Vacation can be a fun and relaxing time for families. However, families who are traveling with small children need to think about accidents or dangers that they may not have to consider while at home. Here are a few safety tips for parents and grandparents to help avoid accidents while on vacation.
- Many hotels, resorts and rentals have window blinds. Always check the blinds in your place of stay and note whether they have cords or are cordless. If corded, make a serious effort to shorten or to tie up all cords to assure that any and all cords are out of the reach of young children, so they can’t access them and become entangled, as corded window coverings pose a strangulation hazard. Also, all cribs and furniture must be moved away from potentially accessible windows.
- Furniture could have sharp corners. Kids fall often and a sharp corner can cause injury. Have kids avoid these areas or stay vigilant. Designate safe play areas to your kids and point out things that could cause injuries.
- When visiting with grandparents, medications could be left out on tables or in the kitchen. Ask the grandparents if they could store their medication in out of reach, or in cabinets while the kids are around.
- Alcohol might be out on bar carts and in refreshment refrigerators. Their packing might look like a soda, so check for this and remove anything that could be accidentally consumed.
- Check for choking hazards. In other homes or hotels, things like buttons, decorative items, and even hard candies might be in reach. Place hotel-size hygiene items out of reach to prevent accidental poisoning.
- If you’re traveling somewhere near the water, think of related hazards. Tile floors can become slippery. Wear surf shoes when in water, where rocks and shells can make things slippery or you could get cuts. Always make sure lifejackets fit properly. If visiting a private residence with a pool, consider bringing a pool alarm that sounds when the water is breached.
- Check furniture and TVs for risk of tipping. These items might not be secured to the wall they way parents do in their own homes.
Checking furniture, electronics, and bathroom products is essential when traveling. Hotels and other homes may not be set up with young kids in mind, but with a few checks and some awareness, you can work to prevent accidents. Travel can be nerve wracking for a parent, but if you use the same discretion and safety checking in your places of stay that you do in your home, you’ll have peace of mind wherever you travel.