Christmas is an exciting time for everyone but none more so than babies and toddles. Infants love the sparkling Christmas tree lights and decorations around the home but these extra special touches to your home can be a hazard to curious tots. With some simple safety checks and products, you can make sure the festive season is accident free.

Keeping your baby and toddler safe this Christmas

Christmas is a special time for parents as they see the excitement on the faces of their children. Putting gifts around the tree, wrapping presents and making handmade decorations with your kids are meaningful moments that you’ll never forget.

Before you start to make your yuletide preparations, take care of a few safety issues around the home that come with the Christmas season. First up is your Christmas tree.

Christmas tree safety for infants

Babies who can crawl or walk will be fascinated by the Christmas tree that has suddenly appeared in the house. They’ll want to touch it, play with the decorations or even try and pull it over. It’s a good idea to introduce your child to the tree so they can understand exactly what it is but make sure you’re supervising. If they’re old enough to understand, let them know what they mustn’t do with the tree and what could happen if the tree falls over.

Choose a tree that has a wide and sturdy base. If you’re buying a real tree, make sure you place it into a suitably wide enough container that has plenty of weight at the bottom. A real tree also presents the problem of needles dropping on the floor. This can be extremely dangerous for children as they may attempt to put them in their mouth. Buy a no-drop needle tree or to be on the safe side an artificial tree.

If the tree isn’t too big, you could consider putting it on a table to keep it out of the way of a crawling baby. However, if your baby is starting to pull themselves up on furniture this may not be the most reliable way of keeping them from pulling it over. If necessary, lash the tree to a sturdy object so it can’t topple over if pulled.

For added safety, consider buying an extra extendible fire guard to place around the tree. This will keep any wandering hands from getting too close.

BabyDan Surround

Remember that tree decorations and ornaments can be sharp or breakable and small enough to find their way into your baby’s mouth. Keep them out of reach wherever possible to prevent any cuts or choking accidents.

Electrical hazards are the most dangerous for children at Christmas. Tree lights or decorative lights around the home can be a danger because babies and toddlers will want to play with the wires or pull at the bulbs and sockets. Make sure that any lights are high enough so your infant can’t reach them and ensure any plugs and wires are covered or bound.

Plug socket covers