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5 Tips Baby-Proofing AirBnB, Hotel, or Vacation Rental When Traveling With Kids

How to Ensure Your Long-Planned Vacation With Kids is Safe and Enjoyable by Following These 5 Baby-Proofing Hotel Hacks.

Believe me, traveling with kids and staying at a hotel, private vacation rental properties or AirBnB can be enjoyable just as it can be devastating if proper baby-proofing care is not taken – no matter how family-friendly destination you choose. Sharing a hotel room with a newborn baby can be outright intimidating! As a parent, thinking about the safety of your family in advance is a virtue you must possess. When your babies are very little still, you have to literally prepare for everything! I know first-hand, as we travel quite a bit with our [now] 3.5yo Cosmos. He’d stayed with us in so many AirBnB homes and hotel rooms, I can’t even count.

[updated 2023]

Good news for you: baby-proofing your vacation rental or a hotel room when traveling with kids is not that difficult when you are prepared. Add these 5 ultimate baby proofing tips to your baby vacation checklist, and you'll be able to really relax and enjoy your long-deserved time off.

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Tip 1. Booking Baby-Friendly Accommodation

When traveling with a baby and booking your next vacation rental on sites like AirBnB or Booking .com, look specifically for “baby-friendly” options. Do not “forget” to list a child that’s coming with you. I'm most cases kids under 5 or even under 12 won’t make a difference in price. However, the type of accommodation options available to you will make all the difference! (oh, not sure what is AirBnB? Here is AirBnB explained.)

 Our PerfectDayToPlay special AirBnB Discount HERE

If an AirBnB host is specifically stating in their listing that their home is “not suitable for babies” – trust them! They know their home better than you do. No need to think that they state this simply because they don’t want kids around. Well, some do… but most will honestly advise you of the dangers. They may have an ungated staircase, or glass furniture, or other hazards in place that can not be “baby proofed”.

Better Safe than Sorry! 

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Tip 2. Ask Your Travel Host

Each kiddo is very different, so are her/his parent’s concerns. When you travel with a child, it is always a good idea to ask your AirBnB Host or hotel manager about specific hazards, and if you’d be allowed to “fix” those upon your arrival. 

Ask if you can move the furniture, unplug electronic appliances, remove rugs, install temp cupboard lockers or plug-in electric outlets. If you need to secure the windows from opening, ask your host what’s the best way of doing it.  

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Tip 3. Baby-Proofing “Sweep”

On arrival, follow the first step on your toddler hotel safety plan and do take your time to do a “location sweep”. Go room-to-room and promptly “de-risk” each area. 

At your own home, baby safety could be your second-nature. You may have set it all up before your little one was born. You may have even hired a professional to baby-proof your home. Not to worry, here is your comprehensive list of what you should pay attention to when sharing a hotel room with a baby.

Once again, every child is different, feel free to add or remove items to the below baby travel checklist. 

KITCHEN

1. Cooking equipment such as pots, stove (especially the knob) and pans should be placed in regions where they do not get knocked off and cannot be reached by kids.
2. Remove tablecloths. Kids find it easy to pull tablecloths and this is not an experience you want to have. Use placemats instead if available.
3. Knives, scissors, refrigerator dishwasher soaps, to mention a few should be placed in properly locked drawers. If you are not able to place locks on drawers, move the listed hazardous items to upper cupboards/cabinets where they can not be easily reached by your children.
4. If the stove runs on gas, make sure to locate the gas valve handle and keep it turned off when your stove is not in use.

