Making a Bathroom More Child Friendly

The bathroom can be a scary place for the very young, and they can be fraught with hidden dangers too. We explain the simple steps you can take to make your bathroom much safer and more accessible for your children.

• Safety First
• Making The Bathroom Accessible

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The bathroom is often a place we visit without really giving things a second thought. It’s just another aspect of everyone’s daily routine after all; but if you’ve recently had a child or have young toddlers in the house, it’s time to look at things a little differently. A bathroom can be a potentially dangerous place to be for an infant as there are numerous hazards around that can lead to dire consequences if you’re not careful.

In this guide we’re going to explain the best ways to make your bathroom safer for the kids and also more user-friendly, making a trip to the bathroom much more enjoyable for them; and much less worrying for yourself.

Safety First

Your immediate priority here should be the overall safety of the bathroom area. Your kids are obviously the most important things in the world to you so you’re going to want to protect them at all costs. Luckily, making the bathroom less dangerous for young ones is actually pretty simple; it just requires assessing the various aspects of the room which may pose a threat and making adjustments accordingly.

One of the biggest risks is the nightmare scenario that a child could locate and open bottles of bleach which could result in a nasty burn or serious injury if consumed. To avoid any chance of this happening, simply invest in either a wall mounted medicine cabinet or vanity unit and keep any cleaning products and medicines both out of reach and out of view. Adding a lock to these cabinets will help keep your mind at rest also.

Another potential danger is the risk of scalds as a result of exposure to very hot water. There are thermostatic showers available that will keep the temperature regulated, preventing this from happening. Baths meanwhile should be warmed and then adjusted to an acceptable temperature before a child is allowed to enter (it’s best to stay with infants during bath time to supervise them and ensure they are kept safe at all times). Also be sure to keep any radiators or heated towel rails either off or at very low temperatures when a child is present in the room.

Besides the aforementioned elements of risk, there is also the fact that bathrooms can naturally have slippery surfaces, especially after a bath or shower. To combat this, make sure you fit a good quality bath mat and also look into installing a grab handle or two around the shower area or the bathtub depending on which one you have. This should eliminate anyone having any nasty trips or falls. Make a mental note of anything you consider to be a hazard, research the best ways to deal with it and you’ll be worry free in no time!

Making The Bathroom Accessible

With the dangerous parts of the bathroom taken care of, you now need to look at the surroundings as though you were a child. These settings can be pretty intimidating places for the very young, and building their confidence is a vital aspect of making things more comfortable for them.

The main focus here will be the level of accessibility of various areas. A child-friendly toilet and seat combination will be a great start, as this particular aspect can be daunting for those who are getting slightly older. If you happen to have a period bathroom, bear in mind that some of the more intricately designed taps found in these environments can be difficult for a child to actually operate. It’s a good idea to avoid crosshead style handles and instead go for lever style versions as these will be much easier for smaller hands to use.

Consider having a splashback area installed around your basin if you haven’t opted for a tiled bathroom. Having tiles in this area will prevent the wall becoming sodden due to splashing and it will also halt any resulting mould growth. Placing a stool near the basin will help with accessibility too.

Finally, it’s worth paying attention to the general presentation of the room. Effective use of warm colours will make things much less intimidating to a young child. Placing colourful accessories around the room will make a big impact, while bath toys such as rubber ducks are always a good investment. There is a fantastic range of products out there which cater to this particular market so take some time to browse your options and as a result your bathroom will be a very safe and accessible place for your kids, keeping your mind firmly at rest.