The Playbook

Babyproofing Checklist: Room by Room, in the Right Order

A practical babyproofing checklist for dads: furniture anchors, stair gates, water safety, poisons, button batteries and windows, room by room.

By the Guide to Fatherhood editorial team. Last reviewed . 2 min read.

Checked against guidance from organizations like the AAP, CDC, ACOG and NHS (linked below). This is general information, not medical advice. Read our medical disclaimer.

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Babyproofing feels overwhelming until you put it in order. This list goes from highest stakes to lowest, room by room. It’s a perfect weekend project for dads: a drill, a stud finder, and a plan.

Save the Poison Help number now: 1-800-222-1222 (HRSA). It’s free and staffed 24/7.

Phase 1: Before the baby arrives

  • Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on every level and near bedrooms; test them.
  • Water heater at 120°F (49°C) or lower to prevent scalds.
  • Anchor furniture and TVs in every room the baby will use. The CPSC’s Anchor It! campaign exists because tip-overs injure and kill young children; anchoring is cheap and quick.

Phase 2: By about 5 to 6 months (before crawling)

Get on your hands and knees in every room. Whatever you can reach, the baby will.

Everywhere

  • Small objects off the floor and low tables. Anything that fits through a toilet-paper tube is a choking hazard.
  • Button batteries and magnets locked away. Swallowed button batteries can cause severe internal burns within hours (CPSC). Check remotes, key fobs, thermometers and toys for secure battery compartments.
  • Cords from blinds, curtains and electronics out of reach, especially near the crib. Cordless blinds are safest.
  • Outlets: cover them if your home doesn’t have tamper-resistant receptacles.
  • Plants: move houseplants out of reach; some are toxic.

Stairs

  • Hardware-mounted gate at the top, screwed into the wall.
  • Gate at the bottom; pressure-mounted is fine there.
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Hardware-mounted baby gate

Why dads like it
Screw-mounted gates are the type to use at the top of stairs; pressure gates can be pushed out.
Best for
Top of stairs. Use pressure-mounted gates only for doorways and the bottom of stairs.
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Kitchen

  • Cleaners, dishwasher pods and medicines moved up high, then locked. Detergent pods are a well-known poisoning risk.
  • Cabinet and drawer locks on low cabinets.
  • Stove: cook on back burners and turn pot handles inward.
  • Hot drinks never on low surfaces or in your hand while holding the baby.

Bathroom

  • Never leave a baby alone in or near water, even for a moment (AAP).
  • Toilet lids down, bathroom door closed (a door knob cover helps).
  • Medicines, razors, cosmetics locked away.

Bedroom and nursery

  • Crib: bare, with the mattress lowered before the baby can pull up.
  • No furniture near windows. Window guards or stops on upper floors; screens don’t stop falls.

Phase 3: As your baby pulls up and cruises (about 9 to 12 months)

  • Tablecloths and dangling cords removed; a baby can pull a heavy or hot object down.
  • Sharp corners at head height padded or furniture moved.
  • Re-check anchors and gates. Climbing is coming.
  • Pools and spas: four-sided fencing with a self-latching gate. Empty buckets and kiddie pools after use.

The AAP’s home safety tips covers more. No amount of babyproofing replaces supervision, but it buys you the seconds you need.

Frequently asked questions

When should we babyproof?

Start the big items (anchoring furniture, water heater temperature, smoke and CO alarms) before the baby arrives. Do the rest by around 5 to 6 months, before your baby starts rolling far, crawling and pulling up.

What's the poison control number?

In the U.S., call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, 24/7. Save it in your phone and post it on the fridge. If your child is unconscious, having trouble breathing, or seizing, call 911.

Are pressure-mounted gates safe at the top of stairs?

No. Use a hardware-mounted gate, screwed into the wall, at the top of stairs. Pressure-mounted gates can be pushed out and are best for doorways and the bottom of stairs.

Sources

  1. Anchor It!, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  2. Home Safety: Tips for Families With Young Children, American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
  3. Button Cell and Coin Batteries, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  4. Poison Help, Health Resources and Services Administration
  5. Drowning Prevention for Curious Toddlers and Older Children, AAP (HealthyChildren.org)

We link to the original source for every medical and safety claim. Guidance changes; if a source has been updated since our last review, the source wins. How we research.