September 25, 2023
Safety tips for kids
Kid

60+ Safety Tips for Kids

Children are boundless, curious creatures. They like to explore every nook and cranny of every place they go to. As they grow older, they’re bound to get into mischief and have an accident or two. It’s all part of normal childhood, but, as a parent, you may be wondering: Is there anything I can do to prevent him from getting seriously injured? Are there safety tips for kids that I can follow to keep them safe all the time?

While we can’t stop them from exploring the world around them, it doesn’t mean we cannot prepare them for it. This is why we need to teach them about safety. Our children are smart, and, depending on their age, you’ll be surprised by the many things they are capable of learning when it comes to emergencies and even protecting themselves against injuries.

We’re here to help make the process easy for you. Below, you’ll find safety precautions that you can personally take for your kids and safety tips that you can teach them to prepare them for all types of situations—from everyday issues like internet safety and home safety to less common, yet critical emergency scenarios like fires and hurricanes. To navigate to the topics you want to read, use the table of contents below.

Internet Safety Tips For Kids

The internet has opened a world of possibilities for children. Today’s youth are capable of doing so much more with help from computers and the World Wide Web. But with this freedom comes certain risks and issues that parents and children have to tackle. It’s no secret that more people using the internet means that kids are potentially exposed to unwanted content, cyberbullies, and sexual predators. There are people who approach children online and pretend to be kids in order to get personal information and even persuade the child to meet them in person.

There’s a lot to be worried about, but there are also steps that parents can take to protect their children and warn them about the dangers lurking in the dark side of the Web. Below are articles on general internet safety rules which you can discuss with your child. Yes, the internet offers freedom, but it is our job as parents to set the boundaries that will protect them.

A. Parental controls

One thing you can do as a first step is to set the parental controls in devices that your children use. This allows you to supervise the kinds of sites and information that they can view online. Sometimes, it’s not enough to give kids screen-time limits as they do find ways to sneak around.

If you’re a parent who recently bought your kids a new smartphone, tablet, or gaming system like Xbox, then the first thing you should do is set up parental controls to filter the type of content that your kids encounter while online. These controls are available in most gadgets, and you can always ask the friendly salesman at the Apple store to teach you how to fiddle with your kid’s device. For more tips on how to use parental controls, here are resources that can help you.

B. Best News Sources for Kids

Just like adults, kids want to know the news. Regular news shows and websites, however, are not designed for young readers. They may contain news articles that are too scary and violent for kids, or they may not interest them enough about important issues like climate change and marine conservation.

There is a wide array of websites and apps that provide child-friendly news. Some of them even have lessons to improve your child’s reading and language skills. This is definitely the side of the internet that is a force for good. Check out the age-appropriate news sources in the articles below.

C. Myths and Truths about Kids’ Internet Safety

The internet has opened many doors for young people to connect with virtually anyone in the world, but this also poses many possible security risks to them. Parents have every reason to be concerned about their children’s time online. Still, it’s important to be properly informed about what is a real threat to their kids’ security and what is just a myth that causes them unnecessary worry.

Many of the things we assume about our children’s knowledge of the internet are not necessarily true. For instance, only 36% of children aged 9 to 16 think that they are more familiar with the internet than their parents. This means that there are still more kids who think their parents know better when it comes to the Web. Here are some sources that can set the record straight about the myths and truths of internet security.

D. Protecting Your Child’s Privacy Online

Most adults understand the dangers lurking on the Web. The same cannot be said for most children as they are usually not aware of the risks of posting their school’s name on Facebook or sharing a selfie with #HomeAlone.

They grew up with the internet. They see it as part daily life, so they see nothing wrong with sharing most details of their lives especially on social media platforms. This, however, makes it easy for predators, identity thieves, and other cyber criminals to collect information from them and target them as their next victim. You can stop this from happening by educating your child about the importance of protecting one’s privacy online.

Every time you buy your kid a new device or sign him up for a new website or app, one of the first steps you can take to protect your child’s privacy is to establish his privacy preferences. All social media platforms or apps have a privacy setting that you can fiddle with in order to opt out of GPS location sharing or auto-posts. For more tips on teaching your child about online privacy, check out the articles below.

E. Smartphone Safety Tips for Kids

What’s the right age to give your child a phone? In a survey, 43 percent of parents say that the right age is anywhere between 10 and 12 years old. Still, it depends upon your assessment as a parent to determine whether your child is ready or not. It would be wise to take a look at his maturity level or if he’s capable of following a set of rules.

Just like how you gave him rules for taking care of his new pet, you should set limits on how much time he spends on his phone and help him understand that family and school are still his top priority. Having a phone gives anyone, especially a child, immense power to communicate faster and more efficiently, and children should know that this power comes with a certain degree of responsibility. Here are more tips that will help you teach phone security to your child.

