The balcony is a popular area in the apartment that offers many possibilities. There you can plant flowers, care for them or simply relax and enjoy the fresh air. If you have small children at home, they become a potential source of danger that should definitely be secured. In the article we inform you about the possible risks and give helpful tips on how you can make the balcony child-proof.
Most children are curious about the environment where they live and always want to touch or taste everything. There is a lot to discover, especially on the balcony, for children from crawling age to three years. But what they are not yet aware of is thatdangers lurking everywhere. But motor skills develop more quickly and a single moment of inattention can lead to accidents. To ensure the safety of your toddlers while playing, the first thing you should do is never leave them unattended, especially if the necessary safety measures have not yet been taken.
To make the area child-safe, potential risks should be kept to a minimum, or possibly eliminated entirely. The greatest danger is definitely a fall, which can be life-threatening for the small child, even from a ground floor. This can happen if the balcony parapet is not built high or tight enough. Other risks include balcony doors, low railings and railings, large gaps between struts and objects that children can climb on. Never just provide a single parental lock, but rather protect all possible sources of danger.
First, start with appropriate child safety locks for the balcony door. Under no circumstances should small children be able to open them on their own. Most balcony doors already have an integrated lock in the window handle, which can be upgraded if not available. Floor-level doors on the balcony are also preferable so that small children and older people do not trip over the window frames.
If the balcony railings or railings are too low, an increase is required to prevent the little ones from leaning out. With a balcony railing made of steel, the distance between the horizontal or vertical struts should not be too large so that the child's head cannot get caught. You can also consider cladding made of plastic or fabric for the struts on the balcony railing.
If you don't want to block the view to the outside, you can have a glass railing installed. The children can wave to the neighbors or look at the beautiful view. It would be important here to use thick glass and cover its corners so that the balcony is child-safe.
Child safety nets are also very popular because they provide fall protection when they are strong and installed correctly. With a safety net, there will be no more falling toys. However, the protective net alone is not enough as a child safety device, as it can be unchecked at random. It is always recommended to have several suitable onesChild safety measuresto meet at once.
Toddlers always like to climb. Your imagination can transform almost any object into a climbing aid. Plant pots, beer crates and all kinds of balcony furniture should be placed out of the child's reach. If possible, you should also remove crossbars on the balcony railing as they make it easier to climb up and are therefore dangerous for the little ones.
Many balconies have a slippery surface, which poses a risk of slipping for children and adults, especially after rain. To prevent injuries, you can lay suitable flooring or simply cover it with a rug or carpet.
Toddlers always tend to put everything in their mouths. For this reason, it is particularly important not to keep poisonous plants. Small items such as clothes pegs, which are usually found on the balcony, should also be placed in a place that is out of reach of children.
In summer, paddling pools on the balcony are very popular and every toddler likes to play with the water. Before you fill the children's paddling pool with water, you should make the balcony child-proof. Even with the best parental controls, you still need to supervise your children as there are many dangers when playing with water.
