Start-here checklist
- Get down on the floor and look around from your child's eye level.
- Anchor bookcases, dressers and TVs to the wall. Drawers can be climbed like stairs.
- Keep sofas, beds and chairs away from windows, and check window locks and screens.
- Store medicines, detergents, cosmetics and tobacco up high with a lock.
- Install outlet covers, corner guards and door pinch guards.
- Tie blind and curtain cords out of reach or switch to cordless ones.
- Put safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, and keep balcony doors locked.
- Don't leave heavy objects or hot appliances on shelves or table edges within reach.
Swallowing and choking hazards
- Anything small enough to pass through a toilet paper tube can be swallowed by a child under 3.
- Button batteries (remotes, scales, toys) and strong magnets are especially dangerous. Check that battery covers are screwed shut.
- Cut up or avoid whole nuts, grapes, cherry tomatoes, rice cakes and hard candy before age 4.
- Keep balloons (especially burst pieces) and plastic bags out of reach.
- Store older siblings' toys with small parts separately.
Burns and the kitchen
- Don't hold your child while carrying hot drinks, and remove tablecloths that can be pulled down.
- Turn pot handles inward and keep your child away from the stove while cooking.
- Watch out for rice cooker steam, hot water dispensers, irons and hair dryers.
- Check bath water with your elbow or a thermometer before putting your child in.
- Make sure your child can't turn on the hot tap, and turn on cold water first when using the shower.
- Make sure everyone in the family knows where the fire extinguisher and smoke alarm are.
Bath time and water play
Drowning is quick and silent. Children may slip under without splashing or crying out, and it can happen in shallow water — bathtubs, buckets, paddling pools.
- Never leave your child in the bath, even to grab a towel or phone. Take them with you if needed.
- Bath seats are not safety devices. Stay within arm's reach.
- Empty water right after use and keep the bathroom door closed.
- At water play, assign one adult as the watcher who stays off their phone.
- At the beach, streams or pools, use an age-appropriate life jacket. Floats and arm bands are not life-saving devices.
Outings, sun and playgrounds
- Keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun with shade, hats and light long clothing.
- From 6 months, use sunscreen and reapply every 2 hours and after water play.
- Never leave a child alone in a car, even briefly, especially in summer.
- Use age-appropriate playground equipment, and avoid clothes with cords or necklaces that can catch.
- Put a helmet on from the start for bikes, scooters and inline skates.
- In crowded places, put your contact details in your child's clothing.
- Hold hands in parking lots and alleys, and teach that drivers can't see behind their cars.
FAQ
When should I childproof?
Before your baby starts crawling — around when they begin rolling over is a good time. Once they move, their reach grows every day.
Are baby walkers okay?
Walkers are linked to falls down stairs and reaching hot objects, and the AAP and others advise against them. Stationary activity centers or floor play are safer.
At what age can a child bathe alone?
There is no set age, but young children can drown in very shallow water, so stay beside them through the preschool years. Swimming lessons don't replace supervision.
When can babies use sunscreen?
From 6 months. Before that, shade, hats and clothing are the basics; ask a doctor about a small amount on small uncovered areas.
Sources
- AAP HealthyChildren.org safety and injury prevention
- Korea Consumer Agency child safety reports
- KDCA injury prevention guidance
- WHO drowning prevention
Medical information is for reference only. This is general information and does not replace diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your child's doctor. In an emergency in Korea, call 119.
Related
If you feel it is an emergency, call 119 (Korea's emergency number) first without hesitation; the dispatcher will guide you through first aid by phone. This page is for education and does not replace hands-on CPR training.
Car Seats and Vehicle SafetyA car seat is needed from your child's very first ride. Don't rush to the next stage; using each seat until its height and weight limits is the safest choice.
Sleep and safe sleepWith baby sleep, how safely comes before how long. Set up a safe sleep space first, then support sleep with age-appropriate expectations and a steady routine.
7–9 mo7–9 monthsBabies sit on their own, crawl, and become wary of strangers. As they explore, hazards at home multiply quickly, so safety checks matter most.
13–18 mo13–18 monthsAs toddlers start walking, there is more they want to do and more they are not allowed to do. Help them express feelings with words and gestures, and let them explore freely within safe limits.