F. Social Media Safety Tips for Kids

Social media is a two-edged sword. On one side, it’s a petri dish for people and ideas that are anti-social or even harmful, but it’s also a valuable tool for building networks for the future. As digital natives, our kids have more chances of getting hired (or not hired) based on their social networking profiles than our generation.

All this calls for a more responsible use of social media than initially thought. Parents should educate kids about the upsides and downsides of social networking sites. It doesn’t hurt also to check on your kids by following them on all popular channels. Here are other ways that you can keep your kids safe on social media.

H. Cyberbullying Tips for Kids and Parents

Cyberbullying is such an important issue for both parents and children today. Many parents go about their day without knowing that their kids are silently suffering. Being bullied is often a difficult topic for kids to discuss with their parents, so they end up not telling their guardians anything until things have escalated.

Close to 90% of students in the US confessed to being bullied online last year, and parents and educators play a major role in addressing this issue. We all have to speak up against cyberbullying; research shows that bullying diminishes when adults get involved. We are all responsible for creating safe and secure school and home environments for our kids. Here are practical tips to help parents and kids stop cyberbullying.

I. Protection against Online Predators

Sexual predators are skilled at enticing children into a malicious relationship. They usually target kids with low self-esteem by showering them with attention and kindness at first and introducing a sexual interaction later on. Not all predators are middle-aged men though as women and teenagers can be perpetrators too.

As a parent, you need to be vigilant when it comes to your kid’s interactions with people online. Now more than ever, you need to maintain an open line of communication with your child. Ask them about the people they talk to on social media platforms. Set parental controls if possible. For more ways to protect your family from online predators, here are tips from experts.

J. Protection against Pornography

Pornography is one of those unhealthy things that young people can now access online. It’s alarming to know that even when they’re not looking for porn, kids are exposed to unwanted pop-ups from click-bait sites and ads that feature nudity. Because of its ubiquity, parents may feel that it’s impossible to protect children from porn. For this very reason, however, parents should take charge and open up to their children about porn.

Hear me out. Most experts agree that it’s just a matter of time before a child is exposed to pornography either through the internet or a friend, so it’s better if parents control the narrative and introduce the concept of “bad pictures” and the importance of staying away from them. Aside from this, there are other methods that you can use to protect your children against pornography.

K. Online Gaming Tips for Kids and Parents

These days, computer games are played using the internet, making multiplayer interaction very much possible for kids and teens. With more than 2.2 billion people playing online games worldwide, children interact with random strangers on a daily basis. This increases the risk of experiencing cyberbullying and meeting predators while playing these games.

Online gaming has some benefits for kids, such as improving their problem-solving skills and hand-eye coordination, but it’s important for parents to also be in charge of how their kids are familiarized with computer games. With gamers as young as 10 years old, parents need to equip their kids with the right tools (and rules) before letting them engage in online gaming. Here are articles that give some tips on how you can help your children enjoy games in a wholesome, productive way.

Fire Safety Tips for Kids

What if a fire started in your home? Would your child know what to do? In the US, an estimated 7 people die every day because of household fires. Young children are highly at risk when a fiery disaster strikes; statistics show that children 5 years and younger are in more danger of dying in fires than older age groups.

It is critical that parents review their own families’ safety protocol in case of fire. This includes setting up fire safety tools and instructing children about the family’s evacuation plans. Parents should partner with other adults like teachers and nannies to help children understand the dangers of fire emergencies inside or outside their homes. Here are some tips for teaching fire safety for kids.

Hurricane Safety Tips for Kids

Many people who’ve experienced both earthquakes and hurricanes agree that hurricanes are more devastating. Earthquakes are finished almost as soon as they hit, while hurricanes can stay for days and cause major damage to a large area. These are severe tropical storms that come anywhere from the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean. When hurricanes strike, they leave flooding, damaged homes and properties, and casualties in their wake.

Children, in particular, can be deeply traumatized by hurricanes. This is why it’s important to educate them about hurricanes and prepare them mentally and physically for the arrival of such a major weather disturbance. Your kids should know exactly what to do before, during, and after a hurricane disaster. Here are tips that could help you and your family prepare.

Halloween Safety Tips for Kids

Arguably second only to the Christmas season, Halloween is an extremely exciting time for kids. However, this spooky season also poses some dangers for them. What with the elaborate costumes and realistic props, children are in danger of tripping on themselves or poking their playmate’s eyes out. Add to these hazards the fact that twice as many kids are hit by moving vehicles on Halloween night than any other time of the year.

