In general, static caravans provides a safer and more enclosed space for babies and toddlers than the average brick and mortar house – the living space in a static caravan is spread over one single floor and there are no internal staircases to navigate. However, the caravan will still require baby proofing to reduce the risk of accidents.
Baby Gates
Baby gates are always useful – sometimes there are places that parents and care providers may wish to keep out of bounds while they are busy, such as the kitchen where a hot stove or oven can be particularly dangerous for toddlers on the move. Or parents may wish to contain an energetic baby or toddler in a particular area of the living space, if they need to get on with other jobs and cannot give the child their full attention. Baby gates offer an excellent solution to any space and come in a wide range of different sizes and attachment types to cater for varying spaces.
Secure All Loose Furnishings
Anybody with a crawling baby or a toddler will know that they can be highly creative when it comes to finding their own activities – this includes pushing and pulling at whatever they can get their little hands on, be it a plant, electrical cable, ornament, bookshelves or just about anything else that is within their reach. Climbing onto furniture is another major concern – in the eyes of a wilful toddler, every object in the house is designed to be climbed up, this includes wobbly tables, chest of drawers, bookshelves or any piece of furniture that they can climb on top of.
Appliance instability accounts for a large proportion of tip overs in young children. Any items of furnishing should be securely fastened to the wall of the caravan, including the television – this becomes particularly dangerous when left unsecured as it is a very easy piece of furniture to tip over, even if it is seemingly stable. If the caravan has curtains or blind cords, these should be tied back and kept out of reach as there is a risk of strangulation.
Ornaments & Breakable Objects
Any breakable objects should be maintained out of reach of babies and toddlers – this includes vases or other types if ornaments.
Corner Protectors
Sharp corners and edges are a frequent cause of painful scrapes and bumps to babies and toddlers – their stature, lack of awareness of both space and danger make them very likely to bump into objects when they are moving around. Corner protectors are inexpensive and provide good protection to help prevent this type of injury.
Plug Sockets
Many people are unaware that UK plug sockets are already designed to be safe – with a number of well-intentioned parents buying socket covers believing that they are necessary to protect their children. according to PAT testing,“ Socket covers make sockets less safe as they can be used to override the in-built protection of the socket”.
Drawer and Cupboard Locks
Babies and toddlers can be particularly skilled at opening drawers and cupboards and pulling out all kinds of objects unsuitable or even dangerous to play with – for this very reason cupboard and drawer child locks were invented, providing a highly effective solution that prevents numerous accidents. Anything that could potentially be dangerous, such as sharp objects – knives, scissors etc. – tools, cleaning products, toiletries, marbles, button batteries and any other items which may pose a choking risk (including food items), plastic bags that can be potentially suffocating and any other items, should all be kept locked up or completely out of reach.
Our Services
Presteigne is a family run Mid Wales static caravan holiday home park set on an expansive site which encloses the most beautiful of forest walks is rich with wildlife, making this the perfect location for families with young children. The park itself is well situated, with easy access to numerous nearby activities including a day out at the coast.
We offer a range of both new and pre-owned static caravans for sale and pitch sites for static caravan relocation. The Presteigne park team has years of experience in the management of static caravans. For more information on our services, get in touch today.