Most parents dream of buying a new sofa or formal dining room set after their kids are grown up (and grown out of the habit of decorating the decor with grape juice and magic marker.) But if you’re in the market for new furniture and want your new furnishings and children to play nice, here’s a quick list of things to avoid:
1. Hard, sharp edges- Especially when tables are head-high on your little tykes, pointy corners can cause bumps, bruises and trips to the ER. Instead, choose a round or oval table, or purchase rubber corner bumpers to cushion any sharp corners.Want more? Click here/tag Additionally, avoid wrought-iron furniture with any flourishes that might jut out and snag your children as they scamper by.
2. Breakable materials- Pass on the glass table tops, Tiffany lamps and other pretty but potentially dangerous pieces. If your two-year-old decides to topple a fragile fixture, broken glass fragments can cause cuts, or worse, get ingested.
3. Unstable pieces- What toddler can resist the urge to climb and ride grandma’s rocker? Unfortunately, these chairs we’re made to withstand rough-housing and can lead to more spills and bumps. Three-legged stools, spindly curio cabinets and top-heavy floor lamps are out of the question as well.
4. Easily opened or easily scaled- To keep valuables out of sticky fingers’ reach, avoid low cabinets and shelving. Use child-proof door or drawer locks if the piece you choose is at eye-level with your little one. And that trendy leaning ladder-style book shelf looks just like a jungle gym to your children.
5. Recalled furniture- This seems like a no-brainer, but thousands of items are recalled each year because they are found to be unsafe. Usually stores will remove recalled stock from their shelves and showroom floors, but to be sure, you can find a complete list of recalls online.