When it’s time to buy and set up baby gates in your home, keep these key facts in mind:
- According to the Centers for Disease Control, falls are the most common nonfatal childhood injury.
- Stairs in your home? Place a baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs to prevent access for your curious toddler.
- Gates placed at the top of the stairs must be mounted with hardware, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- You can also use gates to prevent access to dangerous areas of your home—like the kitchen, bathroom or laundry room.
- Gates come in many shapes and sizes, so make sure you measure your space before you start shopping.
- The gate should be mounted no more than 2 inches above the floor, to prevent your child from attempting to crawl underneath.
- Keep large toys or other objects that your child could climb on away from the gate to prevent them from trying to climb over the gate.
Baby gates are also great for keeping pets contained to safe areas of your home. However, pets can force themselves into very small openings. Only use a gate with pets whose head or body will not fit into the openings in the gate, between the gate and the floor, or between the gate and the wall.
Need a gate in your home? Check out our selection of Evenflo baby gates!