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ALL ROOMS

1. Babies are curious in nature, thus, it is compulsory to insulate every electrical outlet, and unplug any electronics when not in use. 
2. Shield every room you don’t want kids to mess with.
3. Remove and roll away any loose rugs to avoid fall accidents.
4. Ensure the furniture is not the easily moved type. 
5. Move small shaky furniture close to the walls. 
6. If there is any glass furniture, like a coffee table, see if you can remove it completely into another less used room. 
7. Tables with sharp edges should be smoothed with edge guards or totally evicted to an area that won’t be used by kids.
8. Check dressers if they are properly fixed to walls. If you can't trust it, push something large against the dresser, like an armchair, to push it to the wall.
9. If there are long curtains, test if those are properly fixed and won’t come off with a pull. If unsure, you can always knot those above your child's height.
10. Blinds cords or controls should be placed out of reach.
11. Check the windows, ensure those can’t be easily opened. 
12. Check if the TV is steady and can’t easily fall. If unsure, move it as close to the wall as possible
13. Remove small objects, decor items, anything that looks fragile or made of glass, places all little things inside cabinets, or on top shelves. 
14. Remove heavy books or anything that looks heavy that can easily fall. Place those inside cabinets, or on top shelves.
15. Look around the floor next to work desks to ensure there are no little stationery items, such as pins or paperclips, on the floor. This is especially true if the floor has carpeting – sometimes those little things do not end up vacuumed-in.  No joke, I once found a map is already in the hands of my infant.

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LAUNDRY ROOM

1. Detergents, cleaning supplies and other things with harmful qualities should be kept out of children's reach. If you see them inside your vacation rental, move those to top shelves or top kitchen cabinets.
2. Aside from this, it is advisable to keep the doors locked at all times.

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Tip 4. Staircases

Let’s be honest, most of vacation rental properties will not have child gates in areas with staircases. Some hosts won't even know how to baby proof their accommodation for sharing a hotel room with kids.

Install the Gates

Ask the Host or property manager in advance if they can install child gates, especially if you are renting the place for a prolonged period of time.

You can even suggest you do the gating yourself if they’d allow it. Ask the host to either be present or leave you the toolbox, so you don’t have to carry one on the plane with you. 

$$ SECRET Kids Hotel Hack: Look up a local store selling baby stuff. Look for pressure-mounted baby gates. If none available, look up a hardware store not too far from your rental property, get the toolbox and the child gates. Ask for return policy. If you are using the gates for less than a month, you can safely uninstall it, pack it back and return to the store before you leave. 

Alternative DIY child gates

Check out cool staircase gates made of bungee cords and fabric! Look up “how to use bungee cords for child gates” on Pinterest – there are so many ideas! By the way, you can use those bungee cords for baby proofing so many other ways, for example, to push up the curtains or block dresser drawers from opening.

If you are not able to baby proof the staircase, after all, make sure to keep an eye on it at all times. 

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Tip 5. What to Bring With You to Baby-Proof Vacation Rental

Just as much as you want to make the situation perfectly and prepare in advance, pulling all sorts of financial strands is not the way. Understanding and prioritizing the rudimentary of housekeeping is one way to go to prepare your hotel baby safety plan. Packing up baby safety basics for your hotel stay is another. Here are some suggestions on what to bring:

• Electric outlet covers
• Edge guards
• Cupboard child safety locks
• Sanitation wipes – biodegradable
• Bungee cords

Once again, if you are missing something or did not bring enough gadgets with you, you can always look up a local children's or hardware store to stock-up. Some of these trivial but important baby-proofing necessities are even sold at Dollar stores.

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Baby-Proofing Checklists

Travel with a baby often? Now traveling with a baby is easier than ever!

For your convenience, we've included FREE downloadable baby-proofing checklists within our Top Secret Playground section.

Easy as 1-2-3!

1. Click on the image below (or click here). 2. Get instant access. 3. Download baby travel checklists. ..and enjoy your next beach vacation with kids worry-free!

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Baby-Proofing Like a PRO

The most important baby-proofing advice remains constant when staying in a hotel with kids: watch over your kids all the time. Never take your eyes off them. However, the fact is that you are no robot and that you’ve actually taken this vacation to rest and relax. Which is why you need to know how to baby proof any environment. Know these, be prepared, and have a phenomenal vacation!

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Interested to learn more about kids safety in general? Check out our SAFETY section for ideas!

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Now you can rest assured – when traveling with kids you are well prepared to execute on stellar hotel safety plan. May your long-deserved vacation with kids be safe and enjoyable! ..and if you happen to stay at a sunny destination, don't forget to pick up a few baby beach essentials on your way!

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Cheerfully yours,

Alexandra, Alex & Cosmos

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