Bounty feature

• Remember that other people’s homes may not be as ‘toddler-proof’ as yours; keep a careful watch on your child to make sure he doesn’t get into danger
• garden ponds can be dangerous, and every year children lose their lives by drowning in them. It takes very little water to drown a child, so never leave your child alone near water.

• Playgrounds
• Child car seats

• find out about the pool and what safety rules they have
• make sure you know how the depth of the pool changes
• check how many lifeguards are on duty and where they stand
• check to see if the pool has ratios on the number of children to parents
• check if there are quiet pool sessions especially for toddlers
• wait at least an hour after your toddler has had a meal before going in the water
• never leave your child alone, even if he’s wearing a swimming-aid
• make sure your child only enters the water with you
• encourage your toddler to watch what the life guards do; that way he’ll get to understand what is dangerous and safe to do
• if possible, enrol your child in swimming or personal survival classes.

• check the safety of the playground with your local authority
• check the playground yourself and report anything you find wrong
• always supervise your child.

• don’t buy a second hand car seat. It may have already been weakened in an accident
• go to a shop that has a fitter. They can advise you on the most suitable seat for your child to fit your car
• make sure the seat is firmly held in place by the seat belt
• make sure the harness fitting is secured correctly each time it’s used. This will change if your child is wearing thicker or thinner clothing.

For the next Your Toddler Guide Chapter, Playtime, Click here