10 Tips To Keep Children Safe Over the  Christmas Holidays

10 Tips To Keep Children Safe Over the Christmas Holidays

Christmas is such a happy and hectic time for families. There are so many things to accomplish, from decorating and gifts to buy, to cleaning, baking and cooking. There is a wild flurry of activity. You will be busy entertaining family and friends while trying to keep your children safe over the holidays.

 As with any other time of the year, the safety of the children in your life is crucial. Let’s keep the Christmas holidays as stress-free as possible by making “the Littles” as safe as possible.

So we’ve rounded up 10 top tips to help you keep your children safe over Christmas:

1. Safety Requirements for Toys

It is good advice to always shop for your children’s toys at reputable retailers. They’re careful to stock safe products year-round. Markets and temporary shops often sell illegally imported toys. Unlikely to conform to Canada’s strict toy safety requirements, counterfeit toys can be dangerous for our little ones.

2. Age appropriate toys

Babies and toddlers can choke on small parts or swallow harmful components. Toys that are not intended for very young children should be clearly marked.

3. Choking Hazards

Keep those dangerous choking hazards out of reach of curious little fingers. Small decorations should be placed high up on the tree where they can’t be reached. Make sure that all small plastic toys and components or small, round, silver batteries are scooped up at once and put away.

4. Kids and the Kitchen

To avoid any burns or scalds keep small children out of the kitchen while preparing Christmas dinner. One in 10 children’s accidents happen in the kitchen.

5. Keep Your Children Safe On Stairs

Always make sure stairs are free of toys and clutter to keep your children safe. With everyone excited and  rushing around to greet their well loved visitors, and open presents, they are bound to be less cautious about their surroundings. Remove things that could cause a bad fall down stairs. This is a warning for adults as well as children.

6. Animals at Christmas

Many of us will want to include our furry family in the festivities, but be vigilant about supervising the interaction between the children and the animals. Children who are wired on sugar and excitement can get physically rough with your small animals. There are many hazards for animals over the holiday season. Be sure that the children do not feed the animals or offer them inappropriate, dangerous toys and decorations.

7. Keep Your Children Safe For Holidays Away from Home

Safety items you utilize at home may not be available at your friends or relatives homes if you travel over the Christmas holidays. The lack of safety gates and cupboard locks can create serious safety hazards for your little ones. Nothing will ever beat conscientious supervision by the parents.

8. Poisoning hazards

Even small amounts of alcohol can poison young children. Be mindful of children picking up half finished drinks or going into a purse containing dangerous drugs. Visiting grandparents might count out pills on their nightstand, unaware that little people might think those pretty little coloured pills are candies. Medicines are the most common cause of accidental poisoning in children. Painkillers and other medications can be deadly to a small child.

9. Candle Caution to Keep Your Children Safe

Christmas trees and decorations are very flammable and should never be too close to candles. Children have been known to knock over lit candles or have their long hair or loose clothing caught alight.

10. Fire Prevention

Remember to turn off lights and blow out candles before heading to bed. Check that your smoke alarms are operational. Protect all your loved ones keep your children safe over the holidays: Have a very Merry Christmas!