# Babyproofing Checklist by Age (2026): What to Do Before Baby Crawls, Pulls Up, and Walks

> A babyproofing checklist by stage, from CPSC and AAP guidance: gates, window guards, furniture anchors, outlets, blind cords, poisons, water heaters, and drowning.

- Source: https://nurseryproof.com/health-safety/babyproofing-checklist-by-age
- Publisher: NurseryProof (https://nurseryproof.com)
- Published: 2026-09-27
- Category: health-safety
- Tags: babyproofing, childproofing, baby gates, home safety, furniture anchors, poison prevention
- Quick answer: Babyproof in stages, before your baby crawls. Anchor furniture and TVs, lock up medicines and cleaners, plug unused outlets, remove corded blinds, and check smoke and CO alarms. Gate the top and bottom of stairs, using screw-mounted gates at the top. Add window guards above the first floor and set the water heater to 120°F or lower.

## Key takeaways

- Start before your baby crawls: the AAP says to take extra steps before or as soon as your child begins crawling or walking.
- Anchor furniture with drawers, doors and shelves, and TVs, to the wall; that prevents tip-over injuries and deaths, CPSC's Anchor It campaign says.
- Put gates at the top and bottom of stairs; at the top, CPSC says to use only gates that screw to the wall, and never a pet gate.
- Window screens don't stop falls: use window guards with openings of four inches or less, above the first floor.
- Store medicines and cleaners locked up, out of sight and reach, and save Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
- Never leave a child alone in or near water, even for a moment, and empty buckets after each use.

Babyproofing isn't one weekend project. What a newborn can reach and what a climbing toddler can reach are very different, so it works best in stages, each done before your child gets there. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) puts it simply: take extra steps "before or as soon as your child begins crawling or walking."

**How we built this checklist:**

- We read the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's [Childproofing Your Home guide to safety devices](https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/kids-and-babies/Childproofing-Your-Home) and CPSC's [Anchor It furniture and TV tip-over campaign](https://www.anchorit.gov/).
- We also read the AAP's [home safety tips for families with young children](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/home-safety-heres-how.aspx), its [safety guide for children 1 to 2 years old](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/safety-for-your-child-1-to-2-years.aspx), and its [guide to childproofing your home for poisons](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Childproofing-Your-Home.aspx).
- Every item below comes from one of those pages, all checked in September 2026. The sources don't give month-by-month ages for each step, so we group the steps by what your child can do, not by exact age.

**Key point:** CPSC notes that safety devices only work if they're "properly installed and reengaged after use." A gate left open or a latch left unhooked protects nothing.

## Before Your Baby Comes Home

These don't depend on your baby's age, so do them first.

| Task | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Anchor dressers, bookcases, TV stands and TVs to the wall | "Anchoring all furniture with drawers, doors, and shelves to the wall prevents tip-over injuries and deaths" | Anchor It |
| Install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms | At least one on every level and outside bedrooms | AAP |
| Test smoke alarms monthly | Change batteries at least once a year, or use sealed 10-year batteries | CPSC |
| Put CO alarms near sleeping areas | Outside bedrooms near each sleeping area, even with no fuel-burning appliances | CPSC |
| Set the water heater to 120°F or lower | Prevents burns; anti-scald devices can be added to faucets and shower heads | CPSC, AAP |
| Replace corded window coverings | "Avoid window coverings that have cords to prevent strangulation" | AAP |
| Save Poison Help in your phone | 1-800-222-1222 | AAP |

**Pro tip:** CPSC says cordless window coverings, "including inexpensive options, are available at most major retailers and online," so this is one of the easier swaps.

A federal rule to prevent furniture tip-over injuries and deaths took effect on September 1, 2023, according to Anchor It. The campaign's advice is still to anchor all furniture with drawers, doors and shelves.

## Before Your Baby Crawls

Crawling is when the floor becomes the whole world. Get down to your baby's eye level and look around.

| Task | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Put safety plugs in every unused outlet | Use "non-choking hazard safety plugs"; outlet covers and plates help protect against shock and electrocution | AAP, CPSC |
| Latch or lock cabinets and drawers with hazards | Keeps children out of medicines, detergent, cleaners, matches and lighters | CPSC |
| Store medicines and cleaners locked up | "In locked cabinets or containers, out of sight and reach of children" | AAP |
| Put away button batteries | "Button batteries can cause severe injury or death if ingested" | AAP |
| Put away small or loose magnets | Refrigerator magnets and products or toys with small magnets are hazards | AAP |
| Install gates at the top and bottom of stairs | Do it "when your child is learning to crawl and walk" | AAP |
| Use only screw-mounted gates at the top of stairs | "For the top of stairs, only use gates that screw to the wall" | CPSC |
| Add corner and edge bumpers | Help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces | CPSC |


### Which baby gate should you use?

CPSC's guidance is specific:

- use safety gates that meet current child safety standards;
- never use a pet gate as a child safety gate;
- at the top of stairs, use only gates that screw to the wall;
- look for gates children can't dislodge easily, but adults can open and close without difficulty;
- replace older gates with "V" shapes large enough to trap a child's head and neck.

**Key point:** a pressure-mounted gate, held in place by tension rather than screws, does not meet CPSC's rule for the top of stairs: only a gate that screws to the wall does.


## When Your Baby Pulls Up and Cruises

Once your baby pulls up on furniture, everything at standing height is in reach, and anything they pull on can come down.

| Task | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Check every furniture and TV anchor | Anchor pieces "to the floor, or attach them to a wall" | CPSC |
| Add window guards above the first floor | "Install operable window guards above the first floor" | AAP |
| Keep window guard openings small | Openings of "four inches or less, including the space between the window guard bars" | CPSC |
| Don't rely on screens | "Window screens are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows" | CPSC |
| Add door knob covers and door locks | Help keep children away from places with hazards | CPSC |

The AAP's advice is to choose "operable window guards that only an adult or older child can open from the inside." CPSC adds: "If you have window guards, be sure at least one window in each room can be easily used for escape in a fire."


