Electricity: Baby proofing your home

A crawling baby will quite literally touch or eat anything found in its path. The key is making sure that all the dangerous things are out of the way. This is essential when it comes to potentially very dangerous elements such as electricity.

Covering all power outlets and moving all cords out of baby's view is easier said than done; however, there are some tips that you can follow, as well as some handy accessories on the market that can help out.

Baby proofing tips: How to keep electrical items tucked away safely

There are a number of things that you can do to keep anything electricity-related away from your baby's reach and sight. Baby proofing is something that should be taken care of before your baby starts crawling. Some tips include:

• Cover all power outlets with safety plugs. Be sure to check behind furniture as well.
• Do not leave any electrical appliances plugged in where your baby can reach them. This is especially important for dangerous appliances such as toasters and irons.
• Make sure all cords are neatly tucked away and out of baby's sight.
• Brief any other children about the safety precautions and make sure that they know to pack everything away carefully.
• Have a crawl around the house to double check that you've covered everything. Sometimes getting down to a baby's sight level can lead to additional hazard discoveries.

Baby proofing safety plugs and accessories

Baby proofing safety plugs have been a godsend to parents all over the world. If you have power outlets and a crawling baby in your home, they're a great investment. Babies love discovering new things and if they find an exposed power outlet there's a high chance of them sticking their fingers or another type of object in there, which can be extremely dangerous.

Safety plugs come in a variety of forms. Some are simple plastic discs that plug into the outlet where an appliance would normally be plugged in. Others are sophisticated covers that automatically close over the outlet when an appliance is pulled out. Other accessories are also available such as power board covers, which snap-lock over the entire power board and its plugs.