Family travel isn’t always what it looks like in the movies. Even though your hotel room is supposed to be a retreat and area to rest, it’s much harder to do when you’ve got a baby or toddler. Kids instantly seem to know how to get into trouble and unsafe situations – even on vacation. Avoid the dangers when you walk into your hotel room, by implementing these instructions to baby proof a hotel room. It only takes minutes and can save a life!
I’ll never forget when we were a little family of three and took my one-year-old on vacation. He was just discovering the world around him and got into everything. Within seconds of us walking into a hotel room, and giving him free rein (since we didn’t know any better), he was getting into unsafe situations.
We quickly reacted and he was fine, but we learned how important it is to be prepared to baby proof a hotel room. You’ve got to plan ahead before packing. Bringing the appropriate gear can make your vacation much more relaxing. Now we have three kids and the routine down. Your hotel room can once again be a place of relaxation, without worry, when you take time to baby proof.
How To Baby Proof A Hotel Room (And What You Need To Pack)
If I could change one thing about the travel industry, for parents, it would be to sell a kit at the hotel front desks with everything parents need to baby proof their room. So many parents travel and don’t even think about what they’ll need to baby proof a hotel room. I’ve even heard of parents cutting their trips short because it wasn’t the relaxing family trip they hoped for.
Take Note Of Things Before You Leave For Vacation
My children always had something particularly dangerous that they gravitated towards and it’s different for every kid. My middle child loves to climb and my oldest runs without looking. It’s in their nature and one of the dangers I’m always aware of.
Take a little mental inventory of what your kids tend to do at home. What do they get into? Are they interested in the trash? Do they climb furniture? Do they run without being careful? All of that is important to know.
Know What Type Of Hotel Room You’ve Booked
Research the type of hotel room you’ve booked and make any special requests before going. I like to stay on a first floor that isn’t near a pool area. Pool areas are always gated, but I don’t even like the temptation. Balconies are a very serious danger, especially if you don’t bring the proper baby proofing gear, and I like to avoid them all together. So I make those requests.
However, if a dreamy view on a top floor, is part of your vacation, don’t stress it. You can baby proof the sliding door to the balcony and make it a far less dangerous situation.
Knowing exactly what type of room you’ve booked will really help you pack everything that you’ll need to baby proof a hotel room.
Create A Safe Sleeping Space For Baby & Toddler In Hotel Rooms
Start with the sleeping space. I know it’s hard to help your baby sleep on vacation, but it’s just as important that they’re safe as they are comfortable. You want to follow all of the usual baby sleep safety rules, but ensure that all aspects of the sleep area are safe.
How To Make A Safe Sleeping Space For Baby: Bring a pack-and-play or request to have one in your room. Make sure you have fitted sheets and aren’t adding bulky blankets. Place the Pack-and-Play away from doors and hotel room furniture. Do NOT trust out-dated cribs that might not have the safety standards of today.
How To Make A Safe Sleeping Space For Toddlers: Avoid toddlers falling out of beds that they’re unfamiliar with. You can call ahead to ask if hotels provide bed guardrails (Walt Disney World resorts do this). If they don’t, pack Inflatable Bed Rails – they won’t take up too much extra space and you can tuck them under the sheets.
Prevent Doors From Opening Without Your Knowledge
Kids are sneaky and can do dangerous things, in seconds, without your knowledge. Pack some Security Door Stops for your main hotel room doors that lead out to corridors. Traditional hotel room door handles are so easy for them to use. Bringing door stops is also a great tip no matter how you travel. I used them for solo travel before having kids.
Prevent sliding doors from opening to unwanted areas (like the pool) by using No Drill Required Sliding Door Locks. They basically use an adhesive to get the job done!
Baby Proof A Hotel Room – Including The Outlets, Corners & Toilet
Adhesive Foam Baby Edge Protector can help prevent any bumps and bruises that come with hotel furniture corners. My kids love running around and only get more excited in a new place. I still use these edge protectors with my two oldest kids. Be most aware of corners that are head height.
To be honest, I don’t worry about the toilet area as much. My kids never took interest in it and I always block off the area by using the doors. Pack a Toilet Baby Proof Lock if you think it’s necessary.
There’s a big debate on whether parents need to use outlet covers and it’s a tricky issue. Newer outlets are tamper resistant. If you don’t use them at home, and you feel comfortable skipping outlet covers on vacation, then that’s what I’d recommend. If you’re staying at a historic property, definitely pack some. They take seconds to apply.
We vacation at Disney Vacation Club villas, which have a kitchen area. Staying at a vacation rental property completely changes things. You’ll want to include kitchen baby proofing too! There are a lot more cabinets, kitchenware and utensils to protect your little one from.
Being prepped, before your vacation, and spending a few minutes at the beginning of your trip to baby proof, can make all the difference. It can be a safe place for your child to play and you’ll have more peace of mind on your family vacation. That’s worth the time and money!