When kids are out and about hopping from one house to another and getting sweets of all form and description, they tend to overlook personal safety, which is when terrible accidents happen. Having an adult with them as they go trick-or-treating is one obvious solution to prevent these from happening. By being more careful in preparing your kids for Halloween, you can rest easy that your kid will have one of the best times of his life. Here are simple safety tips to make sure your child is safe on All Hallows’ Eve.

Summer Safety Tips for Kids

Summer is the time for our kids to be outdoors. For them, it’s the best time of the year to be kids. This is also the time for parents to worry about injuries. Some of the common dangers in summertime are head injuries, water-craft damages, and drowning. An estimated 800 children die from drowning each year, according to the CDC.

This is why it’s important for parents to make their kids aware of the possible accidents they could get into while out in the sun having fun. It’s good to brief the family before your summer outing or maybe give them a list of things they shouldn’t be doing to avoid accidents. Here are some summer safety tips that you can include in your family’s checklist.

Winter Safety Tips for Kids

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that your kids have to stay indoors during the winter season. Most kids can’t wait to play outside and build a snowman or throw snowballs with friends, especially after a snowstorm, but chilly temperatures can also spell trouble for kids. Injuries are common for kids in the wintertime, especially when they’re busy doing winter sports like sledding and skiing.

Winter is a chance for the family to bond through winter activities, but before letting them out to play tag with friends, make sure they are ready for the frosty conditions outside. The combination of ice, cold temperatures, and snow can be a triple threat to children. Parents should know the basics of protecting kids during the cold season, tips like dressing them in layers or setting a time limit for outdoor activities. By knowing the dangers brought by the frigid weather, you and your kids can enjoy winter without the injuries. These resources should help keep you and your kids safe.

Water Safety Tips for Kids

All kids, regardless of age or swimming skills, should be supervised around water. Pools, lakes, and beaches can offer awesome fun to kids, but these places have obvious and hidden dangers to children. For instance, did you know that small kids can drown in as little as an inch of water and that it can happen in seconds?

Parents need to take certain precautions to prevent their kids from getting into a water accident. With the statistics showing that more than 600 children 15 years and younger die from drowning each year, this is not something that parents should take for granted anymore. Learning to swim is indeed an important survival skill for kids, while CPR is an essential knowledge for all parents. Help is not always available around, so take the initiative to learn all the safety precautions that you and your family can take. Here are some to get you started.

Gun Safety Tips for Kids

Surveys found that about 42% of US households own at least one gun, but the average gun owner has 3 firearms. Even if a family doesn’t own a gun, chances are that some of their family friends and neighbors own one. As such, there is a high likelihood that your kid will see a gun eventually.

If you’re a parent who owns a gun, you may be thinking that your kids are safe because they don’t know where the gun is hidden. However, kids are naturally curious creatures and they may know more than we think. A 2006 study found that 50% of children know where their parents’ guns are hidden with 22% having actually touched them. This is why proper storage is paramount if you’ve decided to own a gun. Below are other important topics on the issue of gun safety such as buying kids toy guns and teaching them how to shoot a gun if you decide to do so.

A. Buying Toy Guns for Kids

Ever since the invention of guns, kids have played pretend guns as a way of imitating cowboys and robbers and cops and villains. But with our current issues of mass shootings and gun violence, there have been calls to ban guns totally and toy guns with them. Some parents believe that weapon-like toys encourage violence in children.

Other parents see toy guns as an innocent pastime for kids and as something that can help develop moral uprightness in them—like when they associate guns with policemen and law enforcement. Wherever you stand on this, it’s important to consider both the pros and cons of giving your kids a toy gun. Consider things like their age and maturity before buying one. The following articles should hopefully give you more ideas on how to deal with this topic.

B. Airsoft Gun Safety for Kids

If toy guns are an issue to some, Airsoft guns are more so for others. These are gun-like instruments used by adults to play with each other, but Airsoft gun owners can be as young as eight years old.

You may be wondering if your child is ready for one. To find out, you first have to know that an airsoft gun is not like a toy gun.  It makes use of hard plastic pellets to shoot opponents and it can occasionally injure people, especially when they’re hit in sensitive areas like eyes. Still, this device is considered generally harmless compared to real guns. It’s also very popular among teens and adults who like to engage in team play and it’s also a great way for kids to belong and make friends.

Just like with toy guns, you need to consider the maturity level of your child before purchasing an Airsoft gun for him and make sure he knows Airsoft safety tips before he goes shooting someone in an Airsoft field (which is the only place where this gun should go off). For more advice on Airsoft gun safety, here are helpful articles.

C. Hunting Gun Safety for Kids

For some parents, hunting is a form of bonding between them and their children. In the US, many families have traditionally taught their children to hunt. They want their kids to grow up in touch with nature and the great outdoors. They believe in the many benefits of hunting such as learning self-reliance and understanding where our food comes from. This also teaches them to respect nature and appreciate the benefits of an active, outdoorsy lifestyle.

