The answer is to childproof your kitchen and there are a number of safety tips that would be well worth considering. This process is also known by the term babyproofing.

Stored away in kitchen cupboards are large appliances, sharp kitchen tools and poisonous chemicals, the majority of which are stored at about the perfect height for kids.

To keep children away from dangerous items the best preventative measure is to install child safety door locks on kitchen doors and drawers. Drawers filled with kitchen utensils are particularly dangerous with the drawer height invariably directly over head height. It is quite possible that older style kitchen drawers can be pulled completely out of their housing and onto the head of a toddler.

Also stored, usually under sinks, are many household chemicals and cleaners that are strong poisons and are easily accessible. Special child safety locks can be added to kitchen cabinet handles as well as to the inside of drawers.

There are many types of inexpensive locking devices available. Child safety locks for cabinets feature a button on the side and a button on the side and must be pressed simultaneously for the door to be opened. Opening the doors involve a release mechanism that allows serrated plastic strips to pass through the door handles and the lock.

Once the child locks have been installed in your kitchen doors the next responibility is to conduct regular checks of the locks. The only way you can be sure that the locks are going to work properly is if you test them every month. It may be possible that the screws holding the lock to the kitchen cabinet may need tightening.

Another danger in the kitchen that could cause serious injury to a toddler is the stove and oven and the possibility of burn injuries is real. You can buy knob covers that can lock the controls and, if in use, try to use the back burners where possible. If not possible then pot handles should not be allowed to overhang the edge of the stove.

Child safety door locks for your kitchen doors and drawers are not expensive and they can save your child from serious injury and you from a lot of anguish.