Babies and young children learn about their world by exploring it.  This means that, as soon as they are able to, they will crawl, touch and grab at whatever is in their line of vision.  They are curious by nature and from a young age need careful and gentle guidance about what danger is and what to stay away from.  Shouting at, or smacking children will not teach them about safety.

Most accidents happen in the home and this is why is it important to ensure that your home is safe for all your family especially for young children.  There are many situations each year in which children have overdosed on their parents' drugs and medicines.

Some dangers around the home:

• Make sure that all medicines and drugs are locked  away well out of reach and your use of them is private to avoid your child copying you.
• Certains rooms are necessarily full of danger, such as the kitchen, and should remain out of bounds  - or  - be made safe by the use of safety devices.
• Are your children contained within the house?  Is the safety chain high enough on the front door even for a very active toddler?
• Crawling and explooring are an essential part of children's development - keep an eye on young children, especially near wires and sockets.
• Small children should never be left alone with pets.  Even well trained and good natured animals can turn on children.
• Make sure that irons. saucepans and hot drinks are kept out of reach of children.  Scalding and burns are common and avoidable accidents.
• Inhaling cigarette smoke is bad for children's health.  Children will be affected by passive smoking may encourage them to smoke when they are older.
• Check toys for safety marks.  Ensure that your child does not play with toys that are not suitable for his or her age, especially if the pieces are small enough to choke on.  Unsafe toys can be very dangerous.

With very young children the tone of your voice and facial expressions alongside explanations are extremely important.  Children will begin to sense the warning tone you your voice over time.