engrossed in charging about that they forget about their surroundings and the natural trip hazards in and outside the home.

It’s near on impossible to prevent your tots from falling over but you can protect them as best you can from harming themselves when they do. This article aims to give you some practical tips and products for protecting your baby and toddler from trips and falls.

Protecting your baby/toddler from tripping or falling

Babies and toddlers fall over so often due to a lack of strength in the legs and a head that is proportionally bigger than their body - this means their centre of balance is off. A toddler is unsteady on their feet but has a fascination in climbing on to everything they can so falling is inevitable. We’ve already said that it’s nearly impossible to prevent your little ones taking a tumble, but there’s a few tips that can lessen the chances of them falling.

Strap them in - You should always try to keep your baby in a harness when using a high chair or change table. Slipping out of a chair or rolling off the changing table is easily achieved by a wriggling tot so keep them well strapped in.

Check your furniture – How sturdy is the furniture in your home? Go around and make a note of how easily a sideboard or cabinet can be pulled over. If a piece of furniture appears to be unstable, secure it to the wall if possible or place it somewhere in the home where your infant can’t get at it. If that’s difficult, put a barrier in front.

Sit them down in the bath – This is easily achieved with newborn babies and a bath seat will keep them in a safe position but for older infants who can stand up you should remember that the bath can be slippery so encourage them to sit down and use a non-slip mat in case they do try to stand.

Non-Slip Bath Mat

Pack toys away – Toys scattered around the home are a big bug-bear for any parent but remember these are a serious trip hazard to you and your child so pack them away in a suitable box as soon as possible after your child has finished playing with them.

Clean up spillages – This is essential in areas of the home that have hard-surfaces such as the kitchen or bathroom. Liquid and food spills can cause you and your infant to slip so clean them up as soon as possible.

Rugs and mats – Ideally you should remove rugs and mats from your home when you have children as they present a real trip hazard or they can slide around on the floor causing your little one to tumble. If you must have rugs or mats, make sure there’s an anti-slip underside and the edges are flat to the carpet.

Stair safety – Installing stair gates is one of the essential things any parent should do when bringing a baby or toddler into the home. Once your baby can crawl you’ll find it difficult to keep them from heading toward to the stairs so you should fit them at the top and bottom of the staircase.

When you’re carrying your infant, ensure you’ve fully opened the gate and never try to step over it. There’s a great range of stair gates available and for added safety many come with the bottom bar removed to prevent accidental trips or have a roller-blind design which can be easily opened when you’re carrying your little one.

Baby Dan No-Trip Stair Gate

Kiddyguard Roller Blind Stair Gate

Remember balcony safety – The balcony and bannisters represent a double danger. If your bannisters are too wide apart there’s a danger of your tot falling through. If your bannisters are horizontal they can be used to get a foothold for your toddler to climb up on. Install bannister guards on the balcony, verandah or decking.

KidCo Bannister Safety Plastic Guard

KidCo Verandah/Balcony/Decking Guard

Furniture edges and corners – Keep your furniture clear of areas where children are likely to run around such as hallways and doorways. To protect your children from hurting themselves on the sharp corners and edges of furniture, install corner cushions and edges.

BabyDan Corner Cushions

Radiator and fire safety – When turned on, radiators can be extremely hot causing scolds to your child’s skin. They also have sharp edges which can hurt your child should they trip and fall into them. Cover your rads with soft coverings.

Perfect Playthings Radiator Cover

If you have a fireplace, install cushioned strips around the hearth to protect your child should they trip and fall and a guard to prevent them getting close to the fire itself. Or you can install a sturdy fire guard completely around the fire and hearth.

Prince Lionheart Cushiony Fireplace Guard

BabyDan Hearth Gate

Garden trips and falls – The garden is an area with plenty of potential for injury from a trip or fall. To protect your tots, edges and corners of walls and steps can be cushioned using protector strips and for added safety while your tots are running about outside you can place a Thudguard safety hat on their head.

Garden Strips

Garden Corner Guards

Thudguard Infant Protective Safety Hat