Babyproofing Essentials for Fall and Holiday Décor

Key Takeaways

• You may think that babyproofing your home once is enough, but with holiday decorations and events happening in your home, you may need to take some extra steps to keep your little one safe.
• Some fall décor items are delicate, while others can be hazardous to your baby’s health. It’s important to understand the difference and secure them properly.
• Read this guide to learn how to create baby-friendly zones, how to manage holiday foods around your little one, and how to prepare your guests to help keep your baby safe during parties.

Babyproofing Essentials

The holiday season can be an incredibly fun and joyous time for celebrating with family and friends. But when you add a new baby to the mix, you may need to take some serious precautions. Babyproofing doesn’t end after just one session. You must reconsider your babyproofing essentials for every event, and even as your baby grows and matures.

If you’re looking for practical tips and babyproofing ideas to keep little ones as safe as possible around holiday décor or during family traditions, check out this comprehensive guide from Abiie® to learn more!

The Importance of Holiday Babyproofing

Are you wondering why the holiday season is so different from other times of year? Why do you need to take extra precautions during this time? Well, when the holidays roll around, people do things a little differently, including decorating their homes with breakables, inviting new people over, or cooking new recipes over an open flame, such as the fireplace. Here’s a breakdown of why you may need to upgrade your babyproofing essentials:

• New Hazards: Everything from decorations to gifts can present a hazard to your baby. Are you placing any décor on the floor where your baby can knock it over or slobber on it? Choking and poison risks are a serious concern if you’ve got a little one who likes to put everything in their mouth.

• Changes in Routine: Naps and sleeping are usually disrupted during the holiday season, making your child more irritable and likely to lash out and cause accidents.

• Increased Hosting: When you’re taking care of guests, you have less attention available to keep an eye on your little one.

Be proactive with your babyproofing ideas to minimize risk to your kiddo and any children friends and family may bring over.

Securing Hazardous or Breakable Items

1. Block Off Dangerous Areas

Bathrooms, kitchens, and areas with fragile decorations are hazard zones for babies and toddlers. Block them off with barriers and baby gates to prevent access. You can also use door knob covers to prevent older children from accessing unsafe rooms.

2. Protect Outlets and Cords

Many holiday décor pieces require the use of extension cords and outlets. You can perform some basic cord management by taping longer pieces to the ground or walls to prevent tripping hazards. Additionally, you may want to consider choosing cordless or battery-powered decorations. These babyproofing ideas are an extension of traditional protective habits, like covering sockets when not in use.

3. Remove Choking Hazards

Removing choking hazards is a babyproofing essential that many people forget when decorating for the holidays. Make sure these items aren’t accessible to your little ones, from small decorative items like tinsel and beads to holiday foods like popcorn and hard candies. A few other top tips for your list of babyproofing ideas:

• Skip out on glass ornaments or keep them in hard-to-reach areas
• Look for decorations and babyproofing essentials that use non-toxic materials
• Use flameless or LED candles instead of real candles
• Secure any trees firmly to the ground, so babies won’t be able to pull them over
• Avoid decorating the bottom area of the tree with anything that’s easy to remove

Create a Baby Safe Zone

If you need to leave your little one briefly unattended to host family, you should place them in a secure zone where they can play without being near any decorations, food, or other hazards. A baby playpen could be the babyproofing essential that ensures this zone comes together. You should consider adding soft mats to cushion falls, adding baby-safe toys, and erecting a sturdy barrier to keep your little one in. You can even turn your baby zone into a crafting area for older kids to keep everyone together.

Come up with unique crafts for the holiday season, including:

• Painting pumpkins
• Candycane candles
• Branch Christmas trees

Food Safety Around Babies

When you’re cooking up a holiday meal, you’re using those decadent, delicious ingredients that aren’t appropriate for babies just yet. Make sure all alcoholic beverages are out of reach, and don’t feed your little one any foods that contain spicy ingredients, lots of sugar, or any allergens.

If your child is a picky eater, you may have an easier time keeping them away from foods they shouldn’t touch, but it can be tough to keep an eye on them at all times when family is over. Caution your family and friends not to give your children any food without your permission and supervision to prevent allergic reactions and choking.

Guest Etiquette Around Babies

Babyproofing ideas aren’t all up to you. Any family and friends who are visiting your house also need to know about the precautions you’re taking. Ask them to follow the house rules and stick with your babyproofing measures, including:

• Keeping bags and gifts off the floor
• Washing hands before holding babies
• Smoking only outdoors
• Using an infant hip seat while holding babies to keep them secure
• Strapping babies securely into a wooden high chair before feeding them anything

Communicating your babyproofing essential rules will help everyone get involved in protecting your little one.

Time to Celebrate

Did this list of babyproofing essentials help you draft a plan to keep your baby as safe as possible during the holiday season? Do you feel like you need more guidance and support to ensure the safety of your home? Find more safety tips for all occasions on our blog.

And if you need to shop for a few more baby products in addition to babyproofing essentials to help you during the holiday season, make sure to explore the entire online store.