Holiday Safety at Home

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Holiday Decorating

• Hang breakable ornaments at top of the tree. This leaves room for kids to decorate the bottom with non-breakable items.
• Keep harmful plants out of reach. Some popular holiday plants are poisonous to children and pets, including mistletoe and holly berries. In a poison emergency, call the national Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.
• Be aware of devices with button batteries. Keep decorations with button batteries, such as greeting cards and small remote controls out of children’s reach.

Fire Prevention

• Water natural trees regularly. When needles are dry, they can catch fire easily.
• Turn off decorative lights before leaving home or going to sleep. Regularly check lights for exposed or frayed wires and loose connections.
• Keep candles and matches out of reach. Lit candles should be at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn, and don’t forget to blow them out when you leave the room or before you go to sleep. Store matches and lighters out of children’s reach and sight.
• Check smoke alarms. Make sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and near sleeping areas. Review your fire escape plan with family members and guests.

Holiday Gift Giving

• Read instructions and warning labels when choosing toys for children. Make sure the toy or game is appropriate for your child’s age and development.
• Separate toys by age. Toys intended for older children may contain small pieces, including button batteries, that can pose a risk to curious, younger siblings.
• Don’t forget a helmet. If you are giving a bike, skateboard or scooter this holiday season, be sure to include a helmet to keep them safe while they’re having fun.

Holiday Cooking

• Create a kid-free zone. Teach younger children to stay at least 3 feet away from your cooking space. Place babies in a high chair outside of the kid-free zone where you can see them.
• Keep hot foods and liquids out of children’s reach. Cook on the back burners of the stove and keep hot foods away from the edge of your counters to prevent burns.
• Teach older children how to cook safely. Teach them never to leave the kitchen while they’re cooking and always use oven mitts or potholders to carry hot pots and pans.

Find out more safety information at safekids.org!