In this article, we are going to discuss Kitchen safety rules for kids. The kitchen is the place in your house with the most traffic every day, and it is the room where your family members can have an accident. The kitchen is full of utensils, tools, various kitchen appliances, and gadgets that can be dangerous for your family, especially for the restless kids, who don’t stay in one place. Mostly it’s because of kids and usually, they get hurt as a result of negligence. Read our complete guide on kitchen safety.
Kitchen safety for kids is important, you should have an eye on your children while they are in the kitchen. If you know the hazards, it will be easy to minimize the risks of any mishap.
The kitchen is a compelling place for kids, they see their parents pulling out colorful things from cabinets and refrigerator. That’s why kids try to participate and see colorful things. And you should have an eye on them when they are in the kitchen and doing some activity. We have gathered some rules for basic kitchen safety for kids.
Kitchen Safety For Kids
- Restrict kids from entering the kitchen without permission.
- Install safety gates to keep your children away from dangerous areas like stoves and electrical appliances. (There are many colorful and easy-to-install temporary gates available in the market for kids.)
- Hygiene in the kitchen and cleanliness play an important role in kitchen safety. Your kitchen should be clean and any toxic waste should be out of the reach of children. Also, Dispose of the waste safely and tie knots on plastic bags before throwing them in the trash can.
- Keep trash bags and plastic bags away from your kids to avoid any accidental strangulation or suffocation.
- Make sure that there are no sharp edges and corners of tables and cabinets that can cause harm to your child. If your cabinets or tables have sharp edges, install cushioning or protective guards.
- Secure all handles and knobs and keep the cabinets closed. You can also install child locks on your cabinets to prevent kids from opening cabinets.
- Use non-skid rugs and if there is a spill, clean it immediately.
- Keep spices and other ingredients that can cause harm away from kids’ reach.
- Childproof your appliances.
- Keep all appliances in good working condition.
- If you use a gas stove, regularly check for leakages.
- Turn all the pot handles towards the back so that the child can reach and topple the pot.
- Any object that can easily catch fire should be kept away from heat sources.
- Keep your kids away from the stove. You can use a stove guard for this purpose.
- Turn off the oven when not in use. Make sure that all the appliances are turned off before you leave the kitchen.
- Cover all the electrical sockets when not in use.
- Don’t use extension cables unless very necessary.
- Be sure that all the cords are in the proper place.
- Make your kids wash their hands every time they are going to do something in the kitchen.
- Choose appropriate recipes to cook with your kids, considering the age of your kid.
- Don’t let your kids taste uncooked food. Some food items have microorganisms that can affect the health of your kid.
- Use a childproof door latch on your refrigerator.
- Make sure that you don’t leave any sharp objects in the dishwasher.
- Keep electrical appliances away from the reach of children.
- Install electrical appliances away from water.
- Make sure that there are no loose cords to prevent electrical shock or strangulation.
- Never leave your kids unattended in the kitchen.
- Never carry your kid while cooking.
- Avoid leaving any chemicals (cleaning agents, medicines, or any other toxic) near children.
- Shove chairs back into the dining table when not in use.
- Prefer tables that have corner legs instead of center pedestals.
- Make sure that your kid can’t touch or pull anything while he is in the high chair.
- Always use a safety harness while your kid is in the high chair.
- Be sure that the high chair is away from walls and kitchen shelves so that your kid can’t topple the high chair.
- Make your kids ask your permission every time they have to go to the kitchen.
- Install smoke detectors near the kitchen to avoid any kitchen fire.
- You should have a working chemical fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen.
- Make a rule for kids that they should stay at least three feet away from the stove while you are cooking.
- If there is a fire, call 911, and don’t try to be a hero. You can also read how to prevent kitchen fires to avoid any mishap in your kitchen.
Teach your kids kitchen safety
Along with taking precautionary measures, you should also teach your kids about kitchen safety. Teach them how to avoid accidents and what to do if there is a mishap. You should try activity-based teaching, it’s important to make it a habit to perform safety checks while working in the kitchen.
- Teach your children how to use a knife properly. Ask them to chop some food with a knife. For younger kids, you can use a blunt knife and give them a ham to practice their chopping skills.
- Teach them how to carry hot stuff. Show them by doing it yourself and make them practice with some cool water in a pot. Tell them the use of oven mitts, gloves, and pot holders.
- Show them how to use a fire blanket and fire extinguisher. Show them how to drop over and roll on the floor instead of running if they catch fire. Fire safety equipment should always be easily accessible.
- Show them what to do if they get burned. Also, teach them they should not peel any clothing from the burn and how to place the burn in cold water.
- Teach your kids about food allergies. And if any family member has any food allergy, ask the kids to prepare a meal for them so they know what food ingredients should be avoided.
- Teach your kids about electrical appliances and show them how to use them safely.
- Teach your kids how to safely use a stove and oven. We recommend Induction Cooktops because they are much safer than conventional stoves and burners.
- Use kitchen safety posters to teach your kids kitchen safety.
Kids Zone in the Kitchen
Specify a small area in your kitchen for your kids. Remove any dangerous items like knives, electric appliances, and toxic chemicals from that area. Keep a fire extinguisher handy and add extra rugs and step stools for kids. Use a kid’s kitchen set to teach your kids how to handle and use kitchen utensils.
Specify a drawer for kids in which they can store their child-safe utensils like plastic knives etc. They can practice cutting soft foods like bananas or cheese using these plastic knives. Use kitchen safety posters like food safety posters and fire safety posters to educate kids and to make kids’ zones beautiful.