## When Your Toddler Walks and Climbs

The AAP's safety guide for 1- to 2-year-olds adds climbing and water to the list.

| Task | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Keep gates on stairways | "Use gates on stairways and install operable window guards above the first floor" | AAP |
| Move chairs away from counters, tables and windows | "A chair left next to a kitchen counter, table, or window allows your child to climb to dangerously high places" | AAP |
| Check water temperature at the tap | "The hottest temperature at the faucet should be no more than 120°F" | AAP |
| Never leave your child alone near water | Not in or near "a bathtub, pail of water, wading or swimming pool, or any other water, even for a moment" | AAP |
| Empty buckets | "Empty all buckets after each use" | AAP |
| Fence any pool | "On all 4 sides with a fence at least 4 feet high," with self-latching gates | AAP |

**Bottom line:** the AAP notes that injuries are the leading cause of death of children younger than 4 in the United States. CPSC says most safety devices "are easy to find and are relatively inexpensive," and the AAP's water rule is to never leave your child alone near it, even for a moment.

## If Something Goes Wrong

- **Poison:** if your child puts something poisonous in their mouth, the AAP says to "call Poison Help immediately at 1-800-222-1222."
- **Recalled products:** gates, cribs and other baby gear get recalled. Search our [baby product recall checker](https://nurseryproof.com/recalls) for anything you own or buy secondhand.

For the sleep space itself, our [safe sleep guide](https://nurseryproof.com/sleep-nursery/safe-sleep-guide-whats-safe-in-a-crib) goes through what the AAP and CPSC say belongs in a crib, item by item.

## The Whole Checklist, by Stage

| Stage | Do this | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Before baby comes home | Anchor furniture and TVs to the wall | ☐ |
| Before baby comes home | Smoke and CO alarms installed and tested | ☐ |
| Before baby comes home | Water heater at 120°F or lower | ☐ |
| Before baby comes home | Cordless window coverings | ☐ |
| Before baby comes home | Poison Help (1-800-222-1222) saved | ☐ |
| Before crawling | Safety plugs in unused outlets | ☐ |
| Before crawling | Cabinet latches; medicines and cleaners locked up | ☐ |
| Before crawling | Button batteries and small magnets out of reach | ☐ |
| Before crawling | Gates at top (screw-mounted) and bottom of stairs | ☐ |
| Before crawling | Corner and edge bumpers | ☐ |
| Pulling up and cruising | Window guards above the first floor, openings 4 in. or less | ☐ |
| Pulling up and cruising | Door knob covers where needed | ☐ |
| Walking and climbing | Chairs moved away from counters and windows | ☐ |
| Walking and climbing | Buckets emptied; pool fenced on all four sides | ☐ |

Building your registry? CPSC says most safety devices are relatively inexpensive, so gates, outlet plugs and cabinet latches are easy additions. Our [budget baby registry checklist](https://nurseryproof.com/blog/baby-registry-checklist-on-a-budget) covers the rest of the essentials.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When should I start babyproofing?

Before your baby is mobile. The AAP says to take extra steps "before or as soon as your child begins crawling or walking," and to install stair gates when your child is learning to crawl and walk. Tasks that don't depend on age, like anchoring furniture, checking smoke and CO alarms and setting the water heater, can be done before your baby comes home.

### Can I use a pressure-mounted gate at the top of the stairs?

No. CPSC says: "For the top of stairs, only use gates that screw to the wall." It also says never to use a pet gate as a child safety gate, and to choose gates that meet current child safety standards.

### Do window screens stop a child from falling?

No. CPSC says window screens "are not effective for preventing children from falling out of windows." Use window guards, with openings of four inches or less, and the AAP recommends operable guards on windows above the first floor that an adult can open from the inside.

### What temperature should my water heater be for a baby?

120°F or lower. CPSC says the water heater can be set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to prevent burns, and the AAP says the hottest temperature at the faucet should be no more than 120°F. Anti-scald devices for faucets and shower heads add protection.

### Do I really need to anchor furniture?

Yes. CPSC's Anchor It campaign says anchoring all furniture with drawers, doors and shelves to the wall prevents tip-over injuries and deaths, and the AAP recommends anchoring bookcases, dressers and TV stands. A federal rule to prevent furniture tip-overs took effect September 1, 2023, but anchoring still matters.

### What is the Poison Help number?

1-800-222-1222. The AAP says to call it immediately if your child puts something poisonous in their mouth. Save it in your phone before your baby starts crawling, and store medicines and cleaners locked up, out of sight and reach.

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*NurseryProof is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This checklist summarizes public safety guidance from CPSC and the AAP and is not medical or professional advice; follow each product's installation instructions.*

## Sources

- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: [Childproofing Your Home guide to safety devices](https://www.cpsc.gov/safety-education/safety-guides/kids-and-babies/Childproofing-Your-Home)
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: [Anchor It furniture and TV tip-over campaign](https://www.anchorit.gov)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: [Home safety heres how](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/home-safety-heres-how.aspx)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: [Safety guide for children 1 to 2 years old](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/safety-for-your-child-1-to-2-years.aspx)
- American Academy of Pediatrics: [Childproofing Your Home](https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Childproofing-Your-Home.aspx)

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Last updated: 2026-09-27
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Disclosure: as an Amazon Associate NurseryProof earns from qualifying purchases. Safety information summarizes public guidance and is not medical advice.