Walking-Stage Baby Proofing: The Ten- to Eighteen-Month Window

Walk every room looking for the climbing route, not the hazard. A toy chest next to a window is a route. A side table next to a baby gate is a route. A sofa pushed against a bookshelf is a route. The route is what matters, because removing a route is more reliable than securing the destination.

The most common climbing routes appear in the living room (sofa to console table to TV stand), in the bedroom (bed to dresser to window), and in the kitchen (chair to counter to cabinet top). Move the climbable furniture, even temporarily.

Coffee tables, hearths, console units, and any low edge a toddler might fall onto deserve corner protectors or edge bumpers. Soft foam corner protectors are common but often pulled off and chewed; rubber-style products age better. The goal is to soften the most-likely impact points, not every edge in the room.

Window locks limit the opening to four inches, which is the head-circumference threshold below which a child cannot pass through. Window guards, which physically prevent passage, are appropriate for any second-story or higher window in a child's bedroom. Bedroom window guards must have a quick-release mechanism for fire egress.

Move beds, cribs, toy chests, and dressers at least two feet from any window. Falls from windows usually involve a piece of climbable furniture next to an open window.

Replace looped blind cords with cordless blinds where possible. If you cannot replace them, retrofit with cord winders or cleats so no loop hangs within reach.

A walking toddler can pull a chair to the counter and reach the stove, the knife block, or whatever is left out. Establish counter habits now: knives in a locked drawer, hot drinks in the back third, dishwasher closed immediately after use.

Appliance locks become more relevant: dishwasher latches, oven door locks, fridge latches if your toddler raids it. Microwave locks are rarely needed because microwaves are usually mounted high, but verify yours is out of reach.