Once you've put the finishing touches on the scrapbook layout about your baby learning to crawl, it's time to think about baby proofing your scrapbook room. The same bright colors and fun textures that first attracted you to your scrapbook supplies will make them irresistibly tempting to your curious child.
How to Baby Proof Your Scrapbook Supplies
Scrapbooking magazines often recommend open storage systems such as baskets or clear glass jars that allow all of your supplies to be visible at a glance. While this can be an effective way for you to quickly see what items you have available, it's not the best approach when you have a curious baby in the house. Cabinets, covered boxes, and other closed storage systems that keep items out of baby's view are a much better choice when you need to baby proof your scrapbook room.
Cutting tools, such as scissors, craft knives, punches, and die cut machines are obvious safety hazards. Keep these items on high shelves or locked away in a separate file cabinet. When purchasing cutting tools, look for items with safety features like retractable blades or protective covers.
Buttons, eyelets, and other small embellishments are choking hazards that are present in most scrapbooking rooms. If it could be mistaken for candy, it needs to be stored out of baby's reach in a tightly sealed container. Old prescription bottles with child proof caps work well for this purpose.
Paint, ink, and other colorants need to be kept out of baby's reach if you wish to avoid having stained clothing and furniture. When you're shopping for these items, purchase washable pigments whenever possible. If you frequently work with colorants that aren't washable, remember to keep the appropriate cleaning supplies nearby in case of accidental spills.
Paper, while not dangerous, is fragile and easily destroyed by curious babies. If you don't want your favorite patterned paper to feature a spot of baby drool, keep it picked up.
One of the best baby safety tips is to challenge yourself to think like a baby. To see if you've done a good job of child proofing your scrapbook room, try crawling around on all fours. What catches your eye? Anything that looks tempting needs to be moved, since your baby still has no impulse control at this age.
Baby Proofing and Raising a Creative Child
While you want to keep dangerous and inappropriate items out of your child's reach, baby proofing doesn't have to mean your baby is never allowed to experiment with your crafting materials. As your child becomes more active, consider devoting a corner of your scrapbook room to supplies that are safe for her to play with. Toddlers enjoy playing with:
- Crayons
- Stickers
- Watercolors
- Scraps of paper
- Bits of yarn or ribbon
- Fabric scraps
- Photos you aren't planning to use on your own layouts
Letting your child experiment with scrapbooking on her own can be a wonderful way to foster creativity while still allowing you some time to finish your personal projects. Don't forget to snap a few pictures of child hard at work on her creations so you can make a scrapbook layout devoted to your budding artist!