For Child Safety Week (2–8 June 2025), we’ve partnered with the brilliant team at Fred Safety to bring you a helpful blog on keeping your crawling baby safe. 

Meet the guest writer - Fred Safety: At Fred, safety comes first. We’re passionate about helping families create safe, secure spaces for children to explore and grow. From award-winning stairgates to smartly designed cupboard locks, Fred products are engineered by safety experts, loved by parents, and tested to the highest standards. Our goal? To prevent accidents before they happen - giving parents peace of mind and children the freedom to safely discover the world around them. Learn more at www.fredsafety.co.uk.

Crawling is a major developmental milestone for your little one! But it doesn’t come without its challenges. Did you know that most accidents happen within the home for children between the ages of 0 and 5? (source)

As your little explorer begins to crawl, make sure they can do so safely. By proactively baby proofing, you can help prevent possible accidents from occurring within your home for both you and your little one. After all, no one likes a banged head!

When should you start baby proofing?

There is no exact right time that you should begin baby proofing, and it does not need to be completed all at once. Some people will start baby proofing before their little one has arrived, and some will not start until their little one has been born. It is your choice when you decide to begin baby proofing.

However, whilst there is no exact deadline that baby proofing must be completed by, it is recommended that by the time your child begins to crawl, most of your baby proofing is done. Proactively baby proofing by this developmental milestone will decrease the likelihood of an accident happening within the home.

Many babies will begin crawling around eight months old. However, some babies will start crawling earlier, and some will start later. Your little one might be telling you that they are getting ready to crawl if:

• They are rolling
• They can push themselves up with their arms extended
• They are rocking back and forth on their hands and knees
• They are getting onto all fours
• They can sit up

Not all children will crawl, and those who do may have different crawling styles compared to others. For example, some children will bum shuffle and some will crawl backwards! Both crawling styles are unique and correct for your child.

It is important to remember that every baby will complete developmental milestones at their own pace. If you do have any concerns about your child’s development, speak to your health visitor or doctor.

How to start baby proofing?

As your little one begins to show signs that they may begin crawling, it is important to proactively begin baby proofing to help minimize the risk of accidents within the home. To begin your baby proofing journey, there are a few things that you can do:

1. View the world from your child’s perspective: Get onto the floor and look up at the world around you. Any items that you see could potentially grab your little one’s attention - this includes any hazards. Make sure to prevent accidents by removing these hazards before your little one starts crawling.
2. Identify risks in areas of the home: Whilst some risks will be relevant to specific areas of the home, there are some that can be found in almost all areas. For example, electrical cables, windows, doors, and furniture can usually be found in every area of the home. Each of these items has its own safety risk, which can be minimised with proper baby proofing.
3. Remove any small objects that are in reach: Babies will often put things in their mouth, but it is important to remember that anything smaller than a two-pence piece can choke a child. Remove any small objects and place them in a baby proofed cupboard.
4. Follow reliable advice and guidance: The Child Accident Prevention Trust and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents have great websites that are filled with free advice for parents and those caring for children of all ages.

Not every accident can be prevented. Small scrapes and minor falls can occur during play. However, it is important that precautions are taken to prevent major accidents. In 2020, 67,135 children were admitted to the hospital following an accident in the home (source). Mini First Aid and Fred Safety are on a mission to reduce these numbers.

The biggest hazards for crawling babies

Babies are curious! Whilst this newfound curiosity can be great for their development, babies do not understand the concept of danger. Therefore, it is important that any potential hazards within the home are removed or adequately adapted to minimise the risk of an accident.

There are some common hazards that all parents should make sure to baby proof before their little one starts crawling. These include, but are not limited to:

1. The stairs: Each week, over 40 under-fives are admitted to the hospital after falling down the stairs (source). Simply installing a stairgate can reduce the risk of your little one (and you) becoming a part of this statistic.
2. Sharp edges: Often being prone to falling over, a sharp edge could seriously hurt a small child. Using baby proofing items, such as corner protectors, can help reduce the pain caused if an accident does occur.
3. Small objects: Typically, babies will begin to put things in their mouths at around 6 months old. Anything smaller than a 2-pence piece can choke a small child. Making sure that all small objects are removed from your child’s reach can help prevent a choking accident.
4. Cleaning products: Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons behind small children visiting A and E each year (source). ‘Child-resistant’ tabs or bottles are not ‘child-proof.’ Remember to always keep cleaning products away from the reach of small children. Securing them in a baby proofed locked cupboard can also reduce the chance of an accident.
5. Electrical outlets: Electrical outlets are often near their eye level of a child when crawling. This could pique their curiosity, sometimes leading to children placing objects inside plug sockets. Not only is this dangerous, but it is also a fire hazard. Taking extra precautions to remove accessibility of plug sockets can help reduce the risk of an accident occurring.

But remember, this is not an exhaustive list. Each home will have its own set of hazards, and therefore, it is important to get onto the floor to view the world from your child’s perspective. Anything you see could become a danger. Proactively taking precautions to prevent injuries will help reduce the number of children visiting A and E each day.

Ways to prevent accidents in the home

There are many things that you can do to help prevent accidents within your home before your baby starts crawling, such as:

1. Install stairgates:  In the 5 year period of 2012- 2017, 90,372 children under the age of 5 were admitted to the hospital due to a serious fall (source). A baby stairgate is a vital piece of safety equipment that helps to prevent little ones from reaching places they shouldn’t be in. Stairgates, like the Fred Safety Screw Fit and Pressure Fit gates are made from professional-grade acrylic and solid poplar wood. They feature an easy one-handed open and are adjustable to any opening, with the screw fit extending from 75cm to 100cm. 
2. Install cupboard locks: Magnet locks, like the Fred Invisible Magnet Lock, keep your home interior sleek and stylish by child proofing discreetly. Working through doors and drawers up to 30mm thick, the Fred Invisible Magnet Lock prevents trapped fingers and little ones from accessing things within their reach.
3. Use corner protectors: Corner protectors are a great solution to preventing banged heads. They are easy to install and do not require any tools. The Fred Corner Protectors can be purchased by themselves via the Fred website or can be found in the Fred Home Safety Starter Pack sold on the Mini First Aid website. The Fred Home Safety Starter Pack features a 17-piece kit to increase child safety in your home. Described by one parent as "Everything you need in 1 pack!", the Fred Home Safety Starter Pack contains a mix of individually designed safety products to protect against common risks. It even includes a choke tester that is perfect for eliminating choking risks from your home, and the damage-free removal leaves no sticky residues behind.

Crawling is a major developmental milestone for your little one! As they begin to explore the world around them, it is important that they do so safely.

At Fred, we believe that accidents are preventable events - and we’re proud to support parents in making their homes safer, one simple step at a time. Whether you're just starting to baby proof or looking to upgrade your current setup, we're here to help you every crawl, shuffle, and step of the way.

Book a Baby Proofing class with Mini First Aid

Our Mini First Aid Baby Proofing class is ideal for parents and carers of babies over 3 months, helping to prevent common household accidents as little ones become more mobile. Whether taken after our Baby & Child First Aid class or on its own, it covers essential baby proofing tips alongside a refresher on first aid for burns and choking - available in public venues or as a private home class. Book your class here.

Home Safety Starter Pack

Keep your little ones safe with this handy 17-piece Home Safety Kit – the perfect starter set for baby proofing your space. With no tools needed and damage-free removal, it’s quick to install and easy to use. From socket covers to corner protectors and even a clever choke tester, every piece is designed with child safety (and your sanity) in mind.

Buy your pack here