If you’re a parent who wants to instill a love of hunting in your kids, then you have to make sure that your child understands that hunting guns are not to be played with. They have to know that using a gun takes responsibility. This will also teach them the importance of gun safety, which is something they can bring to adulthood. To help you, we’ve collected some resources below for parents who want to teach their kids how to use a gun responsibly.

Bike Safety Tips for Kids

Riding a bike is among the iconic moments of childhood. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also greatly beneficial for kids. Bike riding helps develop your child’s motor skills as they learn balance and coordination. It’s also a form of low-impact exercise that strengthens his stamina. Most importantly, it gives them the sense that they can move around and get to different places by their own free will.

To enjoy the full benefits of biking, it’s important for kids to realize that a bike is not a toy but a vehicle. They should follow safety guidelines every time they ride. For instance, wearing a helmet is a must, considering how many children aged 5 to 14 are sent to the hospital because of biking-related injuries, which are higher than those received from other sports. Many of these kids suffer from trauma to the head because of the absence of a helmet. Here are other bike safety tips that you can tell your kids.

Electrical Safety Tips for Kids

Children grow up with electricity all around them, and if hasn’t hurt them before, they do not necessarily grasp the dangers of electricity. This is why it’s important to teach them not just what electricity is but what potential harms electrical shocks could bring.

They have to comprehend that misusing electricity can cause shocks, burns, and death. With electricity being present everywhere from one’s home to school, parents need to team up with teachers and child care providers to educate kids about electrical hazards and the safe practices that will help avoid them. You’ll find more electricity safety tips below.

School Safety Tips for Kids

When the time comes that a child enters his first day at school, every parent experiences a turning point in life. Your baby has grown and is now ready to mingle with a bigger crowd. You know that it’s an important phase in his development, but you’re not quite ready to let go yet.

It’s a mixed feeling and blessing for parents. For one, there you are with more time for yourself and having a much-needed alone time, but all you have in mind is your child and how he’s faring in school. It’s probably the first time you’re leaving him in the care of someone you barely know, and you wonder how they would react if your child throws a tantrum or asks for his mommy.

It’s natural to be afraid, but you have to let them go to be their own person. To help ease your worries, make sure that you’re prepared for this day by taking certain steps for his safety such as teaching him how to be safe in a school bus or what to do if a bully approaches him. While we can’t always be there with them, we can be proud of the fact that our children are prepared and they know what to do. You’ll find resources below for more school safety issues that you and your child need to be aware of.

A. Backpack Safety for Kids

Most kids carry a backpack for their books and other school necessities. However, backpacks that are too heavy and worn incorrectly can become health hazards to our children. More than 79 million American students use backpacks; more than half of them carry very heavy backpacks filled with books, gadgets, school projects, and other stuff. This can contribute to back, neck, and shoulder pain in children. At the very least, they’ll develop bad posture. Parents can help them by trying out alternatives to backpacks or simply making sure that the bag is proportional to the kid’s weight and height. There are other safety tips below that you can consider when buying your child a backpack.

B. School Bus Safety Tips for Kids

Riding a school bus is still one of the safest ways for kids to get to school. Millions of students begin and end their school day with a bus ride. It’s considered safer than driving or walking to school, yet injuries are possible when kids are not being careful.

Most kids are not aware of the danger zone around a bus, which is a 10-foot area surrounding the bus where the driver and passing motorists can’t see children and where most accidents happen. Yes, school buses are still safe for kids, but it’s important that they know how to be safe whenever they’re getting on or off their bus. Here are tips for your child’s safety on the school bus.

C. Walking, Biking, and Driving to School

For those who don’t want the school bus, walking, biking, or driving are other options to get to school. They serve as a form of physical activity for kids early in the day and help promote their health. Admittedly, however, walking and biking to school have become more dangerous with distracted drivers on the road. According to statistics, children of ages 5 to 9 are the pedestrians in most danger with 19% killed in traffic accidents.

Driving your kids to school is the most dangerous option as car crashes are the top reason children in the 3-14 age group died, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This means you should never skip instructing your kids about road safety when they’re on their way to and from school. Here are other tips to help you.

D. Getting Sick in School

Sometimes, kids bring home more than just homework and dirty socks. They may also bring with them a cold or a cough. Living in close quarters with other kids, who may be carrying viruses or bacteria, makes it easy for them to get infected.

Young children catch a bug 8-12 times a year. This may sound a lot, but there are many types of viruses and catching around a dozen of them is considered normal. Sometimes, your child might even catch a cold just when the last one just finished. This doesn’t mean that your child’s immune system is weak as it’s a normal rate of infection, if you’re truly worried, you should consult your doctor. We have some tips below on how to keep your child healthy while he or she is in school.

