Baby-Proofing Checklist for Crawlers & New Walkers

The moment your baby starts to crawl, pull up, and toddle around, your home becomes one big adventure playground. A little preparation makes all the difference. This baby-proofing checklist rounds up the baby-proofing must-haves for crawlers and new walkers, room by room, so you can relax and let your little one explore.

Start here: the whole-home basics

• Anchor heavy furniture and TVs to the wall with anti-tip straps — the single most important step.
• Cover unused electrical outlets and tuck away or bundle loose cords.
• Add corner guards to sharp-edged tables and units at head height for a wobbly walker.
• Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs and across rooms you want to keep off-limits.
• Move small objects up high — anything that fits through a toilet-paper tube is a choking risk.

Living room

• Secure the TV and media console; route cables out of reach.
• Pad or remove low coffee tables with hard corners.
• Tie up blind and curtain cords well out of reach.
• Create a soft, open play zone with a rug or mat so there is a comfortable place to practice crawling and cruising.

Kitchen

• Latch cabinets and drawers, especially those with cleaners or sharp tools.
• Use stove knob covers and turn pot handles inward when cooking.
• Keep hot drinks and dangling appliance cords away from the edge.

Bathroom

• Never leave a baby unattended near water, even for a moment.
• Latch the toilet lid and store medicines and toiletries up high.
• Use a non-slip bath mat and set the water heater to a safe temperature.

Nursery & bedrooms

• Anchor dressers and bookshelves to the wall.
• Keep the crib clear of pillows, bumpers, and loose bedding.
• Move the crib away from windows, blind cords, and shelves.

A comfortable place to practice

Baby-proofing is about making the whole environment forgiving so your baby can practice big new skills — crawling, cruising, and those first wobbly steps — with confidence. Soft surfaces help, and some parents add a lightweight cushion backpack during supervised play for a bit of extra padding behind a new walker. See how it works on our baby learning to walk page, or browse all TumbleTots designs.

Keep adjusting as they grow

Baby-proofing is never quite "done." As your baby learns to climb, reach higher, and open things, do a fresh floor-level walk-through every few weeks. New skills unlock new mischief — and a quick re-check keeps your home a comfortable place to explore.