Toddler proofing face frame kitchen cabinets.

[John Brown]

I bought some magnetic child proof locks for the kitchen in our old house which were Aycorn, if memory serves. We were quite impressed, but now we've moved, and the kitchen units we've inherited are bespoke joinery with face frames. Does anyone have any experience with toddler proofing kitchen cupboards and drawers with face frames? Personally, I favour straitjackets for the grandchildren, but, as always, I'm outnumbered and outvoted by the fairer sex.

 

[MikeG.]

........ Personally, I favour straitjackets for the grandchildren, but, as always, I'm outnumbered and outvoted by the fairer sex.

Understandably, when there are much more humane methods available. I favour nailing one of their shoes to the floor.

 

[sunnybob]

There are many types available almost everywhere, lakeland plastics is the first place I would look.
That would be much better than actually building things into the cupboards, you can just throw them away later.
But the best system of toddler proofing is training. Either carrot or stick.

I have admit to having had one child that responded to each. the girl only needed to be told and thanked. The boy however, only ever responded to threats and violence.
:shock: :roll: :roll:
the grandkids, strangely, are all picture perfect, so it goes to prove training pays dividends. =D> =D> 8) 8)

 

[John Brown]

Well. Two excellent and entertaining replies, but not really any help.
I can't really expect to train the toddlers in the few weeks they'll be here over Christmas, and the kitchen has a solid concrete floor, so nailing shoes is not really an option.

 

[sunnybob]

Hey, I win!
Check out amazon, this one is a bit pricey, but theres lots more.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Cupbo ... d46faa9e00

 

[Trainee neophyte]

There are nasty, cheap, plastic options available in supermarkets. I had some from Tesco's, I believe (bought on my behalf, so I could be wrong).

A question that doesn't seem to arise often - what on earth is in your under-counter cupboards that may kill a toddler? Is it just the evil chemicals under the sink? What not move them for the duration (or permanently, if it is a danger). Plastic and metal pots are brilliant toys for kids - add a bit of water and you have instant child entertainment. Without water you have noisy entertainment.

I child-proofed my cabinets, and always regretted the decision - had to screw nasty white plastic things to the insides of doors, and they are still there, even though the toddler is now 11. Toddlers grow faster than you think, and dumping a large pot on their toes is a valuable life lesson for any child. Why ruin your cabinet doors for a very transient problem? Obviously the female contingent will hit the roof with this logic, but you can win them round by just....not fitting the door locks, and discovering that nobody died as a result. Promise faithfully to do the job, but finding parts, time, delivery issues, etc...

 

[Jonathan S]

Fit strong magnetic catches.....6kg pull would do it....my boys couldn't open 4kg pull until they where 5 ish.....then when the issue has gone away adjust the catch so it's not getting full contact and opens easily.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

 

[MikeG.]

Fit strong magnetic catches.....6kg pull would do it....my boys couldn't open 4kg pull until they where 5 ish.....then when the issue has gone away adjust the catch so it's not getting full contact and opens easily.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

Hmmm. not so sure. Imagine a toddler pulling himself up on a door handle, then falling over backwards. I'd be impressed with any magnet that would resist that.

 

[John Brown]

Hey, I win!
Check out amazon, this one is a bit pricey, but theres lots more.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magnetic-Cupbo ... d46faa9e00

Used those in our old house. I was actually impressed. Took the time to add a review last Jan.
Trouble is, they wont work on face frame cabinets/inset doors.
Well not without a lot of faff involving extra blocks of wood...

 

[John Brown]

There are nasty, cheap, plastic options available in supermarkets. I had some from Tesco's, I believe (bought on my behalf, so I could be wrong).

A question that doesn't seem to arise often - what on earth is in your under-counter cupboards that may kill a toddler? Is it just the evil chemicals under the sink? What not move them for the duration (or permanently, if it is a danger). Plastic and metal pots are brilliant toys for kids - add a bit of water and you have instant child entertainment. Without water you have noisy entertainment.

I child-proofed my cabinets, and always regretted the decision - had to screw nasty white plastic things to the insides of doors, and they are still there, even though the toddler is now 11. Toddlers grow faster than you think, and dumping a large pot on their toes is a valuable life lesson for any child. Why ruin your cabinet doors for a very transient problem? Obviously the female contingent will hit the roof with this logic, but you can win them round by just....not fitting the door locks, and discovering that nobody died as a result. Promise faithfully to do the job, but finding parts, time, delivery issues, etc...

I understand life is cheap in Greece. I just spent a week in Crete, and rode in several cabs, but over here, even in rural areas, we tend towards the idea that crushing fingers in a drawer or door is to be avoided if possible. The " anything less than actual death is fine" attitude is pretty much confined to Wales and parts of Cornwall these days.
I'm in two minds. It's easy to start down the "When I were a lad" path, but I do think seat belts, for example, are a step in the right direction.

 

[sunnybob]

I have seen simple plastic loops through door handles, with a child proof catch on them. No woodwork of any kind required. Throw them away when the kids grow up.
try an ebay search.

 

[John Brown]

I'm afraid that wouldn't work unless I changed all the door and drawer handles.


I'll figure something out. I just thought maybe someone had been down this path before. Now I feel like I'm just reacting negatively to well-intentioned suggestions.

 

[novocaine]

https://www.hilti.co.uk/c/CLS_DIRECT_FA ... de=2142656

I hot glued a catch inside the knife draw and the chemicals cupboard. worked long enough they learned it wasn't worth trying. now they aren't locked anymore.

didn't do it to the baking cupboard. little lad never bothered, little girl has been caught eating nutella with a spoon and cocoa powder with her fingers. we are changing the layout to fix that instead of adding catches.

 

[Trainee neophyte]

[. The " anything less than actual death is fine" attitude is pretty much confined to Wales and parts of Cornwall these days.

You got me - I'm definitely from the "parts of Cornwall" where anything other than total dismemberment is just a flesh wound. Brought up riding horses, where it wasn't "if you're not going to hospital, you're getting back on", but more, "If you want to go to hospital, you're getting back on".

If it was a really bad cut, you would get some purple antiseptic ventinary spray, but it would have to be serious, because that stuff is expensive, and only for use on expensive animals.

(To be fair to my parents, I went to casualty at least once a year and sometimes more- on first name terms with the nurses.)