E. School Bullying Safety Tips

Bullying is widespread and it comes in many forms. It can happen at random or carry on for a long period of time and to children of any age. Instances of bullying peak when children are in middle school; one in 10 victims is bullied on a daily basis, while one in five is bullied at least once a month. These numbers may not be accurate as many victims opt not to report their abusers for fear of retaliation or isolation from their peers.

School age is the best time for parents and educators to help kids stand up to bullying. Adults should not hesitate to speak up about issues of bullying at school. No one should wait for these things to escalate to something more serious like suicide or extreme violence. Building the self-esteem of your child is one way to stop him from being a victim or a bully. The following resources reveal more ways that you can help your child cope with bullying.

F. School Shooting Safety

Another difficult issue that today’s parents have to tackle is that of school shootings. Many say that this has become a new normal with shootings after shootings reported on the news. In the US, more than 50% of teens admit that they are afraid that a shooting will occur in their school. Most parents probably never imagined that they will have to talk about such a seemingly unthinkable school incident like this, but we have to face the facts: school shootings are happening.

Parents have to be prepared to talk about school violence with their children as this is something they see regularly in the news. Most importantly, parents should be ready to train their children for an active shooter scenario in school. Just like how we prepare them for fire, earthquake, and hurricanes, we need to have drills to teach kids how to survive a school shooting. It’s a hard reality but this is something that we have to face sooner rather than later. If you’d like help protecting your kids today’s culture of violence, here are some resources you can visit.

Home Safety Tips for Kids

Home is supposed to be a safe place for our children. This is where they learn how to walk, talk, and ride a bike. This is where they know they’ll find mommy or daddy after a tiring day at school.

But for some kids, home is a place where they had their first fall down the stairs or a place where they almost started a fire. Accidents can happen anywhere and your home is no exception. There are things you can teach your kids to prevent things from happening in accident-prone areas like your kitchen or your home furniture. Below is a list of several home safety issues like kitchen and toy safety and baby proofing.

A. Kitchen Safety Tips for Kids

Do your kids like learning how to cook? Most parents would agree that teaching cooking to a child as young as five is an amazing experience for both parent and child. It’s perfectly okay to give them a simple role as kitchen assistants or to instruct them how to prepare a few basic dishes. To successfully do this, you need to put safety first. Setting some safety guidelines is imperative in making sure that cooking together remains a pleasant experience and not a nightmare.

It’s even better if you can make these rules with your child’s input. Ask them, for example, why it’s important to use a potholder before picking hot pots and pans. This way, they understand better why it’s important to follow the rules. You should teach them how to hold a knife properly and use an oven with caution. Being safe is the most important part of learning how to cook. Here are other tips for kitchen safety you can browse.

B. Chemical Safety Tips at Home

Poisonous chemicals are present in our homes. Those containers of detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, and paint are made of toxic chemicals that could poison a child. You may not consider them dangerous, but they are. One mistake like leaving them unattended makes them open for your child to play with.

Kids are naturally attracted to bright colors, and it doesn’t help that cleaning products are among the brightest found in the home. If left in an unsecured location, kids may find these chemicals and accidentally ingest them. This can cause serious injury or even death. Here are some important tips to prevent kids from coming into contact with chemical substances.

C. Furniture Safety Tips for Kids

A home is not complete without furniture. Unfortunately, they can cause some serious accidents in households with children. Statistics show that up to 15,000 children visit the emergency room every year after getting injured by furniture tip-overs. Two kids are injured every hour and the common culprit is the family’s television with 7 out of 10 of children 5 years and younger hurt by TV tip-overs.

These are crazy statistics to deal with, but they only prove the importance of putting safety first inside your home. It’s vital to secure appliances and furniture properly to the wall or any stable surface to make sure that your child cannot climb them or knock them over. Here are other precautionary measures that you can observe.

D. Fall Prevention Tips for Kids

Accidental falls are the number one reason why around 8,000 children are sent to the emergency room every day in the US. Most of these falls happen at home, where children are most likely to fall than at any other place.

Babies fall when they’re trying to get out of their crib, while toddlers tumble when they try to reach for an object on top of a table. Falling at home almost seems inevitable, but there are steps that parents can take to prevent serious falls from happening. The obvious way to protect your child from injury is to watch them closely, especially if it’s a baby. As they grow older, it’s understandable that you can’t always be around to supervise them, so it’s important that you make your home a safe place even when you’re not around. One thing you can do is to keep stairways clear of any obstacles like books and shoes and use window guards to avert accidental window falls. Here are other precautions that can minimize falls and injuries at home.

