Holiday Safety Tips

Practice these simple steps to help keep your family safe this holiday season.

Plan ahead.

Walk through your home and get down on your hands and knees to look at each room from your child’s point of view. Look for hazards like exposed outlets or cords, sharp corners on furniture, open stairwells, easy-to-reach cabinets, and places where matches, lighters, and any firearms are stored. Install childproofing products like outlet covers, gates, cabinet and drawer locks. If you’re traveling to someone else’s home during the holidays, ask your host to do a little childproofing – and lock up dangerous items like matches, lighters, and firearms. Keep important phone numbers that you or a babysitter might need in an emergency, such as the police and fire department, your pediatrician, and the National Poison Help Line, 1-800-222-1222.

Put fire safety in your holiday plans.

Fire safety is always important – but should receive extra attention during the holidays. Install smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on every floor including the basement and on the outside and inside of every sleeping area. Make sure to install both detectors according to the manufacturer recommendations. Check them once a month and change the batteries twice a year. The holidays are a perfect time to change batteries. Practice your family’s fire escape plan with two ways out of each room and a safe meeting place outside. Make sure overnight holiday guests know the plan.

Decorate with care.

Holiday decorating is a family tradition that should be lots of fun – but it should also be safe. Avoid using decorations, like tinsel and artificial snow that may be a choking hazard. Keep ornament hooks, breakable ornaments, and decorations with small pieces out of a child’s reach. Poinsettias, mistletoe, holly, and other holiday plants should be kept out of reach.

Be bright about candles.

Candles are a great way to light up the holidays, but they should always be used with care. Do not use lighted candles on a tree or near other flammable decorations. Burning candles should never be left unattended or within a child’s reach. Lock up matches and lighters so that a child cannot reach them.

Think fun, think safety.

Look for labels to indicate that toys are non-toxic, fire-resistant, lead-free, UL-approved, and appropriate for your child’s age. Avoid toys with sharp edges, projectile parts, brittle pieces, and cords or strings. Toys that can fit into a cardboard toilet paper roll are too small for young children. Remove and throw away all wrappers and packaging before giving toys to a child.

Make safety present in gift giving.

While it makes holiday gift giving even more fun, gift wrapping can pose a choking or suffocation danger to young children. Throw away wrapping paper, bags, bows and ribbons after gifts have been opened. Never burn wrapping paper in the fireplace. Use the holidays as a time to give gifts that help keep children safe, such as bike helmets.

Keep outdoor play safe for everyone.

Children should wear water-resistant coats, gloves, hats, scarves, and boots when playing in the snow. If your child’s gloves or shoes get wet, change him into a dry pair. Do not let your child sled near trees, fences, roads, motor vehicles, or water. Teach children never to walk on or near frozen water. Always supervise children while playing outside.

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