The kitchen can be an especially dangerous place for toddlers and young children. Due to the open concept design of the first floor of their home, my best friend stopped making preserves in the fall for three and a half years while her son and daughter grew out of the “darting” stage because there was no way to mount safety gates. Once they were old enough to be aware of the dangers and learn how to listen to warnings, she began canning seasonal fruits and vegetables again. But while they were toddlers, she soon realized that she just wasn’t quick enough to protect them from the potential hazards that surrounded the canning process without keeping them out of the kitchen.

It’s not just the stove that poses a potential danger, but knives, plugged in appliances and anything breakable like glasses and dishware also pose very real hazards. Anything shiny might be an interesting toy to play with. Cupboard doors are an invitation for exploration. The best way to prevent accidents from happening is to keep them out of the kitchen as much as possible. Security gates are an easy and convenient way to keep young children out of the kitchen while there are hot pots on the stove.

If a kitchen security gate is not an option, keep your child occupied in another part of the house. Whenever you have to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time, put young children in a safe place like a play yard or a bouncer. If they can’t be in your line of sight while you’re in the kitchen or you’re making the most of their naptime to get a head start on meal prep, take the baby monitor with you.

Even if you do have a security gate barring entrance to the kitchen, go the extra mile and child-proof low kitchen cupboards and anything else that are within the reach of curious little fingers. Use outlet covers wherever applicable; safety covers specifically intended for stove knobs; and door/drawer safety latches.

Practice good safety habits and be consistent. Don’t use anything dangly in your kitchen like cords that are a part of the window treatments or tablecloths. Get in the habit of removing placemats from the table or any other items that might tempt your child to grab or reach for. When at the stove, even if the little one doesn’t happen to be around at the moment, turn handles inward, don’t leave elements that are on unattended. When removing items from the stove, microwave or oven, never do so over your child’s head. Load the dishwasher all at once and never walk away leaving the door open, especially when they there are knives or other sharp objects in the silverware basket.