E. Toy Safety Tips for Kids

In 2015, more than 250,000 children were treated in hospitals for injuries related to toys. Most of these kids were 5 years old and younger, an age group most at risk for choking on small objects that they put in their mouths. Toys are fixtures of every kid’s childhood, but they can be hidden threats as well.

Parents should always consider safety whenever they are choosing toys for their kids. There are toys made of toxic materials on the market, and there are innocent-looking playthings that are actually choking hazards for the wrong age group. Parents need to be aware of these things, among others, when it comes to toy safety. Here are more reminders for the next time you want to buy your baby a toy.

F. Baby-Proofing Your Home

Last on the list of home safety tips is the necessity of baby-proofing your home. The average baby starts crawling at 8 months old. When this time comes, they’ll be able to pull up and reach low-lying surfaces. It’s important to secure any objects, pieces of furniture, or piles of trinket that your baby might try to pull on or play with.

You have to set aside a specific time to inspect your house and secure any loose ends. Make sure there’s nothing there that could potentially hurt your baby when he gets close. Doing so may take time but it will give you the peace of mind you need to let your baby roam around without fear of injury. The following sources have baby-proofing tips for your home.

Animal Safety Tips for Kids

Animals are fun to be with. They teach our kids kindness and compassion and even a sense of responsibility. They also deserve respect. If you have animals at home, it’s important to teach children that pets are loved, not abused. It’s also important to teach kids to handle pets properly as a pet bite is another common household injury for kids.

When dealing with wild animals, on the other hand, stay as far away as possible so they will not consider you a threat and attack you. The same is true for some farm animals who are used to being left alone to do their business on open fields and will not appreciate unfamiliar humans who get too close to them or their babies. Below are safety reminders for home pets, farm animals, and wildlife.

A. Pet Safety Tips for Kids

Kids just naturally love animals, especially those with fluffy fur, wide-eyes, and eager to lick their faces clean. Dogs! Not only do pets add life to the family, but they also teach your children about companionship, love, and responsibility. So tight are kids and pets that sometimes babies utter their pet’s name first.

It’s important to make sure that pets and children are both safe when interacting. Young children aged under five need constant supervision. This way, playtime is a great time for the whole family. Here are other pet safety rules that I suggest you read.

B. Farm Animal Safety Tips for Kids

Farm animals can provide a teachable moment to instill confidence and a sense of duty in children. Kids who grow up in farms are physically fit and capable of doing many things around the farm.

Yet they are exposed to some dangers. One out of five farm injuries is caused by attacks from animals. Livestock are wary of their surroundings and are easily spooked by strangers and, with the wrong timing, they can be dangerous to their caretakers as well. There are also diseases that children can get from farm animals, two being E. coli and influenza virus. If you’re living on a farm and want to teach your kids farm tasks, yes you can do this, but establish some safety guidelines first to avoid farm accidents. Here are tips to guide you.

C. Wild Animal Safety Tips for Kids

Many families enjoy outdoor activities like camping and hiking. During this time, safety is of the utmost importance. As you venture with your family into the wild, chances are you’ll encounter wild animals along the way. But no matter how innocent a kangaroo looks or how selfie-worthy a grizzly bear could be, never approach an animal in the wild. These two examples and dozens of others are perfectly capable of harming humans and maiming us for life. Make sure you and your family are well-informed of wildlife that exists in a particular area and learn ways to protect yourself and your family in case of a wild animal attack. Check out the articles below for more tips.

Food Safety Tips for Kids

Food safety is one of the most important things you can do for your child. It’s imperative to observe food safety measures when preparing food for kids because they have underdeveloped immune systems, making them more at risk for foodborne illnesses. They also don’t have enough acid in their stomachs to kill off bacteria in food.

This is why it’s important to observe safety in preparing, cooking, and storing foods that you feed your kids. You have to try to prevent the spread of bacteria present in raw food such as E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria, which are known to cause diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration. Below are more tips on food safety while shopping and handling food and food safety for young kids and preschoolers.

A. Food Shopping Safety Tips

When shopping for food, keep in mind that there are certain steps you can take to ensure that the food you buy for your family is safe to eat later on. You can also use this time as an opportunity to bond with your child by enlisting their help in making a shopping list and even making the trip to the store. Kids will be excited to add their favorites to the list, while you can use this time to educate them about food safety rules while shopping for food.

Food should be handled safely starting from the moment you pick it up from the shelf. Knowing how to choose vegetables, dairy, seafood, and meat safely reduces your family’s risk of foodborne illness. Take note that some people are more at risk than others, particularly elderly people, pregnant women, and young children. Follow these tips to stay safe while shopping for your child’s next meal.

B. Food Handling Safety Tips

Foodborne illness, or food poisoning, is a result of eating food contaminated with toxins, contaminants, parasites, viruses, and bacteria. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. Harmful organisms cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted, so it’s impossible to tell contaminated food just by looking at it. The only way to prevent food poisoning is to handle food properly.

