Child safety in and around the kitchen

Heavy pans, hot appliances, sharp utensils... the kitchen is full of potential dangers for curious children. Fortunately, you can take some simple steps to reduce the potential for accidents – whether the youngsters are helping you with the meals or are there just to hang out.

How to think about child safety in the kitchen

The various sights, sounds and smells of the kitchen can be fascinating for young children. And you can’t always give them your full attention since you often have your hands full already. So, keeping potential hazards out of reach or securely locked away is the key for general kitchen safety.

As children get older, they may want to play more of a part in the grown-up activities. With some simple products and basic precautions, you can start to let your child help with the food preparation – and so begin to learn more about the household tasks.

Did you know

Your child has much thinner skin than you, so your lukewarm cup of coffee can still feel burning hot.

Some safety features of a child-friendly kitchen

With children around, the main kitchen safety advice is to secure all items that could possibly be a cause of injury.

A few safety tips for your kitchen

Secure any free-standing stove to the wall, to avoid the risk of tip-over should a child try to climb up it.
Make sure that your oven has a child lock – and that you use it.
Fit safety locks on drawers and doors.
Chemicals, cleaning products, medicines, button batteries and such should be out of reach – ideally, locked away – due to the risk of poisoning or choking.
Sharp tools and utensils, such as knives or scissors, should be out of reach.

Plastic bags, plastic wrap and similar suffocation risks should be out of reach.

A few tips to minimise accidents around mealtime

Keep hot pans safely out of reach – use the back rings of the hob or at least turn the pan handles away from the front edge.
For baby, use a highchair that has a wide and stable base, with a safety belt – and never leave unattended, to safeguard against the risk of a fall.
You can fit the highchair with a tray, so that the child can’t reach the table with their feet and push themselves over backwards.
Set the table so that the edge of the tablecloth and any hot food or liquids are always out of reach.
Corner bumpers on tables and cabinets can prevent your child getting hurt on any sharp corners.

Products for when you cook and eat together with children

For more peace of mind when children are in and around the kitchen, the IKEA range includes many useful helpers.