In the US, there are an estimated 48 million people affected by food poisoning every year. This means one out of six people gets sick from eating contaminated food. This leads to hospitalization and death. Here are some food handling tips that can help reduce your risks of food poisoning.

C. Food Safety Tips for Young Children

When eating small pieces of solid food, babies and toddlers may swallow food without chewing and block their trachea. Even if your child has teeth, it doesn’t mean he can eat just any type of food. To make feedings safe, young children should be supervised by their parents.

With their developing immune system, children younger than 6 are vulnerable to food poisoning. They cannot fight infections the same way adults can. Here are tips on how to keep your baby or toddler safe while eating.

D. Food Safety Tips for Preschoolers

Preschoolers are also at risk of foodborne illnesses. Even though they’re older than babies and toddlers, they can still choke on food. Just like toddlers, their immunity is still developing so it’s hard for them to recover from poisoning when they get it.

They’re also at the age that they enter a school setting for the first time. This exposes them to a myriad of germs and illnesses spread by other kids. Following important general food safety guidelines will help keep them safe from foodborne illness and other food dangers. Here are additional food safety guidelines to keep your preschooler healthy and safe.

Sports Safety Tips for kids

Kids love participating in sports. It’s a great way for them to make friends and learn about teamwork. It helps them become physically fit, improve their coordination, and build their self-confidence.

Sports injuries sideline them from doing what they love. We see more and more of these injuries in youth sports. It might be because of the increasing demands of sports training on their young bodies or improper coaching and training. Whatever the reason is, 14-year-olds and younger children experience sports injuries every year, perhaps due to the fact that their bodies are still developing. Fortunately, these damages can be prevented by using safety gear and following sports rules on the field. Here are tips to guide sporty kids towards safe play.

A. Playground Safety Tips for Kids

Kids love playgrounds. Urban dwellers for one tend to go to a lot of parks or playgrounds as many do not have backyards. Playgrounds give children the chance to explore their outdoor surroundings and develop a love for physical activity. It’s important, however, that parents will always check the outdoor equipment for any problems.

Above 200,000 kids are rushed to hospitals each year because of accidents in playgrounds. Most of these kids are nine years old and younger, who commonly get injured from falling off play equipment. These can be prevented if parents and adults make a thorough equipment check before letting their kids play on those seesaws and swings. Children should also know how to behave in playgrounds so parents should also instruct them on how to play safely. Here are simple safety guidelines for playground safety.

B. School Gym Safety Tips for Kids

All kids need some kind of break from the monotony of school work. It is good news that most schools encourage gym time for students. This allows them to relieve some stress and discover their interest in team or individual sports.

Just like in playgrounds, kids need to observe certain safety measures to stay safe inside the gym. They should know that it’s okay to tell their coach if they’re not feeling well or that they have to be self-aware so as not to hurt themselves or others. It’s important to set the following safety rules with students.

Travel Safety Tips for Kids

Traveling with kids is not an impossible task. Many parents dread having to haul so much stuff on plane rides that it seems better to just stay at home and watch Netflix with the kids. The truth is, with enough preparation, traveling with your little ones is very much possible and even enjoyable for the whole family.

Traveling to new countries teaches your children about different cultures, lifestyles, and, of course, amazing views and places. It’s a unique opportunity that can mold them into more global individuals as they grow older. To make the most of the experience, it’s important for everyone to stay safe for the duration of the trip. Here are some tips from parents who travel with their kids.

First Aid Tips for Kids

Children are endlessly active creatures. They run around, crawl under tables, and have a few tumbles every now and then. It’s almost inevitable that what used to be scrapes can turn into something more serious like bleeding. When this moment comes, you need to be prepared to administer first aid on your child, or if you’re not around, he should know exactly what to do to stop the bleeding or clean his wound.

This means that your home should definitely have a complete first aid kit and that you’re ready to teach your kids how to use it to treat their own minor injuries or that of their playmate or sibling, in case no adult is around. Preparing your kids will definitely save someone’s life, so here are tips on how you can teach your own child first aid.

Kids Safety Products

Whether your child is at home, in a playground, or at school, we know you want to make sure he’s safe. This is why many parents these days buy different safety products for their kids. There are products on the market that can track your child’s movement and equipment that can protect them from injuries at home or on the road.

Some of these safety devices may have hefty price tags, but most parents who use them will agree that they are worth it if it’s our children’s safety we’re talking about. We’ve included product listings and reviews from parents and experts in each product entry below.

A. Door Locks for Kids

Children are natural explorers. When they see a shelf, they want to climb it. When they see a door in their way, they open it even if sometimes it leads to the street outside or a flight of stairs. Next thing you know they’re running across the street or tumbling down the steps.

This may sound extreme but the truth is it’s not unlikely these days. Every year, ten children die in the US as a result of falling from balconies, windows, and stairs, while an alarming 30,000 kids are injured by accidents with garage doors.

These accidents can be prevented if children don’t get to dangerous places on their own. Securing the doors of your house is the first step in child-proofing your home. One thing you can do is add child locks to all doors in your house. Here are some of the best-reviewed door locks on the market today.

B. Toddler Harness Walking Leash

Some parents are torn about using leashes and harnesses on kids. For those parents who actually use them, child leashes have made their jobs of keeping their kids safe easier. A leash is most useful if you have a child who runs away the moment you set him on the ground or if you are a parent to multiple kids who all need to be supervised.

Some kids may not warm up to wearing a harness or leash at first so it’s important to train them. There is also a proper way of putting them on your kids, so make sure to read the safety manual before going to the park or traveling with your kids on a harness. To save you time, we have here a list of the best child leashes and harnesses money can buy.

C. Outlet Plug Covers

The best way to protect your kids from electrocution at home is to install plug covers on all electrical outlets. Every year, thousands of children are brought to the hospital for injuries related to electricity.

Some of them suffer from mild burns and minor shocks but others have severe burns after trying to insert a metallic object into outlets. Young children, especially curious toddlers, are eager to know what would happen if they stick a fork in it. They don’t have to find out the hard way if all outlets are covered when they’re not in use. This is an easy and affordable way to childproof your home and observe electrical safety inside. Here is a buyer’s guide for outlet plug covers.

D. Corner Guards

Corner guards are used for protecting walls from wear and tear. They come in many shapes, sizes, and material. They’re an excellent investment for maintaining the beauty of home furniture and preventing them from getting scratched or dented.

If you live in a house with kids, they are an absolute necessity in child-proofing your home. They can protect your kids and even your pets from getting hurt by wall corners and the edges of low-lying furniture. This is especially important for babies and toddlers learning to walk as they are prone to tumbles and falls. Here are some of the best corner guards and corner protectors today.

E. Kids GPS Tracker

One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to let your child go and explore the world on his own. We naturally want where they are every moment, but this is not always possible.

The good news is, with the advent of newer technologies, we can easily track our kids’ movements and locations without having to buy them a phone or calling them every few minutes. There are wearable GPS trackers available for purchase nowadays. Because these trackers are satellite-based, they can track a family member from anywhere in the world. So it helps you have some peace of mind while your kid is out of town on a school trip or with friends. Below, we’ve rounded up the best kid trackers you can buy right now.

F. Baby Car Seat

Installing a baby car seat is essential for all new parents. For one, if you’re planning to drive on the first day your baby is out of the hospital, hospital rules dictate you need to have a car seat before you can drive him home.

When it comes to choosing the best car seat for your baby, one of the factors to consider is the price. The most expensive car seats offer easy installation, bigger covers, and other safety features not yet required by law, but buying a slightly cheaper car seat doesn’t mean less safety as they all follow federal safety regulations. Considering the life-saving potential of baby car seats in case of a car crash, we think that making a substantial investment in this department is a wise move that could save your baby’s life. Here are the best baby car seats of the year as reviewed by parents and experts alike.

G. Baby Monitor

A lot of parents rely on a baby monitor to help them check in on their babies. This baby device can help you do other things around the house while keeping an eye or an ear on your sleeping child in the other room.

While most parents still opt for audio-only monitors, there is a wide array of modern baby monitors available in the market. Video monitors, for instance, have a lot of neat features like WiFi connection, pan-tilt-zoom cameras, and night vision. Baby monitors can also serve as nanny cams for your baby and his nanny. If you’re confused about what type of monitor to buy, here is a list of the best reviews of baby monitors available today.

Safety First Always

The world is changing and our parenting methods with it. When kids are little, it’s easy to hold their hand and watch them all day. As they grow older, it becomes necessary for them to explore the bigger world out there and, as such, we need to be ready to let them go.

This does not mean that we no longer care what they do. We should always reassure them that we are here for them when they need us. To better equip them for the outside world, parents should not neglect educating them about basic safety rules that will prevent accidents from happening. Just as described in this article, your child needs to know what to do in the face of disasters like fires and hurricanes, but they also need to be aware how to react to social issues like cyberbullying and gun violence. We hope that these safety tips for kids will empower you to make better decisions for the safety of your family.

Helen

Helen is the founder and chief creative officer of ParentsList. Helen is a mom of three, two boys and a girl, her youngest. She’s a stay-at-home mom who just happens to love writing on the side. She loves spending time with her children, especially on warm, cozy Sunday afternoons when everyone’s just relaxed and enjoying each other’s company.

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